Stocking Stuffers for my 16yo DS

[MarineWife]

I need some help with this. I am at a loss about what to get for his stocking this year. Most of the things he likes are too expensive for the stocking. The only thing he'll tell me he wants is money. He's hoping to get enough money from everyone to buy a car. All I can think of is mundane stuff like batteries and razor blades. A friend mentioned getting snacks and treats that he likes, which is all right, but I don't want to fill his stocking with just junk. Anyone have any ideas?

[Arduinna]

Gift certificates to music stores are always popular with kids I know that age

[SanityOptional]

Does he collect something that will fit in a stocking?

[BelovedK]

An Itunes giftcard, mundane things, and more giftcards

[superstella]

I'm having the same problem (mine turns 16 in march, so almost the same age.) I did find an Axe gift set at the dollar store for about $5 that's stocking stuffer material. Otherwise, I have no idea! Oh, how about a keychain (if he's hoping for car $$ he'll need one, and it's small enough!)

[Breathless Wonder]

Does he have a piercing?

A new wallet? A new watch?

I frequently put consumables in mine- favorite cookies, gift certificates for ice cream. etc.


What about a gift card to a local grocery store? Then if he's hanging out, and they need snacks...

[SaraGriffin]

My mom always put home made snacks (Dried apples, bananas etc) in ours every year. It was a constant that we looked forward to. I agree with PP's about a key chain, and the I-Tunes Gift Certificate. You could also put a note in there telling him you are extending his curfew or whatnot. I read somewhere that stockings were originally stuffed with only five little gifts - one for each of the five senses You could give him a trial membership to Netflix or something like that, too. 30 days of all the movies he can watch!!

[MarineWife]

:

[alegna]

Nicer toiletries? Cool soap.

socks?
gloves?
underwear?
keychain
fuzzy dice for the car?
CD
cool pens

good luck!

-Angela

[Mama2Bug]

Does he date or have a steady girlfriend/boyfriend? You could get him gift certificates to some local restaurants or coffee houses in amounts large enough for two. That way, he could treat someone.

[UUMom]

For my 18 yr old, I am giving, in total:

$15 GC to ITunes
$20 GC to Panera
$20 GC to GMC theaters
Slippers (he asked for these)
Pack of boxers from Old Navy
Nice shampoo
A couple of burned DVS
A paperback book I know he'll like.

[Arduinna]

oh if he drives and has a car, a gas card ( I know some places here have them) might be really nice.

[nolonger]

I do toiletriies, but they are always sample/travel sized bottles of much fancier stuff than we normally use. Yes, I've done deoderant, safety razors, batteries, and other small, practical items that they have to make do without all too often.

We have some traditions that have come down through the years and morphed a bit: I ALWAYS get them socks every year, but put a lot of thought into what KIND of socks for each particular year.

They always get a new toothbrush in their stockings and fake money and ds (who will be 16 on January 3) usually gets some toys that are mostly there to make him giggle on Christmas day; I've put the same little green army men in his stocking every year for three years. He plays with them on 12/25, then I clean up and put them somewhere safe for the next year.

The kids understand that we're "downwardly mobile" and enjoy the stability of our traditions, even when we have to scale things down to where they are little more than memories and gag gifts.

dd is getting a box of tampons in her stocking this year but the actual gift is the look of shock and horror on the boys' faces when she pulls them out and the fun of talking about "the year Santa put tampons in my stocking".

Some years they get a nice (sometimes VERY nice) piece of jewelry in the toe.

ds is getting a car for his birthday. It's a 57 Chevy by Matchbox with a little note saying how much I wish I could give him a real car instead and probably used copies of Hubbert's Peak and An Inconvenient Truth in the same package.

We love our Christmas stockings and probably didn't realize how much until we had to give up other traditions that weren't quite as important.

[Ann-Marita]

We almost always get little sweet tangerines, and in-the-shell nuts in our stockings. It's not junk, but it's stuff that we don't ordinarily get.

Gift cards sounds like a winner.

[shayinme]

I'm doing tolietries for my almost 16 yo son, he is into cologne so sample sizes, man wash type of stuff.

It does get harder the older boys get and while GC's are always a winner I do like to give actual items.

Shay

[debbieh]

When my ds was 16 yo, I used to put a favorite CD, a flashlight, key chain of his favorite football/baseball team, a coffee mug (even if he doesn't drink coffee, he could use it for hot chocolate), paperback books (like trivia books, cuz that's what my son loved to read), and always an ornament.

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by debbieh

When my ds was 16 yo, I used to put a favorite CD, a flashlight, key chain of his favorite football/baseball team, a coffee mug (even if he doesn't drink coffee, he could use it for hot chocolate), paperback books (like trivia books, cuz that's what my son loved to read), and always an ornament.

! I've been meaning to get my oldest a stainless sports bottle to take to school! Great idea!!

[claras_mom]

I found a card game--travel game--based on the "Worst Case Scenario Handbook" at a calendar store in the mall. Got it for my 40 yo kid-at-heart brother...

[fek&fuzz]

My brother (32 and 33) get each other parachute guys for their stockings. Like an army man but with a parachute, then one goes up to the second floor to toss it out the window and we all watch as it floats down.

Everybody loves a parachute guy.

[Friday13th]

I don't have a teenager but I have a husband...LOL.

He always gets a DVD in his stocking, check Best Buy for the cheap ($5-6) bargain DVDs and pick up something he likes.

I also didn't see where you're located but around here we have Newbery Comics and they have all these great, bizarre little toys for adults. Like funny action figures and movie characters. So he always gets one or two of those.

He's also getting candy, lip balm and a recyclable razor and blades.

I'd go with something silly, something edible, a gift card, a cd or dvd and something useful.