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Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Old Oct 25th 2004, 8:55 pm
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Question Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Help!

My son will be 16 this Friday and I haven't a clue what to get him! When I asked him he said "I dunno". Well "I dunno" what to get him either. His friends didn't have any ideas (that they would share with me).

If any of you expats or spouses have teenagers would you mind asking them what they would deem as a *suitable gift for a 16 year old?* (No - before some smart Alec suggests it, he can't have any sex, drugs or rock'n'roll - well if he does I don't want to know about it LOL ).

He seems to have too much stuff already if you ask me. He had an Ipod for Xmas last year but rarely uses it. He has a laptop, a bike and a snowboard. He's not into playing musical instruments and I can't get him to read any books Maybe he could do with a new watch - I think he must have lost his last one. I don't know what teenagers prefer to have - he won't want eg. a Timex from Walgreens and he's not getting a Tag Heuer or expensive Swiss watch. About 5 years ago he had a G-Shock but I don't know whatever happened to it.

I'd love it if he chose to have a charity donation in his name instead of gifts....but hell, that's not going to happen.

I haven't a clue.

Thank God the boys don't have 'Sweet Sixteen' parties.
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:01 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

how about a job?
That way, you'll know to get an answer next time you ask him what he wants *lol*
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:14 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Englishmum
Help!

My son will be 16 this Friday and I haven't a clue what to get him! When I asked him he said "I dunno". Well "I dunno" what to get him either. His friends didn't have any ideas (that they would share with me).

If any of you expats or spouses have teenagers would you mind asking them what they would deem as a *suitable gift for a 16 year old?* (No - before some smart Alec suggests it, he can't have any sex, drugs or rock'n'roll - well if he does I don't want to know about it LOL ).

He seems to have too much stuff already if you ask me. He had an Ipod for Xmas last year but rarely uses it. He has a laptop, a bike and a snowboard. He's not into playing musical instruments and I can't get him to read any books Maybe he could do with a new watch - I think he must have lost his last one. I don't know what teenagers prefer to have - he won't want eg. a Timex from Walgreens and he's not getting a Tag Heuer or expensive Swiss watch. About 5 years ago he had a G-Shock but I don't know whatever happened to it.

I'd love it if he chose to have a charity donation in his name instead of gifts....but hell, that's not going to happen.

I haven't a clue.

Thank God the boys don't have 'Sweet Sixteen' parties.

www.fossil.com, click on watches in the men’s section, seem to be popular in the UK, we picked up a couple from Dillards on a recent trip to Denver.
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:18 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Englishmum
Help!

My son will be 16 this Friday and I haven't a clue what to get him! When I asked him he said "I dunno". Well "I dunno" what to get him either. His friends didn't have any ideas (that they would share with me).

If any of you expats or spouses have teenagers would you mind asking them what they would deem as a *suitable gift for a 16 year old?* (No - before some smart Alec suggests it, he can't have any sex, drugs or rock'n'roll - well if he does I don't want to know about it LOL ).

He seems to have too much stuff already if you ask me. He had an Ipod for Xmas last year but rarely uses it. He has a laptop, a bike and a snowboard. He's not into playing musical instruments and I can't get him to read any books Maybe he could do with a new watch - I think he must have lost his last one. I don't know what teenagers prefer to have - he won't want eg. a Timex from Walgreens and he's not getting a Tag Heuer or expensive Swiss watch. About 5 years ago he had a G-Shock but I don't know whatever happened to it.

I'd love it if he chose to have a charity donation in his name instead of gifts....but hell, that's not going to happen.

I haven't a clue.

Thank God the boys don't have 'Sweet Sixteen' parties.
My sixteen-year-old nephew wanted clothes. Cool clothes. Which means buying him a certificate to somewhere that has cool clothes, because if he doesn't pick them they won't be right. The Gap worked for my nephew (very expensive, "distressed" jeans, cotton t-shirt ((drab colours only)) and watch cap.)
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:23 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
... The Gap worked for my nephew (very expensive, "distressed" jeans, cotton t-shirt ((drab colours only)) and watch cap.)
Yeah, what is it with that shite? Just work as a brickie for a couple hours, get paid and then get the distressed look for free *l*
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:32 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

How about a night in a hotel for him and his mates. You could make sure you are in the room next to them to keep an eye on them. It could be a hotel with pool etc.

Or, if you really want to splash out - tickets back to the UK for him and a mate to go and visit his sister.

Tickets to Six Flags theme park for this weekend's halloween event. Supposed to be excellent. Don't know if you would still get tickets though.

You could always surprise him and give him nothing - let's face it, that is what he has asked for Call his bluff
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:32 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Englishmum
Help!

My son will be 16 this Friday and I haven't a clue what to get him! When I asked him he said "I dunno". Well "I dunno" what to get him either. His friends didn't have any ideas (that they would share with me).

If any of you expats or spouses have teenagers would you mind asking them what they would deem as a *suitable gift for a 16 year old?* (No - before some smart Alec suggests it, he can't have any sex, drugs or rock'n'roll - well if he does I don't want to know about it LOL ).

He seems to have too much stuff already if you ask me. He had an Ipod for Xmas last year but rarely uses it. He has a laptop, a bike and a snowboard. He's not into playing musical instruments and I can't get him to read any books Maybe he could do with a new watch - I think he must have lost his last one. I don't know what teenagers prefer to have - he won't want eg. a Timex from Walgreens and he's not getting a Tag Heuer or expensive Swiss watch. About 5 years ago he had a G-Shock but I don't know whatever happened to it.

I'd love it if he chose to have a charity donation in his name instead of gifts....but hell, that's not going to happen.

I haven't a clue.

Thank God the boys don't have 'Sweet Sixteen' parties.
Depends on your budget. How about a car or a quad bike??

If that's too high, try model rockets that you can actually launch (the site is UK but there are stores everywhere here that sell them). I got into them a few years ago and got hooked.
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:34 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Bob
Yeah, what is it with that shite? Just work as a brickie for a couple hours, get paid and then get the distressed look for free *l*
I was distressed by a brickie once. Rather enjoyed it, actually.
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Old Oct 25th 2004, 9:38 pm
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

[QUOTE=Englishmum]Help!



Does it have to be an item? does he have any hobbies? does he like sports? buy him season tickets to his fav sports event? several hours at paintball range for him and his best mates...or even a gift card for the movies etc (not sure they do these but prob do )
that way he'll have a fun time and it won't be something that's collecting dust in the closet

p.s if he doesn't want his ipod i'll take it off his hands
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 1:26 am
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

How about a gift flying lesson at your local airport? Most flying schools offer 1 hour with an instructor in a single prop plane for less than $75.00. They do half an hour of ground school before and he actually gets to fly it and "log" the hour in a souvenir "log book"!
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 1:34 am
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Muswell Hill
How about a gift flying lesson at your local airport? Most flying schools offer 1 hour with an instructor in a single prop plane for less than $75.00. They do half an hour of ground school before and he actually gets to fly it and "log" the hour in a souvenir "log book"!
Great idea..beats the hell out of mine (a set of car keys coupled with a list of rules and responsabilities that accompany said set of keys).
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 1:39 am
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by ironporer
Great idea..beats the hell out of mine (a set of car keys coupled with a list of rules and responsabilities that accompany said set of keys).
Well I don't see how he could do much damage with a set of keys.
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 1:46 am
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Originally Posted by Muswell Hill
How about a gift flying lesson at your local airport? Most flying schools offer 1 hour with an instructor in a single prop plane for less than $75.00. They do half an hour of ground school before and he actually gets to fly it and "log" the hour in a souvenir "log book"!
wow that's a fab idea if that's what you do get him Englishmum i'll allow you to adopt me
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 2:03 am
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Default Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

A subscription to Club International
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Old Oct 26th 2004, 2:04 am
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Talking Re: Birthday Gift for 16 Year Old Son?

Wow - there are some great ideas here!

(He will *not* want to go to England though - he was there for a month this past Summer and it holds no appeal for him..... ).

In New Jersey the 16 year olds can get a driving permit but can't take their driving test until they are 17....so perhaps his Dad will buy him a car next year...

He's not interested too much in clothes. Abercrombie & Fitch and 'The North Face' are the brands of choice in this town apparently....LOL but my son's clothes are almost all Adidas and Nike sportswear with a few Billabong items. My husband always complains that 'guys *hate* getting clothes for presents' and his view has had an influence on our son unfortunately!.

Will look into the theme park and hotel/motel idea....I guess he could go to the Pocono mountains and Dorney Park in Pennsylvania. I'd need to be careful though.....we had 8 of his friends around last weekend and for the first time ever 3 of them were girls (had a waterfight with water bombs in the backyard LOL) then they all spent hours playing Poker in the basement....come to think of it I hope it wasn't strip poker I think when his dad arrives back from London later this week he'll have to give him a refresher of "The Talk". I'm too bloody young to be a granny LOL!!!
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