Christmas Shopping

[Angel]

Okay, I know many of you are parents to teens and pre-teens so...


What the fuck should I buy for my 13 year old brother?

My stepsister is 14, and easy as hell to buy for - I bought her a CD, a trendy outfit, and a gift certificate to my piercer since her dad gave me permission to take her as long as it's not a facial piercing and it's above the waist. (LOL)

The baby was easy, cause she's 4 and also because she pretty much told me. (I got her a gold necklace with a charm that says "Little Angel" hehe) an outfit, a big girl jewelry box and I'm taking her to get her ears pierced. (My mom wants em done, but she's too afraid to take her lol)

I draw a complete blank when it comes to a barely teenaged boy. And do you think I can get an answer out of him? No! My mom is clueless too.

So... what the hell are 13 year old boys interested in nowadays?

 

[StondTmplPilot]

anything adorned with the logo of his favorite sports team, or endorsed by his favorite athlete...

 

[Angel]

I wish it was that easy. He doesn't HAVE a favorite team, and he's too wussy to enjoy sports.

LOL

I'm serious though, he tries to play street football with the other kids, but when he gets hit or falls, he cries So... he's drifted away from the athletics.

-sighs-

 

[StondTmplPilot]

ok what does he like?

maybe a small set of tools, like a socket set or something like that...maybe he has a mechanical interest?

 

[Angel]

Thats the thing - I have NO idea what he likes. He lives with his father. My mom only has him on the weekends, and I don't live with her so I see him maybe once a month.

Not only that, he's a loner, and when you try to see what he's into he gets all pissy about his personal space . I didn't know boys were like that when they hit puberty, LOL.

PLUS, he constantly changes what he likes. Last year he was dead set on getting a frog aquarium. So I got him one. He never even used it.

Maybe I'll just get him some clothes. He has NO fashion sense at all. I mean, he wears the filthiest, most tore up outfits I have ever seen on a child in my life. I refuse to be seen with him in public - he looks homeless.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Angel,

Why don't you take him shopping? That way he can get what he wants and you can get to know him better.

I think men in general are really hard to buy for.

Ruby

 

[StondTmplPilot]

do ya think he would wear them

It sounds like he likes to wear ratty clothes! maybe he wouldnt wear them at all. I am at a loss as to what to get the kid. Does he have a computer? maybe a computer game, or maybe he has playstation2 or dreamcast? I dont know a teenager who doesn't have one or the other, maybe you could get him a game for whichever one he may have?

 

[Phoenyx]

Just get him a gift certificate to the mall.

 

[Angel]

Ruby -

I was trying to avoid that - for a couple of reasons.

1 - I wanted him to be able to open on Christmas morning so he didn't feel left out when everyone else opened theirs. And have the other two get jealous cause he already got his.

2 - I don't want him to have to know what he's going to get and then have to wait.


But, if thats how I have to do it, I will. Maybe I'll take him and have him pick out a few things, buy one of them and get an idea off of the other shit he looks at and surprise him with the rest.

(I'm also wary of taking a 13 year old annoying bratty child with me into public, but thats a whole other story. Seriously - I wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy LOL)


----
Thanks for the other suggestions. He has my mom's N64 at her house and one at his father's. I think he has a PS1 too. (My mom's pretty low income, I bought her the N64)

He has a computer at his dad's and my mom has my computer for the time being.

Maybe I'll get him a game. Although if I do it has to be either cheap or his only gift cause... I have too many goddamn people to buy for.

BK and my siblings came first though. Then mom. Then dad.

Then my cousin and her kids and after that, everyone else can pretty much kiss my ass. LOL.

 

[StondTmplPilot]

Ruby, some are....not me

I'm easy, always have been...I love music, so a cd would be great. Also, ANYTHING with a Detroit Lions logo on it! I have been a nutcase over this team my entire life! If you have seen any of the pics I have posted, you probably already know this, lol.
I also love doing woodworking, so I always could use new saw blades, drill bits, varnishes, finishes, etc etc etc...

 

[Gilly Bean]

Get him a few different gift certificates. One to some music place, one to a trendy clothing store that's popular, and one to a place that sells games and books and what not.

Stuff em all in a stocking with some microwave popcorn, and a pop, and a box of movie theater sized candy.

 

[Rubyfruit]

I wouldn't go the gift certificate route for the reasons you mentioned and the fact that he might not use it. It would be a waste!

Years after the fact, I've found gift certificates that people have given my husband, still unused.

Ruby

 

[Gilly Bean]

Re: Ruby, some are....not me

I'm easy, always have been...I love music, so a cd would be great. Also, ANYTHING with a Detroit Lions logo on it! I have been a nutcase over this team my entire life! If you have seen any of the pics I have posted, you probably already know this, lol.
I also love doing woodworking, so I always could use new saw blades, drill bits, varnishes, finishes, etc etc etc...

Ok, I am a fellow Michigander, and all, but you DO realize that the lions suck ass, right?

I mean, I am not even a football fan, and *I* know they suck ass. My husbands work has a pool going on whether or not they will win anything this year, and if so, who it will be against, and how many points they will win by.

The lions need to all retire, so we can get an entirly new team. Cause they suck ass. Bad!

 

[lavender]

 

[Angel]

Hee Hee. I used to wait. Of course I used to have a hell of alot of a bigger income.

This year I am making considerably less money and still holing away 75% of each paycheck to move to Florida with.

From now til Christmas though, I'm only holing away half.

The other half is going to Christmas gifts each week til everyone is taken care of.

I hate being broke. But... I hate being away from BK more, so.... I'll deal with being broke for now.

 

[Weird Harold]

1: Think of the worst possible thing that you could get him -- Something that would really embarass him to open on Christmas.

2: Tell him you saw a really nice one and are going to get it for him for Christmas.

3: When he expresses his disgust/disbelief, tell him to give you some options.

 

[Ice Cold]

There are a couple of stores around here.. and other places I've seen that specialize in a variety of wardrobe for people who are on the moody side. Usually dark colors and such.

If he is a typical teenager, and he listens to any music at all, it would probably be alone the line of Limp bizket or Staind.

It is a pain in the ass to shop for someone who you have no idea what to get... I usually try to avoid the gift certificates because there is no real thrill in the person opening... but if it you get too strapped for ideas... I guess that is the only option.

Good huntin.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

How about some underarm deodorant or face cleansers, from 13 most boys need them.

Have a smile, myself being in New Zealand I get 16 hours less Christmas Shopping time than you get in the USA