Guest Post -Affordable Gifts for Teens
Favorite Toys here.
Favorite Games here.
Book Gift Ideas here.
Ok, ready? Boys and girls mixed in, junior high into college, here’s a list of ideas from Abbey and some of her good friends. (I begged only a few suggestions out of my boys.) Also at the bottom, is a cute post my daughter wrote when a few years ago with more ideas.
Nike Men’s Performance Cotton Cushioned Crew Socks
Nike socks-girls and boys wear them. I have bought so many pairs of these! Where do they all go?
ALEX AND ANI Charm Bracelets
($24+)
Very popular right now, lots of different choices.
($12.45)Makeup brushes. I am told they don’t have to expensive to be quality.
Urban Decay Naked Palette Eyeshadow ($29)
Sanuk flip-flops.
Soft PJ’s. TheAerie brand is popular.
Scunci Effortless Beauty Basic Jaw Clips,9 Cm, 3-Count
Crocodile clips. Can be found at any drug store
Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray, 8 Ounce
Not Your Mother’s Beach Spray and Dry Shampoo
These Lush bath bombsare a perfect gift and have a five star rating and are very popular.
Personalized Coffee Mug
This cute one is from Anthro for $8, but you can find these everywhere.
Electric Blanket-Abbey LOVES her electric blanket (and boy did it come in handy early this year when Janey and I had a terrible bout of pneumonia.) I bought her one at Kohl’s on sale.
Fuzzy Blankets
We have this one and this one-these are found everywhere, the softer the better.
IPhone Cases
My niece uses the Otter Box Commuter Series and really likes it-they are affordable too.
Abbey uses a LifeProof(after having to replace the screen because of a breakage she decided it was in her best interest to spend a little more.
neff gloves-boys or girls!
neff beanies-again, boys or girls, lots of cute colors.
Duffel bags-especially for college kids-Lands Endhas great ones, I love their sales, and you can get them monogrammed.
Quad copters. This is the brand we chose and you can read about this fun toy here.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Illustrated Edition
A gorgeous book for HP fans.
Here is a list from a couple years ago, written by my daughter:
Shopping for teenagers is definitely harder than other ages (I would know, I am one) and one of the biggest problems is not knowing exactly what they want. If you’re stuck on this and need a few ideas, these are some of my favorite things that I have gotten, and some things I am asking for this year!
Headphones. Definitely a broad topic. My favorite are the brand Skullcandy
. Lots of styles, affordable, and great quality! Pink and purple are my go-to colors.
Something that I am in desperate need (okay, want, sorry Mom) of this year, this iPod adapter
thingy for an older car like the one Isaac and I share. Because radio music can get old too fast when they play the same songs over and over…
The Wet Brush Detangle Brush . Last time I went to the salon, the lady who trimmed my hair suggested this because my hair is so long and gets tangled so easy. It works wonders.
OPI Mini All Stars 2015 Nail Lacquer Set of 10 Minis
OPI and Essie nail polish. great quality and true to color. New favorite colors: Gargantuan Green Grape by OPI (minty green) and Mango Bango by Essie. You can find Essie at Target and OPI at salons and makeup stores like Sephora and Ulta.
Mauve is the “color” this year!
A subscription to InStyle
magazine. Full of great ideas, new trends, fashion advice, cool pictures, and classy clothes! Once I am finished reading a magazine, I look through it and cut out pictures that inspire me and my style and collage them onto my doors.
Every girl needs something Vera Bradley! Such cute patterns and very durable. I use my bag for everything, school, shopping, etc. (Sometimes I see these at TJ Maxx for a great price.)
And when I don’t feel the need to lug around my big purse, I love a wristlet. This one comes in tons of different patterns.
Also I put my cards in a pouch on the back of my phone.
One of my absolute favorite Christmas presents last year from my grandma was this Color Daze Blockbuster
from Sephora. (NOTE: This is crazy expensive now, this is a similar kit at a price close to what was paid for the above kit.) For girls that love experimenting with makeup and trying new techniques, this set comes with it all: Mascara, blush, eyeliners, lip gloss, eyeshadow, luminizer, and brushes. It could also be a good starter kit.
A jewelry organizer is a must-have for a cluttery closet! This one hangs anywhere and is two-sided.
Hope this helps!
Great ideas! Can you get your boys to do one too? 🙂
Great post– thanks for writing it!
Mary, momma to many, including 5 teens
Aw some cute things! 🙂 – and bahaha about Isaac leaving bacon air fresheners in the car – brothers!
I am ordering a brush right now! My daughter has super long hair and the snarles are a big issue! Thanks for sharing Abby!
great post, abbey! thx so much!
Abbey is so cute! She really knows her stuff, these are perfect ideas!
Abbey GREAT ideas. About 3 of them are already on my daughters list:) Heck, I think I want half of those gifts myself:))
Great post, good job Abby! Ordering the wristlets today for by friend's daughter. Thanks!
SOOO helpful! Thanks! I have tons of stuff (relatively speaking for my 3 youngest but have been struggling with my 13 year old- great ideas! And can I show my girls your door collage? They will LOVE it!!
Fabulous ideas thanks Abbey! Could do with one of those makeup sets myself!
This is a great selection…and lol at Isaac leaving bacon scented air-fresheners in the car. Thats something my brothers will still do! Thanks for the purse ideas Abbey…my daughter would love either one of those. Must go shopping now!
Great post, Abbey! Great tips + it is so refreshing to hear a teen voice here (I hope your Mom won't mind this comment, as I love love love this blog and her writings). I hope for more guest posts in the future! 🙂
I love Abbey's confidence. It shines through in her post. I'm going to try the wet/dry brush for my 3 year old's super curly hair.
Wonderful list! Thank you, Abbey!
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Great suggestions Abbey! I have two teen girls on my list so this gave me some ideas! Have you seen the ombre tights on Etsy? I think my teens would like them but they are pricey!
Thank you, Abbey! I have 2 teen girls and this list will be a great help.
Loving the Vera Bradley bags, esp.
Thanks Abbey, very nice post. I love those Top Siders. I would like to have a pair too. Here is something…when I went to an all girl Catholic school in the 80's Top Siders were all the rage then too. Quality never really goes out of style it just gets tweaked a bit. My favorite pair then were Kelly green and there was not a speck of green in the plaid of my uniform skirt. LOL!
Wow! Those are all really great, imaginative ideas! Thanks Abbey!
I just bought a brush for each of my daughters…thanks for this great collections of gift ideas!
Awesome Ideas!! Hope you have a great holiday!
Bacon air fresheners made me CRACK UP! Your kids are the best! Also I feel sort of hip because I have the same Vera Bradley pattern.
GREAT post! Thank you so much. You are such a talented, young lady!! Please post more often 🙂
This is great Abbey! I have a 17 year old and she would have given the same list! 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Thank you so, SO much! This is just what I needed. I love all your ideas!
Thank you so, SO much! This is just what I needed. I love all your ideas!
Thank you Abbey! I love your ideas and taste! Some of those things…well.. I want to get them for myself! 🙂
Have a wonderful Christmas!
This was so great! I have a daughter that just turned 14 and you gave me so many great ideas! Thanks for your help:)
Thank you so much, Abbey. My daughter is 18, and I always struggle with what to get her for Christmas. This will help so much!
This is so helpful! Great post!
I'm going to add a subscription to the brand new Verily Magazine!! Beautiful fashion, fun lifestyle, useful relationships..and all gorgeously presented with an attitude that your mom and amazing girls who "get it" like you, Abbey, will love! Check their teaser issue out at verilymag.com
Thanks Abbey! These are great! I actually never knew about that ipod adapter thing. My husband's car is a bit older and that would be a great stocking stuffer for him! 🙂 I want that Sephora makeup set for myself!!!
abby you are adorable! such a great list!!
Hey you can get online and buy the stuff to make the hair ties for 25 cents a yard…. which you can make probably 8 in one yard so 8 for 25 cents… they have tons of colors and some with glitter some with sequence as well. The sequence ones are 50 cents a yard… My daughter and I bought tons and we're making head bands too… you could even sell them to your friends. They are not hard to make… tie a knot. The website I ordered from was trimexpoonline.com I also bought lots of red and silver to tie around Christmas presents….
Thanks Abbey! Getting recommendations from an expert is THE BEST!
Awesome post, Abbey! Every one of these would work for my 13-year old girly girl. I've already shared it on Facebook!
I think this is great… What made me laugh though was the thought of Isaac hiding bacon scented air fresheners in the car! Still giggling….
Thanks, Abbey. Your ideas are a great help. I have two nieces ages 15 and 17 and I'm always trying to think of something they will like. They live far away and I don't get to see them often. Sad to say, I actually haven't seen them in years but they still hold a special place in my heart. Hope your Christmas wishes come true.
GREAT ideas!! Some i would not have thought of. 🙂
Will pass on to my sis-in-law for our niece for sure!
Cheers!
~H
Such a great post Abbey – so many great ideas that are awesome for adults, too! (My 26-year-old sister will thank you since she's likely getting something from your list now;)
Abbey,
Thank you so much for this post. My daughter 16 is easy for me to buy for BUT this year my 19 yr old son has a girlfriend. These suggestions will be great. Thinking about the hair ties and wristlet. Thanks a bunch. Merry Christmas.
Thanks, Abbey. These are great ideas for my tweens as well!
Such a great post!! I agree–could the boys do one too?!
Great post Abbey! Just purchased the make up kit for my almost 13 year old…should be a huge hit! Thank you!
Thanks Abbey! Great job.You have made my shopping a bit easier.
I want half the stuff listed! Great list.
Thanks, Abby! I really appreciate these ideas for my daughter. I've added some to my Amazon cart 😉
Abby is adorable.
Abbey,
You did an awesome job with this post. So many things now that I can buy for my teen granddaughters! Thanks so much.
You blog like your momma~~
Abbey,
Great job! My girls (19 and almost 23) would totally agree with your picks!!!
Thanks Abbey(and mom). I just found a few more things for my DD. I even added the makeup set to MY Amazon wishlist. Hehe
Great ideas…I don't have girls but I have boys with girlfriends and will definitely be using some of these ideas.
Abby…thank you so much…great affordable ideas…I am using several of them!!!! Happy Holidays!
Great ideas Abby, thanks! I already ordered the car adaptor (for me!). Last year I got my daughter a big thing of make up and she loved it…also she loves American Eagle too. And iTunes (that's what I always tell people to give her). I'm off to look up your other suggestions….
My sister-in-law asked for an AE gift card, but now I'm going to get her those hair ties too! Great list, thanks so much! 🙂
Thank you for the great ideas, Abbey!!! I was just trying to figure out what to get for my 16 year old niece and this is so helpful! Now, I wish I was a teenager too – such fun stuff 🙂
Thanks for some great ideas! I am definitely going to get those hair bands for my daughter. That bump when she takes her hair down after cheer annoys her. Also, your link for the Sephora makeup led me to some great gifts from them. Thanks Abbey!
I loved this post! I also loved the one with the picture of Abbie on the floor. Hahaha… And how wonderful to have such an amazing helper!
I don't have a teenager but loved seeing all the great gift ideas.
Thanks for sharing Abbey! This will help with my nieces and god daughter for sure! 🙂
Great post! Do you have any good suggestions for teenage boys?
All the moms of boys are thinking the same thing…what an awesome job your daughter did on this post, descriptions (nice writing!), and pictures…and how we would love this for our sons! Though the headphones are unisex, my boys love those too. Thanks for this creative post, your daughter is very talented
Thank you for the great post! It was great!
Thanks, Abbey! One of my daughters has my 13yo niece for Christmas this year (the kids draw names) and your list was so helpful in shopping for her. I picked up a darling wristlet and some cool nail polish colors along with some other things… thanks for the great tips! I agree with others–a post from the teen boys would be oh-so-helpful too!
Abbey~you are awesome! what a perfect list, I got some great Ideas for my girls. Your mom is so lucky to have you!
Thank you, Abby! I am getting that Sephora make-up for my daughter, upon your suggestion! 🙂
Great post, Abbey! Lots of great ideas. Would love to see a similar post by one of the boys AND Dad! Men are so hard to buy for.
Such a fun list. Love the brush. Both of my girls have super long hair and this sounds perfect! I wrote some of your other ideas down too in my little secret list book. Merry Christmas from Colorado!!!