The 13-year-old boy is no longer a child, but is not an adult yet either. He is at an age when future is becoming a concern, even though the boy still wants to play. Games are gradually developing into hobbies, serious hobbies and preferences appear, and choosing a gift for a teenager is not as easy as for a third grader. So what can you give to a 13-year-old boy?

Preparing in advance

Teenagers are sensitive; they see a deep meaning in gifts. It will not do to just give him the first thing that comes to your mind. Find out in advance what the boy wants, what he has long dreamed of. His parents and friends can help you with this.

If a gift has already been selected, it is important to have time to buy it in advance, and not leave the tast for the last day. The store might be out of the item you chose. And then you will have to quickly come up with an alternative, and rushing does not lead to anything good. Also, a pre-purchased gift will save you the temptation to spend the money elsewhere!

When ordering a gift online, you need to be careful. A large margin of time is needed, because you never know how the delivery will work out. Also the gift you ordered might come in worse quality than you expected. An extra week will come in handy to smooth out all the bumps and give a 13-year-old boy a great gift.

Hobbies and interests of the boy

A win-win option - to give something that matches the lifestyle of the teenager and it will come in handy in any case.

• Athlete: ball, clothing or shoes for sports (leggings, sneakers, windbreaker), ticket for a sports match, skates, scooter
• Homebody: unusual wall or table clock, original lamp, regular or electronic book, tablet, game console
• Fashionista: eau de toilette, expensive clothing item, watch
• Gamer: gaming keyboard or mouse, new game, comfortable computer chair
• Blogger: webcam, action camera, paid video editing software
• To a fan of music or movies: expensive headphones (he definitely has the usual ones), iPod, tickets for a concert of his favorite band, iTunes gift card, guitar, access to Netflix
• To the animal lover: a pet (make sure his parents are okay with that option), accessories for the pet of the home (unusual collar, claw sharpener, new cage)

It is not recommended to act on the contrary and try to remake the teenager with your gift, giving a skateboard to a modest homebody or a game console for an athlete. Let the boy do what he likes, not what you think he should be doing.

Can the gift be just money?

If there are no other options, a monetary gift is perfectly acceptable. At the age of 13, the boy himself will be able to decide what he wants, and buy it for himself. The best option is to give the money directly to him and not his parents, because sometimes parents can take that money for «safe keeping» and end up buying something the boy will not like. If you are certain that his parents are that kind of people, be smarter and secretly give the boy the envelope with half of the sum, and hide the other half in a chocolate bar or a souvenir. Just let the recepient in on the secret)

If you still have not decided on a gift, but it is inappropriate to give money, a gift certificate will help out. You can choose the store yourself and you will be sure that the teenager will not waste money for nothing. Indeed, at 13, fantasy is in full swing, and the boy can easily spend money on something forbidden. Certificates are sold in every second store today. It could be:

• youth or teenage clothing and shoes
• accessories
• perfumes
• gadgets and electronics
• books

Build on the interest of a teenager or the recommendations of his parents.

Who are you to the gift recipient?

The answer to this question will help determine the approximate price of the gift. This is a delicate moment, which also depends on the social status of the family, your earnings and the event for which a gift is selected. A 13-year-old boy will be able to roughly appreciate the gift, and he will be offended if on his birthday he gets a cheap knick-knack, bought at a discount in the nearest Wallmart.

Parent

Closest relatives definitely should put in effort: a gift for a 13-year-old son should be something special. The price range should be based on your income. A bicycle, smartphone or other gadget, clothes (not regular clothes, but something specific your son wants like a skater jacket), a ticket to an event, a subscription to the skating rink or other activity — everything will make a very good gift for a 13-year-old son.

Adult relative

If you are a grandparent, you need to consider your retirement funds are not exuberant. And the teenager must also understand this. It is not necessary to choose a gift at a sky-high price. Or you can chip in with his parents on a collective expensive thing. Aunt or uncle can give something more expensive, but they should not out-gift the boys parents.

Sibling or cousin

Depending on how old you are, you may have nothing to buy an expensive gift with. But there are still a lot of options that can produce a gift your brother will remember. For example you can make a hand-drawn voucher for five wishes. Or make a funny note promising you will do his chores for a week.

If you already have a job, then you can pamper your younger brother with what he had long dreamed of. Arrange a day of surprises for him (take him to the movies or to the water park, and then to the pizzeria) or give him a cool gadget.

Friend or girlfriend

You know exactly what your 13-year-old friend dreams of, because you probably have common hobbies. And a small budget. In this case, an excellent gift would be a cover for a smartphone, a unique keychain, a computer game, a comic book, a bunch of beautifully packed chocolate bars, going to the cinema together (for a quest, attractions, a comic store). You can order something inexpensive and cool from a online store too, like a tiny drone or a metal puzzle.

Author: Aurora Elestren

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