Hands up if you enjoy shopping for an under 18 year old that you don't know that well? Thought not. A nightmare, is what it is- let's call a spade a spade. Get it wrong and you get to stare down at the untouched waste of £20 on a present repacked into it's own wrapper and left at the recipient's feet. Get it right and you are officially 'Cool Auntie Elaine', or whatever your name is.
What you need is a plan of action. Like the 7 dwarves the child or pre-teen in your life might be dopey, surly, bashful or cheery, whiney, spoilt, happy or easy to please.
I find the best plan of attack is to spend time with them and ask what they want. If they aren’t that close to you- you need to then go the parents. If all of the above is out, you need it to be a surprise or you don't want to appear useless– here’s your plan.
Tots-Both sexes up to 4 years old
Go wild, this age means they are an open book. Paints, bubble machines, noisy instruments, magic ovens, dolls, tanks and water pistols- the only limit is how much rubbish you can buy, and how much you want the parents to suffer. Paper and paints, spyrograph, etch-a-sketch, pop up pirate, just buy what you want to play with whilst you're giving the present. If you get it right you look like the generous, hands on relative whilst secretly having a great time making that Lego pirate ship you always wanted, or making a fantasy land for your Sylvanian Families whilst the parents make you a big brew.
Girls- 5-9 years old
One word - Accessorize Kids. Great quality stuff covered in pink, shaped like animals and the right side of cute without doing cheap and garish, this is a great one stop shop. Girls also like to make their rooms their nest, so look at lava lamps, furry lights, stuffed animals, dolls houses and all the things that you like as a kid.
Boys- 5- 9 years old
Toys, gadgets and gizmos are the order of the day.
I suggest iwantoneof those.com for unusual gadgets and plenty in between
Firebox is generally an adult site but for things that go ‘vroom’ it’s spot on, or for bacon flavoured toothpaste and other kid friendly ideas.
The website ‘Everything dinosaur’ is great for- err, all things with dinosaurs, and Hawkin is great for all those odd gifts they are bound to like, at least for the hour you’re in the house!
Boys 9-11 years old
The tricky age, before teenage rebellion kicks in or tween apathy. Get them a game, something to boot about and stay of educational gifts or things made of wood. At 9-11 you need to be looking at robots, tanks, flying machines, things you build/destroy, and so on.
Girls 9-11 years old
Girls are probably on facebook with the aid of a date change, using a wii and a dsi and have probably tasted Smirnoff ice. They don’t want to have any games involving throwing a ball into a cup and they don’t want a cheap lipbalm.
As kids grow up quicker, it’s best to move with them.
What I find that they do want is stuff for sleepovers, to take to school and to collect. Not yet a woman, but looking for some of the fashionable hints, you are still going to do well staying with 'cute'. Scarves and snoods, winter hats, jewellery, and illustrated stuff like that from Paperchase and Hello kitty goes down well.
Stationary is also great, notepads, diaries, good colouring pencils, a nice pencil case, and a bag will be used over and over.
Sideline breed- Pre Teen Emos
A tricky breed, pre teen emos need special handling. Check their favourite band. A t-shirt might go down well. For mini rockers look at Claires for accessories, sweatbands, black nail varnish in nice packaging and so on. If that feels a bit cliché then an old, classic CD from amazon like The Clash, or a book on older legends - The Dirt by Motley Crue can be great if they have liberal parents!
You can also buy a voucher from See Tickets for them to put towards a gig or a show.
'Normal' Preteens
For the non-gothic- that's nicer than normal, I know, perhaps a magazine subscription, a book by a relevant author, a CD from whoevers number one and not Westlife, a school bag, a pair of converse, or some vouchers for Gamestation, Topshop, new look or some train tickets for her, a friend and mum to go to London for the day or a closer capital city.
If you yourself are hip and trendy, then something simple like a trip out with a milkshake, cake, lunch and her choosing stuff with you will be remembered for much longer.
Boys and Girls - 11-15 years old
Clothes, CD’s and games. During this period it is essential that you
a) Get to know them and have an inkling of their character.
b) Get used to buying and mailing an annual gift voucher.
Boys and Girls 15-18 years old
Depending how close you are to them now, after nearly 2 decades buying gifts(!) this is a great time for CD's, DVD's and iTunes vouchers, exam manuals, driving manuals, L plates, booze, lottery tickets and scratch cards, make up with decent quality brushes, a proper shaving kit, a decent watch, a trip away, a gift experience, uni bed linen, funky prints for their uni halls, vouchers, games and/or consoles, vouchers for Schuh, Amazon cash, Paypal money, Kindle books, fluffy seat covers, money towards a holiday with their friends, chocolate, decent aftershaves and perfumes (big name brands only), gap year kit or money in some sort of uni SOS savings fund.
I hope this helps any auntie, godmother, step brother, half sister or family friend in need of a gift for any child/preteen/nearly adult!
Happy Shopping!
Elaine @ Morethanakeyword
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