Christmas Gifts For Teens 2016: 7 Fun And Cool Present Ideas For The Holiday

Holiday gift shopping can be an endless source of stress and strife. Finding time to get to stores and then picking out presents can prompt an uptick in frustration.

While gifts for adults are often met with polite smiles and gratitude, giving a teen the wrong gift might elicit a very different response. While shopping for a teen could induce more than a little anxiety, there are still some fail-safe ideas available. These seven teen-appropriate gift ideas might provide some help.

1. College Gear: Whether a teen has just enrolled at a university or they have their hearts set on attending a college with a high-profile sports department, a sweatshirt, T-shirt or baseball cap emblazoned with their favorite school or college sports team could be an excellent choice for die-hard fans. Websites like LIDS feature nearly every college spirit accessory imaginable.

2. Tech Accessories: Phone cases can be deeply personal for a teen, but if you know that they love dogs or pizza (because everyone loves pizza), there’s likely an iPhone case for it. Casetify features a fun selection of covers, while Moshi makes well-designed vegan leather phone cases. Looking for an item for, say, a nephew obsessed with virtual reality games? Affordable VR headsets have already hit the market, including a set by Tzumi called Tzumi Dream Vision.

3. Gift Cards: This might seem too easy, but gift cards can still be a creative, and safe, option for teen gift-giving. If they love to camp, a gift card to REI always has a ton of gear on offer; if they participate in sports, a gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods could be a good call, too. Of course, there are the requisite retailers for clothing lovers, from H&M to Nordstrom.

4. Makeup: Again, while makeup can be a personal purchase, lip gloss, lotions, or even facemasks can be good versatile beauty gifts, especially for that skincare-obsessed younger sister of yours. Glossier always sends fun packages (they include stickers) of skincare and color cosmetics. Sephora, (aka Makeup Mecca), also boasts a huge selection of top makeup brands. And even The Body Shop lets shoppers put together their own custom gift boxes of skincare and makeup.

5. Music Gear: The new iPhone 7 handsets have heralded a new era of wireless Lighting earbuds and headphones, so headphones would make a great gift. Skullcandy just released its Crusher Wireless headphones and Beats headphones are always in style, albeit a little pricey.

6. Car Accessories: This could be a great opportunity for a humorous gag gift, especially if you’re buying for someone who recently received their driver’s license. A zany steering wheel cover from Amazon or a license plate cover from Café Press could be a good gift. As a tip, check in first with the teen’s parents, especially if the aforementioned teen is planning on driving the family car.

7. Experiences: Socializing is a big part of teen-dom. A pair of movie tickets to a blockbuster they have been dying to see (check Fandango or AMC Theaters), or picking up a pair of concert tickets to their favorite band for them and a friend, are two solid options.