Top 5 Gifts Under $100 for Your Teenage Boy

The leaves are falling off the trees. The birds are flying south. The kids are now wearing their bulky down coats rather than the t-shirts they were wearing just a few months ago. Yes, folks, it's now fall, and though we are all enjoying the nice weather global warming has given us, I suspect it will be somewhat cold in the winter that is creeping closer to us every day. Pretty soon there will be snowmen invading yards, huge snow forts being built to withstand the enemy neighbors, and the extremely high demand for hot chocolate. But I've left out the best part. Santa Claus is coming to town ladies and gents, and I suspect without reading this guide you may find he will outdo you parents this Christmas.

You have a family of 5. You've got a 2 year old baby who needs all the teething toys on the market, and some binkeys and other cute little play things as well. There's the middle kid/ soon to be pre-teen 11 year old who wants all the Lego's, video games, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and pretty much the whole Toy's 'R Us Inventory sitting under his Christmas tree this year. And theres the spouse, who you don't want to spend much on because you're still making up for the $5,000 anniversary present you bought for her this year, so you'll probably just give her a coupon reading "Good for one back massage." And last but not least, there's the 14-16 year old adolescent, whom you have no clue what you will buy to suit their Christmas needs. Well this guide is here to help, and since I've just made a huge introduction, lets dive right in to the top 5 presents you could buy for your adolescent boy:

5. Clothes (NOT A JOKE) Price Range - $40 - $90
Most (ALL) kids hate getting knit sweaters for Christmas, but no one said anything about a nice pair of ripped jeans or a cool looking hoodie. Teenagers either have way too many clothes to count (ignore this option if this is your teen.), or they have absolutely no clothes other than their out of style 3 sizes too small shirts they got last year (You're right on the money if this is your teen!). All teens love opening their presents and seeing a new piece of clothing from American Eagle, Hollister, or Abercrombie and Fitch. Clothing from these stores may be expensive, so it's best to figure out what style you think fits your adolescent child. If not, most of the people working at these stores know exactly what's hot and what's not.

4. Let him throw a party Price Range - $50-$100
Something that will really excite your teen is if you tell them they you'll allow them to throw a party and you'll cover the costs. This idea could be really fun, or it could turn out to be a disaster. If you child has hundreds of friends, it's best to skip this option unless you happen to have a huge house/yard, or a pool/some other large hangout spot. It's probably best to limit this party to around 10-30 kids (at your discretion), or things start to get a little bit hectic. Sometimes it helps if you have a list of kids who will be attending even before the party begins (this reduces a lot of potential stress for your teenager). Once again, find out who they talk to, hang out with, and who their close friends are. Like I said before, if you think you could handle having a few more teens around, this present would work out great.

3. Concert tickets Price Range - $50-$80
If your teenager love listening to music, this would be one of the best presents to get him. You can tell he loves music if:
-He wears band t-shirts pretty much every day
-He is always talking about how awesome this new song release is.
-You find him watching MTV for hours a day (Not shows like Real World, actual music)
If this is your teen, find out what genre of music they like to listen to, and see if there are going to be any nearby concerts he might like to go to. Most teens these days listen to rock, metal, rap, and sometimes hiphop. If you decide to buy concert tickets for your teen, make sure you throw in some extra spending money, which can be anywhere from $10 - $50.

2. An iPod Price Range - $80+
I know I said this guide was for things under $100, and it is. If you choose this option, you could get your teen a $80 iPod or a $200 iPod; totally up to you. Apple just released a brand new fresh out of the shop iPod shuffle (new and improved). It is less than 2 inches long, can hold nearly 250 songs, and has 12 hours of battery life before it needs recharging. This handy little gizmo makes for a great Chrismas gift, and if you throw in a $20 gift card for iTunes songs, there you go. If you like to spend a little more than $100 on Christmas presents (those spoiled teen don't deserve more than this, you're too kind :P), another kind of iPod, like an iPod Nano or an iPod Video may be a better choice. Even a regular mp3 player from your local superstore would be just as good. (iPods are just brand name mp3 players, kind of like Hollister, AE, and AF in the clothing section).

1. Flat out cash Price Range - The sky's the limit baby!
I know personally that the best thing a teenager could get for Christmas is plain old cash. If they don't have a job, and need some extra cash, or need to save up for that dream car, or if you're reading this a few days before Christmas and don't know what to get them, cash is just as amazing as all the rest of these options. Any amount of money is an acceptable gift, though usually somewhere between $20 and $50 is a good amount for kids. Obviously this won't be their only present, but if you want them to have some extra spending money, this is the fastest, most efficient way of doing things.

Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas on Christmas presents for your teenager. If it hasn't, I reccomend:
-Read it again.
-Ask your child what he wants for Christmas.
-Ask experienced parents what they've gotten for their teens in the past.