17 great gift ideas for teens
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
Magnifying mirror, $36: Young skincare junkies can set their phones on the mirror’s base to follow tutorials as they slather and brush.
Baseball hat, $30: A cool, stylish, unisex accessory that every teen will love; choose from multiple colors in 100 percent cotton.
Cash plus something silly (like this emotional support pickle), $9: The kind of boring truth is that many teens need and want cash more than other gifts. If you decide to give money, you can still pair it with something fun and personal. For my teen nieces and nephews, I've slipped gift cards into this cute crochet pickle. There are several other characters in this collection.
Owalla water bottle, $35: How many water bottles is too many for a teen? The limit does not exist. Unlike some other popular brands, this one doesn't cost $80 and comes in multiple cool colorways. The flip top instead of an open straw also makes it easier to tote.
Neo pencil set, $19: Young artists and bullet journal enthusiasts can swap out vibrantly colored nibs in the forever pencil base. Plus, the stand looks sleek on their desks.
Colorful sunglasses, $15: Bright, bold, and TikTok-worthy. A fun pop of color that looks designer-y and hits always popular throwback trends.
Sherpa slippers, $20: Cozy sherpa lining and a sturdy sole that can go outside, in seven microsuede colors—this could be the perfect universal gift.
Mad Libs (paperback), $5: A blessedly zero-screen boredom buster. Bundle a few different editions of this hilarious classic and listen for howls of laughter as they have a low-tech blast with their friends.
Champion hoodie, $28: This old-school, unisex athletic brand is always cool; go with a classic black for a no-fail gift, or see their whole product line of colors here.
A Saint a Day daily saint devotionals (hardcover), $13: This is a beautiful, design-forward book that offers accessible, saints-inspired devotionals for every day of the year—great for readers and non-readers alike.
Waterproof portable speaker, $40: Teens and music is a love story for the ages. A speaker instead of earbuds is a subtle turn back toward shared communal experiences. This waterproof speaker holds up to teen antics and comes in several fun colorways.
Method body wash set, $24: My teens look forward to their annual restock of this nontoxic, wonderful-smelling body wash which they just call"the really nice stuff."
Disposable flash camera, $30: Remember the distinct joy of going to pick up photos at the drugstore? Give your teens a fun reason to wait and savor in a sea of instant gratification.
Nike socks (6), $18: Socks are a fashion staple and that Nike swoosh appeals to just about everyone.
Marshmallow clock, $22: A puffy alarm clock is equal parts cute and functional—so aesthetic, as the kids say.
Belt bag, $14: This minimalist belt bag looks good, comes in almost 40 colors, and almost perfectly dupes those uber-trendy, uber-pricey athletic wear brands.
New Balance 515 sneakers, $70: NBs are a unisex powerhouse. These sneakers pair with jeans, sweats, dresses, and everything else.
Echo Community retreat: Give your teen the powerful, life-changing gift of an Echo retreat. I can't speak highly enough of this ministry.
Amazon Prime subscription: There's a lot for your teen in this annual subscription: infinite video and music streaming options, countless free Kindle books, fast and free shipping on whatever they need, parental controls!, and other special offers. (Pro tip: You can get special rates for young adults and students).
A note about Amazon
These links connect mostly to products sold on Amazon. This is not the only place you can buy most of these items, but I set it up this way because of Amazon's ubiquity (everyone I know already has a Prime account). You can also try finding the items you like at other retailers, local shops, or even use these ideas as a springboard to create gifts.
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