Smarty Holiday Gift Guide: Tweens & Teens

The 2010 Smarty Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by Toys & Co in Cotswold – if you haven’t been, check them out! You can find anything and everything on Santa’s list at Toys & Co!

Happy Thanksgiving, Smarties! We all have so much to be thankful for! What better way to kick off your day than to plan for your Santa stash?! Continuing with our 2010 Smarty Holiday Gift Guide Series, I bring you the ultimate guide for the hardest age group to buy for, tweens & teens.

The number one gift requested by most tweens and teens for years running is definitely C-A-S-H! This is especially true for boys. Yes, it seems a bit boring to give, but trust me, they’ll love you for it! But, if you feel like you need to step up your cool-factor with this age group, we compiled a list of ideas below to suit many different price ranges. Also, if you have a child who may be falling right in between age levels this year (kinda like a tween-tween!), be sure to check our gift ideas for ages 5-9 years. These ideas roll for your own kids, nieces/nephews and even your babysitters.

~For girls, think monogram and you can slap it on anything and everything: fleece throw, scarves, necklaces, handbags, lunchbags, car decals, towels, bath wraps, belts, etc. You name it, you can monogram it! Poppies and Alphabet Soup are monogramming meccas here locally.
~The Apple Store deserves it’s own category, since we all bow down to the hippest of hip computer and gadget haven:
-Gift Certificates to iTunes – all ages will love this.
-iPods, speakers and accessories – all ages, depending on what gear they already have.
-iTouch – my “tween-tween” is ONLY asking for this – Lord help me! She fully understands that if you ask for a big gift, this is the only thing under the tree. But I may have to negotiate with Santa that I dock her next 6 months of allowance to cover this one!
-iPhone – teens only should be privileged enough to own one of these. I personally don’t think they need more than texting capabilities, but then again, I don’t have a teenager!
-MacBook Pro laptop – this would be for the older teens. See previous comment above but add two years to that pay! You can justify this with the educational factor associated with it!
-iPad – the gadget of 2010 for sure, your call. I say teens only!
~Flip video camera – way cool, no doubt about it.
~Eco-friendly water bottles – the coveted brand for my tweener is the Camelbak.
~For teens – Scene It: Twilight Deluxe Edition
~Tweens like Vera Bradley, not so much for the teens with the exception of a large duffle bag, those apply to 7-year-old sleepovers all the way through college and beyond. You’re never too old for a girly-girl travel bag!
~Gift certificates to movie theaters & throw in Pinkberry gift card for a Phillips Place Night Out on the town.
~North Face or Mountain Hardware jackets – nothing screams C-O-O-L like a NorthFace (Nordstrom always has a great selection for girls, Dick’s for the dudes)!
~Frye boots – teens only due to hefty price tag.
~Uggs – tweens & teens
~Picture Frames
~Flat irons – Ulta in Cotswold has every kind of hair accessory, perfume, etc. You can find a gift for any tween/teen girl in this store.
~Mani/Pedi Gift Cards
~Rainbow brand flip flops, any flavor
~Bulletin board/memory board
~scrapbooking supplies/scrapbook
~electric scooters
~funky lamps for their rooms and other room accessories – Pier 1, Target, and Pottery Barn always has cute ones!
~bright-colored storage boxes and bins
~shoe and closet organizers
~mirrors, mirrors, mirrors for the girls!
~photo collage frames
~4×6 photo printer
~college t-shirts
~retro design t-shirts
~webcams
~Starbucks gift certificates (they exchange these with friends all the time)
~Clothing stores they like best are Abercrombie, Gap, Old Navy, Delia’s, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Aeropostale, Hollister, American Eagle, Aerie, Justice/Limited Too or surf shops.
~Paintball guns
~Remote control airplanes
–Geneva watches, any flavor – Julie’s in Park Road Shopping Center has best selection and best prices in town – $15-ish, can’t beat that!
~Jewelry, especially silver – unique and funky styles like Towne & Reese (available at many boutiques including Alphabet Soup, the Mole Hole, Black Lion and more – we love these local Smarty Mom designers!) The Jewel Box, HandPicked, Francesca’s, and American Eagle.

Smarty tip for teens: do not attempt to buy any clothes that weren’t pre-approved by them – gift cards only for this scenario!

Share your suggestions – we’re always looking to help a Smarty out! Happy shopping and most of all Happy Turkey Day – gobble, gobble!