The WORST TWO people on my list this year are Rob (age 21) and William (age 19). They don’t WANT anything. The things they do kind of want are BORING, even to them: clothes (but nothing in particular), gift cards.
I bought William this teal corduroy Gap jacket when it was on sale for about $50, and I do think he’ll like it:
(image from Gap.com)
I bought Rob this t-shirt (the Meow Meow Meow version) after he mentioned liking Edward’s:
(image from Topatoco.com)
Annnnnnd that’s pretty much it so far.
Rob mentioned wanting more Soylent powder, but I got him some of that last year, and also I find it vaguely annoying for reasons I can’t quite put a finger on, but definitely it has something to do with Rob’s former college roommate who made a big deal about how this was the ideal food, and also claimed it was a cheap way to eat when IT THE HELL IS NOT.
William mentioned wanting gift cards to Netflix, Patreon, Spotify; Gap brands, Adidas, and Levi’s; and maybe a skincare brand (he suggested Cerave or Paula’s Choice “or whatever”). My friend Surely mentioned subscriptions to Dollar Shave Club, and he said that sounded good too.
Both boys want new socks, but I’ll put those in their stockings.
Here are some ideas I’ve had:
• Rob makes pizza A LOT. He makes his own crust. When he goes back to college and/or moves into his own place, he is not taking our pizza stuff with him. I could get him his own pizza pan, his own pizza cutter, his own oven mitts, his own mixing bowl. It wouldn’t be EXCITING, but it would be useful in the future—and maybe kind of a HOPEFUL gift, because of that: he won’t have to live at home with us FOREVER, someday he will be FREE.
• Rob’s phone broke, and he hasn’t wanted to replace it. The main thing he seems to miss about his phone is the timers/alarms, which he used for waking up, reminding him of his classes, etc. When the kids were little, I had a watch that let me set alarms: I had them set to remind me of the bus stop twice a day. I wonder if they still make watches like that, now that everyone has phones? If you’ve seen a watch like that, let me know.
• The five kids have been playing games together one evening a week—some online/video games, some board games. I was thinking maybe I could add a new game. If you know of any games that are good for five players, especially teenagers / college kids, let me know. So far they play Jackbox Games, Dixit, various card games.
• I think William would use a bathrobe if he had one. It’s not a thrilling present, but I think he’d find it satisfying to own.
• William loves Taco Bell Fire Sauce, which is sold in bottles but not in any stores near us, so he orders it online. I was thinking it might be fun to see if I could buy the little individual packets like they have at Taco Bell.
So in the comments, obviously I am hoping we can pool our ideas for this difficult age.
Anomia! Its a fun game for multiple ages.
Mine is 28, so I’m not super-helpful, but…
You mentioned Spotify. We paid for our kid’s Spotify, as a gift. A small amount every month.
If any of your college students are / will be living on their own, maybe a gift card to a meal box service? My daughter liked Sun Basket and Blue Apron. It’s food brought to their door and, bonus, they learn how to cook something. For my kid (who did not care to learn to cook when she was living at home) it’s been great. I like the idea of giving Rob the pizza tools.
LOVE the corduroy jacket. I think corduroy is making a comeback!
Seconding Julia’s recommendation for Anomia! So fun!
I wanted to recommend Linkee, which is so fun. Unfortunately I can’t remember if it’s only for even-numbered groups, but I do know you can play it in a big group/with teams.
We got our oldest (16) Ticket to Ride last year as a Christmas present. 2-5 players. Similar to Catan, but different. I think more fun. It is so hard to find board games for more than four people. But, this is a good one.
Another idea might be tshirts that support their favorite podcasters. I did this for my husband for his birthday and he loved it.
Another thing I got for my husband for his birthday that my 16 year old son has requested is framed art. I bought a digital print off of etsy for my husband and had framebridge frame it. It was pricey, so for my son, I’m going to use shutterfly or something like that.
For my husband I got a map of the Wheel of Time. My son wants some Kerbal Space Program poster printed and framed. But, there is beautiful artwork of hogwarts, LOTR, and who knows, probably among us available on etsy. It comes as a jpeg file and then you just upload that wherever you want to get it framed.
My son is 23 and buying for him is almost impossible. I did buy him a record player and some vintage records a couple years ago and he really liked it. Records seem to be making a comeback and they’re fun to shop for. Along the same lines, I got him a turntable for dj’ing since he’s been interested in that for a while and worked at the radio station in college. He’s belonged to the Dollar Shave Club for a while and is always a good gift since buying razors/blades can get expensive. Do your boys like smoothies? My mom bought my son a nutribullet and he used it a lot at his apartment while he was in college. Again, I find myself grasping for ideas every year so I’m interested to see what others in the comments recommend.
Exploding kittens. It’s quick to learn but way fun.
Would he like a Pizzazz? It’s nice not to have to use the oven and it cooks pizzas really well.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-Pizzazz-Plus-Rotating-Pizza-Oven/3218
My brother is notoriously hard to shop for. He’s a bachelor and a night owl and likes to run to the grocery store for meats and cheeses to make a late night snack. So one year I made a meat and cheese basket for him. I bought him a variety of smoked meats and good cheese, tucked in some apples from the orchard, a few bottles of Mexican coke, and then filled in with candy or other snacks that were local to our hometown since he lives across the country in UT. I even bought shrink wrap and blowdried it until it was tightened around the items like a professional gourmet basket. It was very well received. Oh! You could make a pizza themed basket!
Clicking right now to whatever posts you have from before on Gifts for a 16-year-old boy, because of the “clothes, but nothing in particular” problem. We have added bonuses of “nothing ever fits him” and “Mom doesn’t understand the online things/games/gift cards he wants, nor how to wrap such things.”
Other things that might be appreciated, based on what I like now and what I remember being excellent gifts when I was in college:
– Fancier office supplies, particularly notebooks/pens – Right now, I have a Baronfig Squire pen, which I love. Moleskin is the classic notebook, but there are many similar ones. You could also consider a Rocketbook notebook, which is reuseable/scannable . For general office supplies, Levenger has cool highlighters, bookmarks, etc.
– A good pair of slippers, like the Wicked Good Slippers from LL Bean
– Electric toothbrush/water pik
– Magazine subscription – Rolling Stone, GQ, Dissent, Mother Jones, etc.
– Wireless headphones – I love my Airpods, but it’s really nice to be able to avoid the headphone cord catching on things and jerking out of my ears
– World foods/snacks subscription boxes – a friend of mine got this for her high school student and it was well-received
– If Rob drinks, some fancy alcohol things might be fun. I always get bottles of bitters for my husband in new flavors
– Set of reusable silverware that packs up nicely for lunches. This is something on my wish list in the before times, especially when included with a bento style lunch box.
– Anti-fatigue balance board or anything like a standing mat that can help you stay upright while doing virtual school. I have an under desk bicycle thing on my wish list for this year.
– For stockings, ties for cable management. You can never have too many.
Seconding Ticket to Ride. Munchkin is good (3 to 6 players). Was gonna suggest Dixit, but you already have it. Scattergories?
My son would ABSOLUTELY want another phone. To each their own, I guess. How does your son communicate with his friends without one?
For games, do you have Apples to Apples? It is so great, though I have enjoyed it much more as an adult when I can play without agonizing over “winning.”
I looove the jacket you got for William. A good jean style jacket is teh best.
For pizza chef Rob, what about some stuff from King Arthur? They have a special flour for crusts, pans, spice blends, etc.
Ugh. Soylent. My husband drinks that for work when he’s at the office during Normal Times. I keep telling him that Ensure is cheaper and basically the same thing. And we can buy it in bulk because my Great Aunt Vivian drinks that, too. He says he’s happy to pay the extra for the “hip” factor. I am no fun at all. :)
Mysterium is up to 8 players, kind of like a cross between Dixit and Cluedo (I think you call it Clue in America). It’s really fun!
Oh! If you have an ipad (or other tablet), you can get Keep Talking and No One Explodes, which has one person holding the tablet, describing what they see, and a team of folks reading the manual to help them defuse the bomb. It’s a little tense, but fun for a group.
I love the jacket!
What about Trivial Pursuit as a game option? It works for 2-6 players, could be played individual or in teams and usually works well for mixed groups. They make specialty ones too, like the Horror Movie edition, so you might be able to find one tailored to a common interest.
If Williams likes the Fire sauce, would he be interested in a hot sauce variety pack sampler, or hot sauce of the month club type thing? Or you could get him the materials needed to start making his own (basically just mason jar, airlock, woozy bottles, gift certificate to a grocery store to get the peppers and other ingredients)?
A thought for Rob — I love the Pizza Seasoning from Penzey’s, if you think he would be interested in making his own sauce. Although I think you can also sprinkle it on top of a pizza as well; I haven’t tried that. The small jar might be fun for a stocking: https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/pizza-seasoning/c-24/p-463/pd-s
Penzey’s is a company I feel really happy buying from, which makes this suggestion even better!
Funny story – my friends and I do a favorite things exchange and one friend gave out the frozen pizza seasoning from Penzey’s. When my husband saw it, he said, “So this makes things taste like frozen pizza?” Men.
But I will vouch for it! It tastes great! https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/frozen-pizza-seasoning/c-24/p-323/pd-s
My brothers and I (35, 31, 26) play games together whenever I visit. Munchkin has stood the test of time – we’ve been playing it for at least ten years, and we play it pretty much every time. There are a couple dozen different version, so there is probably one that fits whatever they like better. A lot of the versions also have add on packs, which is great for future small gifts.
We also like Unstable Unicorns, Forbidden Desert (one of my favorites, but only 4 players), and Zombies!!!. We have never played Carcasosnne without ending up arguing about the rules, so I would avoid that one.
Do the kids have 7 Wonders? Great game but a bit pricey. https://www.target.com/p/7-wonders-board-game/-/A-14203909
Good 5 player games:
Red Dragon Inn (it’s about drinking if that matters, infinitely expandable by buying more characters, I can’t remember how many it comes with)
Evolution The Beginning (this might require an expansion to get the 5th player and there are several versions of it. The one called The Beginning is the simplest to learn.)
I second Mysterium, but it requires 1 person to basically run the game (be the ghost) and the others work cooperatively so be aware of that.
House on Haunted Hill, which is cooperative until someone turns into the bad guy.
Fantahzee – D&D/yahtzee mashup boardgame
My adult siblings and I are big board game fans when we gather for Christmas, trips etc. Ones we love to play the most are: Risk, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride. Particularly Ticket to Ride, you can have up to six players and it’s more tactical and fun with more players because you all want the same routes. My brother in law also loves one called Pandemic but that feels a bit close to the bone right now…
Have you ever bought anything for the boys from Uniqlo? Not sure where you live but I get the impression it’s not somewhere where it’s always warm? Uniqlo does great thermal stuff, but also lovely cashmere jumpers, and really affordable basics that are great quality.
I was about to suggest Pandemic. It’s sort of in the same vein as Settlers, but it’s cooperative, which I think is a nice change of pace. Yes, it hits close to home but that might make it more appealing to some.
Also, not sure if this has been suggested, but I’d recommend a pizza stone and pizza peel, if you don’t have them.
I am filing away some of these ideas for my 44-year-old husband, so there are some universal winners in these comments!
May I rudely hijack this nice group of commenters to solicit help on my own gift query? My 35th birthday is at the end of this month. My husband asks me daily what I want for it. I have no good ideas. Some things that I would normally want (a pedicure, a dinner out together) are not options this year; and the others are things I want to pick out myself (specific items of clothing). I’m leaning towards asking for a Day – me getting to sleep in while he takes care of the baby, a family walk in the park and picnic, a nice dinner out on the deck after the baby is asleep. But I think my husband wants to give a tangible gift, and also I know from experience that these days do not always wind up going exactly as planned and if SOMEONE drops the ball on a Nice Day for Portia, it would be good to have a little gift to temper that disappointment.
So…what do I want for my birthday?
In the vein of pampering yourself:
– A pair of Rothys (They’re expensive, but so comfortable!)
– A new set of pajamas (Maybe Soma or something else that feels luxurious?)
– A pair of earrings (I’ve lately been into a woman who makes handmade clay earrings and posts them on instagram. They’re lovely and so lightweight!)
Amy, comfy flats for work are one of the “specific items of clothing” I was referring to above! Are Rothys really worth it?? I tend to go with the $19.99-on-sale-for-$11.99 flats, but I wear holes in them fast. But I don’t know if I can let myself go from $11.99 to $$$$.
I don’t have Rothys. But I do own a lot of pairs of Tieks and in my opinion they are very worth it. Super comfortable.
Investigating Tieks now, thank you!
I’ve been thrilled with my Rothys. I purchased my first pair for a wedding in which I was a bridesmaid. They had a manufacturing defect, and the customer service was perfect and quick.
They are by far the most comfortable shoes that I’ve ever had, and I like that I can throw them in the washing machine. I’ve worn mine through a pregnancy and they stretched very nicely. My only drawback is that they get stinky frequently (I have smelly feet), so I have to wash them regularly to keep them fresh.
I’ve also heard good things about Tieks, but didn’t like the teal colored soles and the leather uppers seemed less breathable to me. I’m interested if anybody else has a review of Allbirds!
I’ll note that if you know someone in your life with a referral code, you can get a few dollars off. They’re still expensive, but it goes down a little easier.
Being able to put them in the washing machine is amazing. I feel like normal flats get stinky too, and there’s just nothing that seems to help with that.
Chiming in to say that I *love* my Rothy’s! I got them as a requested birthday present a few years ago and they’re still going strong, both looking and feeling great. Prior to getting them, I was totally that “$19.99-on-sale-for-$11.99 flats” person- I’d usually buy a few pairs at the start of the summer, rotate them throughout, and then need to toss them due to the stank factor. I haven’t had an issue with the Rothy’s. I mean, yes, they get smelly, but the washing machine fixes that right up. I would recommend, if you do go this route, to also ask for an extra pair or two of insoles. I’ve found that just changing the insole means I don’t need to wash the entire shoe as frequently, plus they have pretty colors!
I prefer All Birds flats to Rothy’s but it kind of depends on your feet I would think
Hi! I turned 35 this year too. Do you have a Soda Stream? I love mine, and it is one of the things in my kitchen that I would immediately replace if it broke. The canisters are somewhat annoying to find right now, but you can do the exchange through their website pretty easily.
Some things I got for my birthday that I liked: some comfy leggings, a shirt from my hometown, a sticker puzzle book, and Tony Hawk ProSkater 1&2. I think I’m going to ask for wireless ear buds for Christmas, because they are something I would use but don’t need and constantly talk myself out of buying.
I do not have a Soda Stream, but I DO have a raging Diet Coke addiction and I fear the Soda Stream “colas” will not satisfy the beast within. Comfy leggings are always a solid option, thank you!
IMO, soda stream diet cola is not comparable to Diet Coke in the least.
Alright, here’s a list that is highly specific to me personally, but all of those things have brought me joy, and maybe there’s something in there for you, too:
I got myself an edition of Price and Prejudice lately that has 19 (supposedly) handwritten letters inside, too. It’s called “The Letters of Pride and Prejudice: The Complete Novel, with Nineteen Letters from the Characters’ Correspondence, Written and Folded by Hand”, by Barbara Heller. It’s really lovely, and I’m planning on gifting one to my best friend, too.
Other things I got myself over time, and am delighted with: cute/silly/funny socks, a (good quality) powerbank for my phone, organic lavender shower gel, a Japanese brush pen for drawing (it’s like a regular pen in that it has ink cartridges, but with a tip like a small brush), a catalogue of a huge Van Gogh exhibition I’d gone to and was delighted with, an original Tangle Teezer hair brush after my hairdresser told me she’d been shown close-up pictures of the originals and knock-offs and the originals have some kind of coating that makes them a lot gentler to the hair (this may be untrue, but my hair looks much better now and the price is only a bit higher, so fell into the “this is probably worth it so I’ll try it” category). A good quality sharpening stone for my kitchen knives (NOT a honing thing, that’s different). A gadget thingy that can act as a bluetooth receiver and sender, to attach to stereos etc. without bluetooth so they can talk to audio stuff or phones with bluetooth. Also an option: a box set of a favourite TV show, maybe even a silly one from your youth that you still enjoy but wouldn’t buy yourself.
More on the practical side but Imo a great gift, especially for someone who has allergies, pets or tends to wake up with crusty eyes and a stuffy nose for unresolved reasons: one of those air cleaning machines. My sister got one for my nephew’s room ( he has a dust mite allergy), and the air is noticeably fresher when it runs, and he also said he sleeps better. He’s a young teenager and not inclined enough to please people to bother to say that if it weren’t true.
I was surprised about how modern most of them look these days, even though they tend to be larger than you think from the pictures. But I’m in the “itchy eyes for unknown reasons” group and am planning to buy one anyway. Criteria I’ll look for are silent mode for the night (around 23db is good afaik), air quality indicator, automatic setting (apparently only comes in the ones with air quality indicator). Some also come with connection-options for an app, so it can get started before people come home etc. Not important for me, but some people are super into that stuff, so I wanted to mention it.
Something else I considered but didn’t buy because I don’t bake enough to justify it: a beautiful baking pan. I saw cakes online that were made with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B07CYGCM1C/ and this https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B082168L5D and they look amazing. Our Aldi recently had the first kind in a silicone version, and it was SO hard to resist. But I don’t have enough space to indulge the slightly-better-and-more-householdy-inclined theoretical version me, when real me might use the pan once every five years. If that.
Huh, I had looked up a link for the P&P letter book, but didn’t put it in. There you go: https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/1452184577
I love this list! It is giving me lots of ideas.
Any of the Small Life Upgrades? Additional/replacement spatulas, or sharp knives/scissors, or socks, or slippers? Or an anti-fatigue gel mat in the kitchen? Or things that are Sleep Luxuries: specific pyjamas, a new pillow, sheets, electric blanket, new mattress foam squashy eggcrate-y thing? Or some lovely towels? Or something that’s simply luxurious in its quantity, that you are sometimes/often annoyed by not having quite enough of (bag/binder clips; scissors; rolls of tape; stamps; All The Washcloths; good pens).
A really nice purse/bag/briefcase?
Alternatively, Theo Chocolate is *AMAZING* and they ship all over the place, and while it might have unfortunate side effects in terms of permanently raising your chocolate standards, on the other hand it would be a Definitely Special Thing.
Depending on where you are and what availability of dirt there is, I can also highly endorse buying and planting bulbs: it’s a down-payment on spring, and it is lovely, through the winter, knowing that there will be More Flowers and they are just waiting down there until the time is right.
I hope someone thinks of something that you go “yes!” for. :-) Good luck!
Yes!!
All the Dish Towels in pretty patterns! Bulbs to plant for spring! These are excellent ideas. Thank you!
Someone might have mentioned this already, but in my user name is the link to the Ben and Birdy master game recommendation list. So good. I’ve used it to buy gifts many, many times.
There’s a card game called Super Fight I got as a birthday gift for a friend from target that is very fun to play in groups, your kids might enjoy it. Also if they already like Jack Box Games, there are lots of different “packs” so you could get them one with games they haven’t tried yet.
As far as the watch goes I haven’t seen anything like you described but maybe he would like an Apple Watch or other smart watch as an alternative to a phone. Unless he’s the type of person who likes not being a Person Without A Phone.
Another fun game that can be varied and works well for lots of people is sushi go, party edition.
Yes, I was just about to suggest Sushi Go! It’s quick and easy and fun and the illustrations on the cards are cute.
Azul is also a good one. It takes longer and is more complex. The game pieces are pretty too.
Teenage boys gift ideas -I lean towards stuff they will use, even if not so exciting. And most of these apply to all young adults:
Sunglasses
Valet tray (etsy is a good source with lots of options and personalization)
Wallet with gift cards – fast food, gas, etc.
Thread wallet phone case
Online monthly subscriptions – tshirts, food (hot sauce, beef jerky), socks, even underwear – I have used Meundies and Stance, fun if they can customize month to month
Splurge hair products (and by splurge, I mean not Suave)
Also I like to do a fancy upgrade of something they like to wear – so if they wear hoodies all the time, a really nice hoodie from Lululemon or something like that. And yes, hoodies can cost that much! I do not recommend this one if you have a kid that cannot keep track of their stuff.
If you live in a cold climate – hats and gloves, long underwear, snow pants/ski pants, good warm boots (I am finding as we get past the hand me down years, we went from a well stocked winter gear supply to kids stealing stuff from my husband and I.
Car emergency kit, if applicable.
I’ve got a boy William’s age and other than books, I’ve got no ideas. But he usually has a nice list of books he wants — I haven’t asked yet. On his birthday, back in May, I got him a whopping seven books off the list (plus other people got him few more) and he’s just finishing up the last one now. Beth, being the more tech-oriented parent, usually knows something he would like or has talked to her about. That’s usually the big present.
We are a very big gaming family: for more than 4 there are a couple of good ones that haven’t already been mentioned– I would look into one night ultimate werewolf– fun and quick. I would also consider some of the later iterations of Dominion. I believe Dominion: Menagerie and Dominion: Renaissance are both 6 player options. You would need to get the base card set as well as the set box for either of the dominion sets.
I have heard good things about Among Us, which is free, so not such a great gift. We had had success with Spyfall and Code Words as well.
I bought some fun masks for my fall-birthday teens from Redbubble. My kids like D&D, and there were lots of great options (“Mask of Prevention” with a description of its powers, hah). I’ll include my referral link if you click my name — if that works. They also have t-shirts, bath mats, etc.
For games, we love Codenames, Ticket to Ride, Sushi Go, Exploding Kittens, Splendor, Mysterium. Azul is great, but it’s 4 players max.
It might be sold out, but if you have a Lidl near you they had a hot sauce advent calendar. I’m sure that type of advent calendar is available elsewhere too. Aldi starts selling their advent calendars tomorrow morning depending on how brave you feel tomorrow morning :). Loving all of these ideas!
For games I will suggest The Resistance and Splendor. Although Splendor is only for 4 people.
For board games I highly recommend Selfish and Spaceteam. The first is competitive, the second is cooperative and always leads to hilarity in our house. Brain Games is also a lot of fun.
If you are a podcast person, or if Rob is, the story of Soylent is one of the most bonkers things I’ve ever heard: https://allthingscomedy.com/podcasts/390—rob-rhinehart-and-soylent
Do you have Exploding Kittens? It’s a very fun game, despite the horrifying name. I got it for Christmas last year and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s good for a wide range of ages, too.
I also have the game Punderdome, which I bought on a whim a couple years ago and then never actually played because I don’t have enough people in my household, but it SEEMS like it would be really fun.
Out of curiosity, will Rob get a new phone when he goes back to college? (He might have to – for safety reasons, and because I feel like colleges these days just sort of assume that all students have their own phone lines.) Would he want a super basic non-smart phone that he can make calls and set alarms on? (The name “non-smart phone” sounds silly, but I couldn’t think of a better phrase for “phone that doesn’t have internet or apps or any of that fancy stuff, like a flip phone.”)
We are super board/card game obsessed here and I could go on for ages. I’ll try to wheedle it down!
Others have suggested 7 Wonders and Sushi Go. We love both these for all ages, and the two are very similar in concept and play, so you only need one. Sushi Go is simpler and cute. 7 Wonders is more complex and kept us occupied for longer – there are also expansion packs that bring in extra features and rules.
I’d highly recommend Dominion – a fabulous and fun card game that is different every time. We have played this with kids as young as 10 all the way up to adults. If your kids like the basic game, there are like 10 different expansions/additions you can buy so this could become the Gift that Keeps On Giving. It’s easy enough to learn but you swap out the cards in the game each time so there are dozens of possible combinations, so every game is interesting and fresh.
We super love Love Letter – it’s a deceptively simple card game that is great for family play. It’s nominally for 4 players but we used to play it with 5 with no trouble (it’s not like there’s a set number of pieces or anything). There’s an expanded pack that is good for players up to 8 if you like it, but you can start with the basic game. If you are keen there are “themed” versions of it – you can get, for example, Lord of the Rings Love Letter or Batman Love Letter. The original is still the best but if your sons have specific interests, they might like one of the themed versions.
Lastly, I see several on here mentioning Munchkin but that’s one game that tends to cause Very Hard Feelings around here. It’s a game with a lot of personal attacks and it’s also too easy for someone to “fall behind” and then be stuck going through the motions for an hour while other people duke it out for the win. The makers of Munchkin have another game we like better, called Chez Geek. It is not really for children – it’s about college students trying to earn as much “slack” as they can by doing things like playing video games, buying weed, eating pizza, and getting a cat. But it’s funny as hell and your older two boys will probably laugh just reading the cards.
Adding a comment to say that although Dominion (the original set) is for “4-6” players we play it all the time with 5 with no problem.
I meant “2-4” players. SIGH.
Oh, I forgot one more! Our teens love playing Among Us, which is an online video game where one or two people are the “imposters” on a space ship and go around sabatoging the space and/or killing people, and the remainder have to guess who the imposters are. It’s fun and funny, but free, so not really a gift. But if your kids try it and like it, we have a card game version of it called Burke’s Gambit that our kids really love – very similar in that one person is the “bad guy” and the others have to suss them out while they’re lying through their teeth. A similar game is One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which can be played in person or online.
7 Wonders is great and can play up to seven. We’ve played it often in groups. Lords of Waterdeep is fun. Monikers (https://www.amazon.com/Monikers-Serious-Nonsense-Shut-Down/dp/B07T75JZ63/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=monikers&qid=1604431684&sr=8-1) is hilarious, but might be best for a slightly larger group? Maybe you and Paul would like to join in…
Another vote for ticket to ride here. And fluxx is a fun card game but looks like it only goes up to 5 players 😕
We’ve been playing a card game called Wizard that comes with it’s own specific set of cards -we’ve really enjoyed it.
We love games and We have most of what others have been listing and they are all good. Card games that we like to play with a larger crowd are The Great Delmuti and Phase 10.
I think all of these are excellent ideas and I’m borrowing many of them.
I recommend – beware! – the board game “Pandemic”. It may hit a bit too close to home in these times but it’s a great (expandable) cooperative game. We have been enjoying it for years (first time playinf when the swine flu hit…) and Covid makes it very easy to relate to the essence of the game, i. e. save the world.
Added bonus: Geography lessons, reconsidering job choices ;-)
Very satisfying!
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_(board_game)
Just wanted to say that Paula’s Choice is the bomb, and that Meow Meow Meow shirt makes me giggle when I find it in the dirty clothes, so as far as I’m concerned it’s paid for itself. Plus it is super-soft for my super-picky spouse.
Articulate is our favourite game, it’s always hilarious and can definitely be played with 5 people. It’s a team based, fast paced word game. I’m surprised not have seen it suggested, pretty much every family in the UK seems to have a set but maybe they don’t sell it in the US? Or it has a different name? Anyway, it’s brilliant!
A pizza stone, some parchment, pizza peel, and cornmeal would be a good addition to the pizza package gift. You could get a pizza box and package it in that for some fun.
Board Game: Settlers of Catan
Good for a group and you can buy add on packages so good for future gift giving.
Hm. For Board Games…If they like Dixit then they might like Mysterium (guessing game, kinda complicated to set up) or Mountains of Madness (This one sounds scary but is HILARIOUS) or Sheriff of Nottingham (a bluffing game). Get one game per kid even. :)
My brother is so hard to shop for. Popular past items include a headlamp (like a flashlight that you strap to your head–good for reading at night, camping, etc), swiss army knife, and books he might like. Another brother and my husband always buy each other stuff on Kickstarter…games, gadgets, even clothes. Mostly games though. They like the ones where you have to paint all the little minis.
I am an adult, but the best gift tradition my parents started when my siblings and I were kids is… the Clothing Allowance.
Clothing Allowance is literally a monthly stipend to spend on clothes. It started when we were kids and my mom would say something like “you each need a pair of jeans for school” and we.. would inevitably find the most expensive pair in the store. She finally outsmarted us by providing the budget and forcing us to figure out how to get the wardrobe we needed out of it! When we were younger, they shopped with us, but once we were teens/college-aged, we each had an “emergency” credit card on my parents account which we could also use to purchase our clothing.
Now, I am in my thirties, married, with kids of my own, so it is *slightly* embarrassing that I still have this credit card AND look forward to my yearly clothing allowance gift at Christmas! But seriously, my siblings and I all agree that is is the best gift! It is so nice to be able to justify a splurge-y clothing item or to not stress that your shoes are worn out or whatever. And my parents like that it’s not a huge dollar amount all at once during the holidays, since the charges are spread out throughout the year.
If your family can handle the logistics of this, I highly recommend it!
I’m late to the party as always but my suggestions are: a pizza peel, parchment paper, and a pizza steel, which heats faster and cooks better than a stone, Lush bath stuff if they’re interested in socially conscious toiletries, Love Letter for everyone, Betrayal at House on the Hill if they like horror, especially Lovecraft-style monsters, but don’t like D&D (bonus that it’s often mostly cooperative, but there’s a traitor among you, we always have a blast with that part), and The Meta Game, which looks like one of those awful Cards Against Humanity games but it’s honestly way more fun and interesting, and it’s also really easy to set up and has A TON of replay value.
We play a game that is essentially the opposite of Pandemic called Plague Inc. Instead of trying to save the world, you’re a bacteria or virus trying to infect the world.
I often like buying emergency-preparedness stuff if I think it would be well received. Things like car first aid kits and LED beacons that work like flares for drivers. Your sons might appreciate a small first aid kit to take with them to college when they go back? I used to always put fun bandaids in the kids stockings when there were younger. I got my dad a Life Straw as he’s very outdoorsy and also quite keen to be prepared for anything and he really appreciated it.