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3 Lessons I Learned Buying Christmas Gifts for Teens

January 5, 2023 | Leave a Comment

3 Lessons I Learned Buying Christmas Gifts for Teens

Christmas gift shopping for my kids used to be easy and frugal. I’d buy toys I could find on sale. If an item was outside our limited budget, I wasn’t above buying it secondhand. My kids knew I did this, and they didn’t mind because they got the item they wanted.

However, now all three are teens and tweens, and their lists are more expensive and particular. Because of this, I upped my Christmas budget to $150 per child plus stockings, which for our budget, is a lot. However, because of the 3 lessons I learned buying Christmas gifts for teens, I likely won’t spend the same amount next year.

Our Gift Situation

I should clarify that the presents my husband and I give our kids are not their only gifts. My mom gives them several gifts, as do their godparents. Our gifts are only a portion of what they receive.

3 Lessons I Learned Buying Christmas Gifts for Teens

I had determined now that the kids are older (18.5, 14, and 12.5), I would have to spend more to make them happy. However, I learned this year that the assumption is incorrect, so I will likely reduce the Christmas budget next year.

Buy from the List

The one piece of advice I want to give all parents of teens is to buy gifts your teen asks for on their Christmas list. Those gifts were a huge hit; the kids loved them! When we strayed from the list and got something we thought a teen would like, they were disappointed. Buy from the list!

Shop Black Friday Sales

My next piece of advice is to shop Black Friday sales. (Remember, since COVID-19, these sales no longer start the day after Thanksgiving. They often begin a week or two BEFORE Thanksgiving.) Black Friday sales are essential if your child asks for a pricey gift that you can’t afford.

For instance, my 18-year-old wanted Apple Air Pods. As I was only spending $150 per child, these were out of my budget unless I only got him one gift. Yet, a Black Friday sale allowed me to snag some for $80. Because of the deal, he got Apple Air Pods and other presents.

Sometimes Less Is More

3 Lessons I Learned Buying Christmas Gifts for Teens

Finally, spend the amount you have to spend, but don’t increase your budget because you’re worried about your kids’ expectations, as I was. I learned this year that a few gifts the kids really want are all they need. In fact, one of my kids said, “I got too many gifts this year.” Lesson learned.

Final Thoughts

The 3 lessons I learned buying Christmas gifts for teens this year will help me save money and buy presents my kids want next year. Yes, buying gifts for teens is different than buying gifts for younger kids, but don’t make the experience more challenging. Instead, buy from your kids’ list and stick to the budget. and you will both have a good holiday.

Read More

What to Do When You’re Overspending at Christmas

Favorite Family Christmas Traditions–Modernized

Our Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Teens

Melissa Batai
Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

Filed Under: holidays Tagged With: Christmas gifts, Frugal, Gifts, gifts for teens, teens

Our Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Teens

November 24, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Teens

After you buy Christmas presents for your kids, you have one item left to tackle—the stockings. Unfortunately, I find stocking stuffers can be challenging to buy, and if you’re not careful, they can be more expensive than the gifts under the tree. Still, stockings are a nice bonus and one of my kids’ favorite parts of Christmas. Over the years, we’ve acquired several favorite stocking stuffers for teens.

A Hint for Affordable Stocking Stuffers

Every parent’s budget differs, but we’ve found that we prefer smaller stockings to stuff. For a few years, we had giant stockings, and filling them was expensive! So, we got rid of those stockings and picked smaller ones (luckily, while the kids were still little, so they didn’t notice). Now, we can fill the stockings more affordably, and they also overflow with gifts (since they’re smaller), which the kids get excited about.

Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Teens

We try to include both necessary and fun items in their stockings.

Fun Stocking Stuffers

Over the years, the kids have enjoyed these stocking stuffers:

Compact Games

We like to play games in our family, so their stockings often include a smaller game we can play as a family. Card games like Uno, Sushi Go, and Five Crowns have been hits.  We’ve also included dice games like Tenzi and Yahtzee to Go.

Lip Balm

My kids like flavored lip balms such as fruit flavored or Christmas flavors like candy cane, vanilla, or mint chocolate. Their favorite brand is Burt’s Bees.

Sweet Treats

Even though my teens now have money to buy their treats, they love getting candy in their stockings, especially milk chocolate bars. They also enjoy receiving hot chocolate packets so that they can enjoy hot chocolate on Christmas morning.

Gift Cards

The older teens get, the more they enjoy gift cards to buy their own items. My kids’ favorite gift cards are from Amazon, Starbucks, and local fast-food joints.

Art Supplies

My artist in the family enjoys receiving art supplies such as paints, paint brushes, watercolor pencils, colored pencils, and other art items.

More Practical Stocking Stuffers

Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Teens

In addition to the fun gifts, we also like to fill the stocking with some practical, necessary items.

Socks

Every year I give my kids some socks in their stockings. These bulk up the stockings, and everyone needs socks throughout the year.

Batteries

If the kids are getting any presents that require batteries, I put the batteries they need in their stockings. Then they can use the battery-operated gifts they received on Christmas day without making a separate trip to the store.

Final Thoughts

Christmas stockings in our family are not an afterthought. Instead, they’re a gift as important as the wrapped presents under the tree. These are our favorite stocking stuffers for teens, and our kids love receiving some variation of them each year.

Read More

What to Do When You Are Overspending at Christmas

Favorite Family Traditions Modernized

5 Ways to Buy Cheap Christmas Gifts for Your Kids

Melissa Batai
Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

Filed Under: Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Gifts, gifts for teens, Holidays, stocking stuffers, teens

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Basic Principles Of Good Parenting

Here some basic principles for good parenting:

  1. What You Do Matters: Your kids are watching you. So, be purposeful about what you want to accomplish.
  2. You Can’t be Too Loving: Don’t replace love with material possessions, lowered expectations or leniency.
  3. Be Involved Your Kids Life: Arrange your priorities to focus on what your kid’s needs. Be there mentally and physically.
  4. Adapt Your Parenting: Children grow quickly, so keep pace with your child’s development.
  5. Establish and Set Rules: The rules you set for children will establish the rules they set for themselves later.  Avoid harsh discipline and be consistent.
  6. Explain Your Decisions: What is obvious to you may not be evident to your child. They don’t have the experience you do.
  7. Be Respectful To Your Child: How you treat your child is how they will treat others.  Be polite, respectful and make an effort to pay attention.
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