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What to get a 14 year old I don't know!?

So over Christmas at work we buy presents for children that are in lower income families where their parents are financially unable to buy presents for their children. We pick a tag from the Christmas tree, then buy that child a gift. We do this in conjunction with the Samaritans.

I chose a 14 year old boy, and a 14 year old girl. That is all the information I have to go on!

We get no other details about the children and I'm finding it really difficult to pick something to buy. What if the girl is a tomboy and I get her make-up? What if the boy likes nothing but basketball and I get him a skateboard?

I don't have children, and don't have many children in the family so I haven't really had to buy for someone this age before.

Does anyone have any ideas on what a good kind of gift to get would be, where it wouldn't matter what you were into you'd still like the gift?
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Comments

  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    do you have a budget?
  • I was thinking about £20/£30 each.
  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    FutureGirl wrote: »
    I was thinking about £20/£30 each.

    you can get some seriously decent headphones (for tablets, mobile phones etc) for that, and suitable for just about every 14-year old, whether a girly girl or a skater dude ;).
  • Headphones are a good idea!
  • This is a great idea!
  • but what if they don`t have a mobile phone or tablet, if there parent can`t afford to buy them Christmas presents, there`s a possibility there haven`t got those items. what about a voucher for argos, so they could get something themselves.
    One day I will live in a cabin in the woods
  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    betterlife wrote: »
    but what if they don`t have a mobile phone or tablet, if there parent can`t afford to buy them Christmas presents, there`s a possibility there haven`t got those items. what about a voucher for argos, so they could get something themselves.

    i know 12-year olds without mobile phones or tablets, but I don't know any 14-year olds without at least one of those items (and I live in whats considered to be a "deprived" area of the country).
  • What about makeup/perfume/aftershave?
    I love a bargain. Now mortgage and debt free. hurray!!:smileyhea
  • I got the girl a digital camera, with extra batteries. I think girls like that kind of thing she can then take photos with her and her friends / family etc and won't matter if she's a tomboy or girlie girl they'll like it.

    I'm just confused about the boy now. I was going to get something like headphones but then they might not have a phone that has music capability or any kind of music player. So I thought of an MP3 player, but they might not have a laptop/computer!

    The problem is that I don't know any 14 year olds haha!
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,390 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    My kids aged 12 and 15 have to take headphones into school for certain lessons. I think finding a teenager who doesn't use them at all would be rare and I say this having a son who barely uses a phone and doesn't has any music devices.

    If you are sure you want something generic, I bought my son a rucksack with toiletries in, as a practical present. The offer has gone now at Boots but you could look round some of their gift sets.

    What about a gift card for the cinema or Nandos (assumming these places are in your area)
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