Shopping for gifts for teens is…surprisingly stressful, right?! After all, they’re too old for toys, and yet too young to be delighted by a really nice set of towels (the nerve!). So what do you get the almost-adult in your life? If you’ve asked them and simply received a shrug (or been told “cash is always nice”), you’re not alone. And, yes, cash is nice, but sometimes it’s also nice to open something or delight someone with a present they never would have thought to or can’t afford to get themselves. And it can be doubly fun with a teenager: They’re just starting to get interested in a good skincare or makeup routine — and, you know, posters that go beyond their favorite Disney star. So, give them the gift of an everyday beauty set, or a print that can follow them to college and beyond. Of course, they’re still kids at heart, so the gifts should also be a little fun, too.
Top 10 Best Holiday Gifts for Teens at a Glance
The One They’ll All Want This Year: Adidas Originals Samba, $100
Best for the Teen Who Loves to Sleep: Satin Short Pajama Set, $30
Best for Espresso Lovers: Short n’ Sweet – Lapis Lazuli LP, $38
Best for Teens Who Love a Vibe: BlissLights Sky Lite Evolve, $36
Best for the Gamer: DualSense Wireless Controller for PS5, $115
Best for the Teen Always on Their Phone: Anker Nano 3-in-1 Portable Charger, $45
Best for Snack-Lovers: DASH Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker, $21
Best for the Teen With a Lot of Feelings: Wreck This Journal: Now in Color, $9
Best for the Fashionista: JW PEI Sharon Crossbody Bag, $89
Best for the Beauty Lover: Summer Fridays The Holiday Lip Butter Balm Set, $49
With that in mind, here are 35 presents that are great for anyone in those awkward teen years (or, you know, preteens/college kids, too). Most of these gifts also start at under $20, in case you need to pick something not-so-fancy up for your cool niece or kid’s favorite sitter. Maybe they’ll like it so much, they’ll even return the favor with a teen gift of their own — you know, like explaining to you what the hell TikTok is.
-
A Trendy Tumbler
Image Credit: Amazon At this point, you couldn’t go wrong with gifting anyone on your list a Stanley Tumbler. They’re cute and convinvent and will help your teen stay more hydrated than ever. And to make it a little easier, opt for the 30 ounce option like this one — it’s a little cheaper for you and less clunkier for them.
-
The “It” Sneaker at the Moment
Image Credit: Foot Locker Over the past two years, adidas Samba’s have taken over the fashion scene and teens absolutely love them. They’re a simple and easy shoe they can wear with pretty much everything in their wardrobe.
-
The Ultimate Beauty Accessories
Image Credit: Sephora Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms are one of the trendiest beauty products someone can own. Honestly, just whipping one out makes them cool and wit this set, you can give your teen all three or divide them up and stick one in multiple stockings.
-
A Pair of Sleek Earbuds
Image Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods are an easy wow-gift that you can give anyone on your list. And since they’re a little less than usual on Amazon, I’d snag these for your teen, yourself, and anyone else you’re shopping for this season.
-
A Set of Pretty Charms
Image Credit: Free People Charm necklaces are so huge in teen jewelry right now. This one from Free People is plated in 14K gold and has the most prettiest and dantiest charms with options that’ll fit your teens aesthetic, from ballet-core zodiac sign connoisseur.
-
A Show-Stopping Vinyl
Image Credit: Amazon Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet took over the summer this year and chances are your teen hasn’t stopped singing her hit songs, even now. Surprise them with this Amazon Music exclusive vinyl record that’s decked out in a gorgeaous Lapis Lazuli blue.
-
An On-Trend Sweatshirt
Image Credit: Pacsun Fear of God Essentials are one of the most popular streetwear brands for teens. This oversized black hoodie is certified cool because of how easy and comfy it is to wear. Trust us, they’ll want this for sure.
-
A Pair of Cool Running Shoes
Image Credit: Foot Locker If they love activewear and doing physical activites all the time, get them a pair of sneakers that can take them from the gym to school to the track and more. Nike Vomero 5’s are a soft comfortable street style shoes that can double as easy running shoes.
-
A Fun Pajama Set
Pajamas are one of those surefire gifts that anyone will love, but especially the teen girl that’s all about a nighttime routine aesthetic. These soft satin short pajamas from Victoria’s Secret come in a ton of pretty colors and prints that she’s bound to love — and they’re on sale!
-
A Multi-Use Hair Tool
Image Credit: Amazon It’s not a Dyson but it honestly works just as good, if not better. The Shark FlexStyle is a multi-styler curls, blow drys, brushes and more.They’ll definitely be happy to get one of these bad boys.
-
The Ultimate Pair of Slippers
Image Credit: Nordstrom By now, Ugg Tazz Platform slippers have been everywhere and if they don’t have a pair already, we garuntee they definietly want one. But don’t wait too long — these always sell out even before Black Friday.
-
Easy Skincare Gems
Image Credit: ESW Beauty/Amazon Who doesn’t love sheet masks? Each mask from ESW Beauty tackles almost every concerns in your skincare routine, from sunrise to sunset. Plus, they’re eco-friendly and won’t clog pores for any skin from dry, normal, to oily skin
-
Pretty Personalized Jewels
Image Credit: Anthropologie Ever since Hailey Bieber wore a bedazzled big B pendant on her instagram, bubble inital necklaces have been everywhere. This one from Anthropologie has a easy-to-wear gold tone so it’s not too over the top and it cost less than $50.
-
Cozy Socks
Image Credit: Bombas Honestly, when it comes to shopping for teens, getting the necessities they need can actually go a very long way. These multicolored vintage stripe half-calf Socks by Bombas come in a fun four-pack that’s perfectly giftable. And these aren’t your run of the mill socks either, Bombas socks are meant to go the distance, thanks to their stay-up technology, so they’re an investment for years to come. Plus, the design is really cute! Your teen will be able to scrunch them at the ankle for a cute and effortless sporty look. And if you’re thinking “why not ankle socks?” you gotta know that the teens and Gen Z have ruled ankle socks as “cringe.” Quarter socks for the win.
-
A Pickle Ball Set
Image Credit: Sonix/Amazon Yes, pickle ball is still the trendiest sport of the moment. Gift your teen this “brat” green pickle ball set that comes with two paddles, four pickleballs, and a net bag to carry it all. Plus, it’s USAPA approved so you know they’ll have quality gear.
-
A “Mini” Mini Fridge
Image Credit: Frigidaire/Amazon A teen who loves their skincare products will cherish a mini fridge to keep them all at an optimal temperature so they stay fresh and potent. And if they could care less about face masks and serums, they’ll love this to store their favorite drinks and snacks in their room. This retro mini fridge by Frigidaire even has the ability to flip into a heater for warming up gloves and scarves or heat packs too! Talk about versatility.
-
Fun Photos On Demand
Image Credit: HP/Amazon Instax cameras continue to be a hit with teens, but how often are these kids actually remembering to take one with them to snap photos? This mini portable printer lets them preserve memories with mini pictures that prints straight from their phone. Images can also be edited with borders and illustrations before printing.
-
A Brand New Video Game
For the gammer teen, gift them the brand new Madden NFL 25. It’s one of the best sport games out this year and it’s heavily marked down on Amazon right now. You can buy it for Xbox and PlayStation.
-
Something to Set the Vibes
Image Credit: BlissLights/Amazon Teens are going wild over flashy bedroom lights (thanks to TikTok, naturally), and this Bluetooth-enabled galaxy projector is sure to give you the Cool Parent Award. It uses 360-degree rotation to project a starry scene against nebulus clouds in multiple colors so they can drift into dreamland in an otherworldly way.
-
A Comfy Pair of Shoes
Image Credit: Crocs The uniquitous and iconic Croc clog has been embraced by a new generation that loves to embelish the funky comfort footwear and make it their own. These classic fur-lined Crocs help them start the season off on the right foot. Trust us, they’ll wear these all the time.
-
A Top-Notch Gaming Controller
Image Credit: Microsoft/Amazon Your video game-connoisseur teen will be over the moon for this next-level wireless controller with responsive feedback and vibrations that let them feel like they’re right inside the game. They’ll be able to game for up to 40 hours off the rechargable battery life and have up to three gaming profiles.
-
Luxe-Faux-Fur-Throw-Blanket-shop
Image Credit: Anthropologie If you’ve got a teen who’s off to college, this cozy luxe faux fur blanket is the ultimate dorm room addition. And those colors! Late night cramming sessions with never be the same.
-
Something Personal
Image Credit: Uncommon Goods This personalized pillow — with your kid’s name or some other title specific to them — is a great way to represent a timeless icon of music: the mixtape. (No pen required.)
-
An Oversized Sweatshirt
Image Credit: Alo Yoga This simple, yet chic oversized hoodie from Alo Yoga will be your teens go-to choice article of clothing. It’s great for lounging, shavasana, or any activity really and it’s oh-so cozy — which is the only thing teens care about.
-
A Personal Snack Machine
Image Credit: Dash/Amazon Got a Netflix binger in the house? Satisfy their need to chill — and snack — with this best-selling electric popcorn popper that produces an incredible 16 cups without any oil, so it’s a little healthier too!
-
A Personal Masseuse
Image Credit: TheraGun/Amazon Athletic teens will love this percussive self-massager that works sore muscles and knots and helps with exercise recovery. It’s even Bluetooth-enabled and connects to the Therabody app.
-
Back Up Juice on the Go
Image Credit: Anker/Amazon A device dying is like the ultimate fear of a teen. Make sure they never have to experience that with this three in one portable charger. It’s a power bank that also has a wall connector and a USB-C cable built in so they can use it as a regular charger and take it on the go.
-
A Stimulating Board Game
Image Credit: Asney/Amazon Chess sharpens strategy skills, improves cognitive thinking, helps with attention span, boosts memory and confidence — there are so many reasons it’s the perfect gift for a teen who wants to level up. This set folds away for easy storage.
-
A Constructive Way to Let Out Frustration
Image Credit: Amazon This unique journal is meant to be destroyed — but first, its owner is prompted to do all kinds of things like adding photos and scribbling all over them them and painting pages with coffee.
-
Unique Room Decor
Image Credit: Amazon Someone who’s into decorating their room with pictures of friends, travels and idols will adore this woven photo display with soft lights that can be controlled remotely.
-
A Handheld Computer
Image Credit: Amazon Way more affordable than other tablets, this new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet has 32 gigbites of storage and can be loaded with their favorite apps for streaming and playing games as well as books and music. Plus, check out all the Fire Tablet versions here to see what fits the bill.
-
A Chic Mini Bag
Image Credit: JW PEI/Amazon Teens love anything that’s mini and functional. This chic crossbody from JW PEI has just enough space to fit the necessities. Plus, it’s made from high-quality vegan leather that looks so much more expensive than it is.
-
The Ultimate Cinema Bucket List
Image Credit: Uncommon Goods For the budding cinephile, a poster that reveals itself over time. The 100 movies on this list range from gritty classics to comedies and cartoons.
-
A Set of Fun Pens
Image Credit: Amazon Fine-tipped pens that don’t bleed are great for note-taking, journaling, doodling, and more. Ooh, and adult coloring books — if your teen’s into that kind of thing.
-
Vibes They Can Bring Anywhere
Image Credit: Marshall/Amazon There’s just something about being a teenager that makes you want to listen to your favorite tunes as loud as possible. With these sleek portable speaker they can bumb their favorite artists as louf as they want with over 30 hours of portable playtime. And once it runs out, it only needs a three hour charge to get back to a full battery.
More Stories from Parenting
Leave a Comment