Christmas Gift Ideas: What to Buy for Teenage Boys

As the aunt of a teenager, I've struggled with Christmas gift ideas for my teenage nephew from year to year. I have spoken to the his mother each year to see what he wants, the most common answer that I hear from her has always been money. If it's not money, it's some off the wall item or some expensive piece of electronics. Neither of which I will purchase for a teenager, especially for my nephew in particular. When he became a teenager, he was given the option of a large gift (within reason) or cash to put towards whatever he wants.

We have been opting to give him cash for the last few years, that way he can spend it on things that he truly wants, be it clothes, electronics, music, etc. He doesn't need to give us a gift list, he can change his mind whenever he wants and it's not an inconvenience to my desire to shop and get things done early. I've spent far too much time buying gifts at the last minute because of changes in gift lists.

Cash, while it is an impersonal gift and not really something that I like to give to someone it is something that is easy to give. If you don't want to give cash, gift cards are a viable Christmas gift idea. You can get them in multiple denominations for the music store, electronics store, department store that you think they would most likely shop at. I know that my nephew is into video games, music, electronics and his bike, however these are expensive endeavors that aren't always a feasible part of my budget. So while I can't afford to give him something within one of those interests, a gift card for iTunes or various stores is.

Gift cards and cash aren't a tangible, open-able Christmas gift idea, but they do give the recipient the choice of getting something that they will appreciate. And if we're honest with ourselves, adults don't really have any idea what teenagers are into. What they're into changes from day to day, and what we were into at their age is not the same as what they are into at the same age. No matter how in tune with them we may seem, it's too hard to figure out what they really want, because they can tell us one thing and in the end, they prefer just the opposite.

The only real problem that I find with this, and it is one that has cropped up as I was Christmas shopping this year, I spoke to my sister about Christmas gift ideas for both of her children and everything that was suggested was far too expensive. Another problem that I came across is that any of the Christmas gift ideas that I came up with were poo-poo'd by my sister because they would have been a waste.

Christmas gift ideas are never easy to come by for anyone, but I've found that the teenage boy is the hardest one to shop for. Ask them one day what they want, then three days later they want something totally different. Then if you don't ask them what they want, you're on your own for Christmas gift ideas and can end up buying something that will just get tossed aside because they don't want it or it's the wrong size, color, etc.

One thing to bear in mind, if you're giving cash or a gift card as your Christmas gift idea, pick out something like candy or cookies or some small kitschy item as well. If you do this, they will have something to unwrap as well and won't feel left out. For instance, my nephew is into electronics and taking things apart and putting them back together, so along with the cash gift, he will be receiving a set of small electronic sized screw drivers, plus a larger set to work on his bike with.

Hopefully this will help you with Christmas gift ideas for the teenage boy on your Christmas list and you get the thanks you deserve.