When kids are little, it’s fun to go Christmas shopping for them. They’re great at telling you what they want. EVERY thing they want. It’s easy. But then, something happens. As kids start to get older, they go from these cute little gems that look at you as the center of the universe to not-yet adults who think they know everything and you know nothing. And in that moment, parents cower, wondering what in the world makes a good Christmas gift for their tweens, preferably something that won’t garner eye rolls on Christmas morning.
Gift Cards
As much as gift cards aren’t fun to open, it’s a surefire way to make sure you’re giving a gift that will be appreciated. We buy my tween nieces gift cards each year, not only because we have no clue what to buy, but because we know girls like to shop. For the girls who live near a mall, we don’t even pick a store, we simply stop at the mall kiosk and buy them a gift card they can use anywhere so they can use it while they’re having fun with friends.
Gift Baskets
Whether shopping for a girl or boy, you can make a pamper-me gift basket that will acknowledge the fact that they’re not a little boy or little girl anymore. What we love to do is get a basket and start with a kids bath robe. This is a good foundation because it’s something that becomes even more important as kids hit puberty and can’t run from the bathroom to their bedroom in their birthday suits. Then, we fill the basket with shower gels, lotion, a fun mug with some fancy hot chocolate and, if we need a little something extra, we’ll throw in a gift card for some music. For girls, you can also add pedicure supplies.
Books
There’s a lot of debate about whether or not books make a good Christmas gift. In our family, we were raised knowing that books would be a part of our Christmas gift haul. I asked my dad what he did to buy books and he told me that book sellers are usually good at knowing what a certain age boy or girl would enjoy.
Encourage Their Hobbies
What activities does your tween enjoy? This is the perfect time to show them you respect the things that bring them joy.
A Word About Clothes
While you may be tempted to buy clothes for a tween, consider yourself warned, this is dangerous territory! If you know of a store your tween loves to shop at, you’re safe. If you know what they wear, you’re safe. This is no time to be adventurous or guess. It is one of the biggest ways to earn the eye roll.
How do you approach Christmas shopping for tweens?
picture via flickr by j.patrick.1@verizon.net
