Every time I google ‘gift guide’, I end up with one out of a grocery-store-checkout magazine that recommends various hundred-dollar gifts that PTA members give to each other (no offense, Mom). Personally, I do not think an aromatherapy device and a cashmere scarf are on my friends’ lists this year. Therefore, I have attempted to compile a list of teen-appropriate gifts that won’t exceed your checking account.
The Etsy Special
For the jewelry-wearer in your life, I find an initial or icon necklace from Etsy does the trick. You can often find non-tarnishable pieces for under thirty dollars with relatively fast shipping.
Niche Mugs
As we get older, we get more exhausted. Coffee and tea drinkers alike can appreciate a comedic or aesthetically pleasing mug. These can run you anywhere from less than ten to twenty dollars based on the complexities of the design.
“This is so you coded,” Stuffed Animal
Either a bougie Jellycat or a cozy Squishmallow can put a smile on anyone’s face. I argue that no one is too old for a decorative and comfortable stuffed animal. A new friend for your loved one can be anywhere from fifteen to thirty dollars.
An Instagram-Ready Camera
Make your friend the ‘cool camera person’ with either a twenty dollar disposable camera or an eighty dollar Instax polaroid. Next time you get together, you’ll get the chance to snap great photos for your feed as well as some wonderful memories.
For Your Forgetful Friend
We all have at least one friend (sometimes multiple) that fail to charge their school device at night. A small device that charges one thing at time totals about $15, while the multi-charge bricks can be about double.
To tie it up with a nice little bow,
As a friend-group-renowned, gift-giving expert, I have a few specifications on what gift I get someone and why I get it for them. Not every gift has to be useful (especially since we are not in need of pots, pans, and various kitchen gadgets yet). Gifts for your friends should remind them of your relationship. It can be an inside joke, a random thing they mentioned once, or an objectified memory. For example, one of my friends eats pretzels at lunch every day. Therefore, I got her a pretzel stuffed animal that now sits proudly on her bed. As TikTok says, “to be loved, it is to be seen.” That is what your gift should say to someone: that you care and you notice.
