The 2014 Smarty Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by our favorite local toy store, Toys & Co in Cotswold and Park Road Shopping Center. Find everything on your child’s wish list and then some at Toys & Co! And guess what? They will wrap every gift BEAUTIFULLY and oh-so-expertly – so you don’t have to pull an all-nighter on Christmas Eve!
Today we bring you our Gift Guide for Tweens & Teens (these terms are totally interchangeable!), by new Smarty teen blogger, Olivia Clark! We brought in a teen expert and who better than a teen herself! Here’s Olivia!
My Dearest Smarty Readers,
It seems about a reasonable time to warn you that although Christmas is still a month away, the presents are already beginning to run out– and fast. I know this is somewhat terrifying, for nobody wants to be the one that gives a kid a slapdash gift, but don’t scurry to Southpark just yet. We, your friends at Charlotte Smarty Pants, have a special Christmas gift (a little early) just for you! In order to facilitate you in your Christmas shopping and lower your stress levels, we are thrilled to present you with your very own Smarty Shopper’s Holiday Gift Guide for 2014: Tweens and Teens edition. This guide will enlighten you with everything you need to know about “what’s hot” in the teen world this Christmas and give you numerous gift ideas for any kind of teen or tween you may be shopping for. Happy shopping Smarties!
For the Techy-Teen:
Lucky for us, our dear friends at Apple have managed to make shopping for this group of teens pretty simple and pain free. For starters, the iPhone 6 is a great idea for a gift that will put a smile on any social media-loving kid’s face. The gift of this phone includes countless new abilities, a much larger display, more gigabytes, a higher quality camera, and bragging rights that you own the newest addition.
Another great gift, especially for teens preparing to leave for college next year, is the gift one of the two most popular laptops at this time: the Macbook Pro or the Microsoft Surface Pro. The Macbook Pro features Apple’s finest features, apps, and easy to use settings combined into one shiny, compact laptop. The Microsoft Surface Pro allows access to millions of apps on one home screen with touch screen accessibility, and also comes with several tools, such as a keyboard and a stylus, to ease the experience. Both laptops, however, have high quality, endless possible uses, and incredible reviews.
For the Sporty Teen:
For any teen that has a passion for a sports team, whether it’s professional, college, or minor league, team apparel is always a desired gift. No teen can own too many college t-shirts or jerseys sporting their favorite player’s name on the back. In Charlotte alone, we have countless teams who’s apparel is sold all over! (**hint- I guarantee you that any girl in the Carolinas would be thrilled to fine a Luke Keuchly Panther’s jersey under the tree!)
Other desirable gifts for teens with a sporty side include sports apparel, sneakers, and Nalgene water bottles.
For tweens, Fitbits are the ticket:
When it comes to sports clothing, anything Nike is acceptable. Teenage girls seem to obsess over Nike Pro spandex and leggings, and boys can never get enough of their Nike Elite shorts and hoodies. If you’re looking for a smaller gift or stocking stuffer, Nalgene bottles are perfect. These 32 oz bottles are perfect for on-the-go teens. Stuff one of these with some of their favorite candy and you have the perfect present!
For the Fashionable Teen:
For basically all teens, clothing is a no-brainer when it comes to presents; however, the hard part is picking out the right ones. The most important part of buying clothes for a teenager is deciphering whether or not the kid is the preppy type. This determines what stores to look at and what style clothing to purchase. For the preppy teens, Lilly Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines are your best options. A Lilly dress or a Vineyard Vines button down and bow-tie are timeless options that will satisfy any preppy teen of any age.
For those teens that are not so preppy, it may be harder to pick out apparel that they are sure to love; however, there are a few specific pieces that are sure-fire hits. Stores such as Nordstrom, Belk or Urban Outfitters should be sufficient for finding all of your needs. For the girls, a pair of Converse high-tops,
Uggs,
or a Tory Burch wrap bracelet would suit any teen or tween.
And boots. Boots are a girl’s best friend! Every girl needs a great pair of boots for winter, whether they’re cowgirl boots, rain boots, combat boots, or riding boots. If you ask, she will most likely be able to pick out the exact pair she has had her eye on!
For tweens, these All-Over faux fur mittens are the bomb.com
and Dylans Rock Candy Lip Gloss. Rock candy has never looked this good! This lip gloss is a colorful way to play up your pout, with a taste that will have you scream ‘holy candy!’
For the boys, a half-zip Ralph Lauren pullover, a few pairs of Nike Elite shorts, or a name-brand watch should do the trick.
For the Book-worm Teen:
Teens that love to read would be head-over-heels if they found a Kindle Paperwhite with their name on it under the tree. This device, which only weighs a whopping 7.5 ounces, allows for a collection of up to 1,100 books to be carried anywhere at anytime in a single hand. With 2GB of storage, the Kindle Paperwhite connects to your Amazon account, allowing for the purchase of any imaginable book to be made in just one click of a button (not to mention that the books are cheaper on the kindle than as a paperback). Another great idea for any book-loving teen is to buy a few movie versions of some of their favorite books. A stack of a few classics such as The Great Gatsby and a few more modern films such as The Fault in Our Stars would thrill any book-worm that has already grown to love these story lines.
For the Gamer Teen:
For those teens that are new to the gaming world, you need to start with the basics. The ultimate gaming system that would excite any gamer is the Xbox One. This incredible system features access to all of the hottest games, allows for the downloading of millions of apps such as Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify, and also acts as a DVD player. In addition, it includes headsets for talking, webcam for video chatting, and dance mats for exercise games. Now, those teens that are a bit more experienced in the gaming world most likely have their desired gaming console, so your best bet it so buy them the perfect game that fits it. This Christmas, the most desired video games in the country are Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, and FIFA 2015. The gift of any (or all) of these games would complete any gamers Christmas.
For Every Teen:
Luckily, for those of you that are not sure which category your teen falls under, there are a few universal gifts that would satisfy any teenager. First off, gift cards to either clothing stores, such as Nordstrom, Urban, or Dick’s Sporting Goods, or to food places, such as Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, or Salsarita’s, are always quality gifts that any kid would enjoy. Gift cards are not only easy to obtain, but they allow for people to purchase whatever they desire. Finally– there is always the option of money. Let’s be honest…. what person doesn’t love having a nice wad of cash in their pocket? Money will suit any teen of any age with any style. It’s the perfect solution!
