As each year passes, it becomes increasingly more difficult to find Christmas gifts for my 16-year-old daughter. Gone are the days when quantity trumped quality – nowadays, she wants the most expensive and best-designed clothing, gadgets and also (more recently) bedroom accessories. I now dread trying to shop for her.
More to the point, since she abandoned her dolls house, scooter and perfume-making kits, she seems to have acquired a bedroom full of high-tech, high-quality gadgets. I now find myself trying to shop for the teenager who has everything! Indeed, she possesses a hoard of treasures and trinkets that I am seriously envious of.
My plans for Christmas 2017
Rather than purchase a huge amount of items, simply for the sake of ‘wrapping them up’ and giving her unnecessary and unwanted piles of nonsensical gifts this year, I’m starting my Christmas shopping with a plan! I have decided to instead spend my money on a few practical items, that although will not create a monstrous pile in my living room come Christmas morning, will nevertheless be much more appreciated.
1. Laptop
It seems teenagers these days render laptops obsolete, instead spending ridiculous amounts of time reading messages, emails and even homework from a tiny iPhone screen. I have a laptop which my daughter has access to, however, she seldom uses it for homework, relying on her trusty iPhone. Despite numerous protestations, she still will always reach for her phone. As she approaches her GCSE exams, I deem a proper laptop essential for all things revision. And so I’ve been shopping for a good laptop for her. I found this HP Stream laptop with a 14-inch screen at Currys PC World.
At £249.99, I consider this a great price. It is advertised as part of their ‘Social’ laptops category, which means you get a laptop with all the basics which is geared for social media. Hopefully, she will love the stylish purple colour as well! One of the best gifts you could buy a 16-year-old!
2. Coat
I don’t know what it is with teenagers these days, (gosh I sound old) but they never seem to wear a coat. Instead, they seem content to walk around with blue lips and hands. My daughter must have 10 coats but I haven’t seen her wear one this autumn, and it’s freezing! To remedy this (and hopefully relieve her cold bones) I have invested in a decent coat for her. As she is 16 now, she needs something a tad more mature than her bubble jackets. I came across this gorgeous number in Topshop and it’s absolutely perfect for her!
A steal at £65.00 and undoubtedly a coat that will last for many winters!
3. Lush Products
Both of my daughters (and me for that matter) are huge fans of all Lush products. This store ticks all the boxes for us – animal cruelty free products, affordability and quality! When in doubt, I always grab a gift from the Lush store. Rather than purchasing a number of different Lush items this year, I’ve opted for one of their beautiful custom-made gift packages. The Snowflakes Bundle is the one I have chosen at only £29.95 and it contains the following gorgeous items:
All of these items are packaged in a Lush ‘knot wrap’ which can be used again. There is even a guide on the website on how to use these knot wraps.
4. NYX Eye Palette
My daughter swears by NYX make-up. I saw her lusting after this eye shadow palette in Debenhams recently. I actually really like the colours in this ‘In Your Element – Earth’ palette. Perhaps, if I’m lucky, she might even let me borrow it (or show me how to properly apply eye-shadow)!
At £25.00 this is a sound investment and the variety of these earthy colours will see her through the seasons!
5. Bag
So, she’s got the coat, make-up, laptop, she smells great, one last treat. A new bag! Between my daughter and I, we could quite honestly fill a shop floor with all of our handbags (and don’t even get me started on shoes). She has some absolutely gorgeous bags and I thought, what harm can come by adding one more to her superb collection? This was the item I have spent the most time hunting for. Get this wrong, and Christmas is ruined! It was always going to be a Fiorelli bag – we love their range and the quality of their products have never let us down. This Fiorelli Tote Handbag comes in a range of colours and patterns, this one is perfect for my daughter.
Found at ‘House of Fraser’ stores, this adorable bag was a fantastic price at £65.00 and will endure all the usual teenage wear and tear. The perfect gifts for my 16-year-old!
I hope my gifts guide for a 16-year-old has given you some inspiration. A teen who has everything is always the most difficult to buy Christmas gifts for!
