Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'm trying to get my Christmas shopping done as early as possible this year, but I'm having trouble thinking of interesting gifts for my ds13. He's not into sports and he's not outdoorsy. We've already got the video gaming angle covered, but I don't want every gift he gets to be video game-related, so I need some ideas. He already subscribes to Popular Mechanics and Popular Science, but would probably enjoy more magazine subscriptions. Does anyone have any suggestions? He likes computers, but already has a few computers, a Kindle Fire, and an iPad. I wouldn't be against the idea of getting another device of some sort, though, if there's something new and cool available. He would probably like some kind of robotics-type thing, although he already has the NXT and doesn't seem interested in the EV3, so I don't know what else to get. He likes cool gadgets and likes to browse around stores like Brookstone. He also likes his Swiss Army knife, although it is primarily used to open the shrinkwrap on video game cases. ;) So as you can probably tell, I'm feeling clueless. It was so easy when he still wanted toys and was collecting things like Transformers. He's at an age right now where he still sort of likes stuff he can play with, but is getting old for a lot of it. He is sick of Nerf guns, so that's another old favorite off the list. Any ideas? I don't set a budget for Christmas gifts, so both cheap stuff and expensive things are just fine. I know it's tough because he's not into sports or camping or hiking, or other outdoor stuff. He's a city boy at heart, and that limits the types of gifts I can buy for him. Thank you for any suggestions you can give me. I have spoken with his best friend's mom and she doesn't know what to get her ds, either! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantmom Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Is he into Legos? You could get one of the really cool, complex sets for the older crowd. What about built-in wired speakers for his room? A trip? Something really cool like a balloon ride? Or, here we have these small aviation companies that will take you out in a small plane for a local tour. They will fly over your house, etc. You can even do a "be a pilot" experience, where they let you pilot the plane. I want to do that for my teen sometime soon, maybe as a birthday present. Is there some other cool "experience" type gift you think he would dig? It sounds like he is more an indoor kind of guy, so maybe offering him a chance to try something new and adventurous? Do you have any places around where he could try out parkour? There are some really cool indoor facilities around that have all kinds of fun things in them, even circus and trapeze type stuff. What about a new bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 :bigear: My 13 yo is slightly outdoorsy, but other than that, they sound the same :) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 dartboard shirts & stuff from Thinkgeek.com weird candy (think gummy teeth and chocolate bugs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Make magazine Mental Floss magazine T-shirts from mental floss I second Thinkgeek! That's our go to site for gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Seconding Make magazine and thirding ThinkGeek. ThinkGeek is awesome for stocking stuffers, and they have some good sales (currently 20% off orders of $40 or more). Maybe a gift certificate for MakerShed or Adafruit? They sell lots of cool kits and components for Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other stuff. TeeFury has a different cool/geeky tee shirt every day, and they're only $11 + usually $3 shipping. They're unique because each one is only available for one day. (Today's shirt is crap, but if you look in the Gallery, you can see some of the past shirts, plus there are a few that have been reprinted (although the reprints are $18). DS has a lot of Teefury shirts. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 tools start off with a small set for the PC or bicycle The tools would be a great idea, except that he already has all of my dad's tools (probably more than any human could possibly need!) He only has a small set of tools for the computer, though, so I will definitely check into that! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Is he into Legos? You could get one of the really cool, complex sets for the older crowd. What about built-in wired speakers for his room? A trip? Something really cool like a balloon ride? Or, here we have these small aviation companies that will take you out in a small plane for a local tour. They will fly over your house, etc. You can even do a "be a pilot" experience, where they let you pilot the plane. I want to do that for my teen sometime soon, maybe as a birthday present. Is there some other cool "experience" type gift you think he would dig? It sounds like he is more an indoor kind of guy, so maybe offering him a chance to try something new and adventurous? Do you have any places around where he could try out parkour? There are some really cool indoor facilities around that have all kinds of fun things in them, even circus and trapeze type stuff. What about a new bike? He got a new bike earlier this year and he already has the speakers, or those would have been good. I wish he was still into Legos, but unless he happens to see something amazing at the Lego store and decide he wants it, I think his Lego days are behind him. We have never given experiences as gifts -- we always just plan stuff and do it -- but I like your ideas, so I'm going to see what's available in our area. Thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 dartboard shirts & stuff from Thinkgeek.com weird candy (think gummy teeth and chocolate bugs) I'm so glad you mentioned the dartboard -- I know he has mentioned wanting one of those, but I'd forgotten all about it! The weird candy would be perfect for his stocking. I always forget about Thinkgeek until someone mentions it on this forum -- I haven't bought anything from them in a while, so I'll check it out. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I like the previous suggestions, particularly MAKE magazine, arduino stuff, ThinkGeek, cool tshirts. Raspberry pi board game (maybe something like Smallworld or King of Tokyo) My 13 year old and 14 year olds are really into Magic: the Gathering :rolleyes: although I would hate to push an expensive card collection game video game programming set/book scuba/surf lessons/gear snow-shoeing/ski gear rip-stick bike or skateboard jump (if you're okay with that kind of thing) mechanical bank nice wallet book on making things with duct tape/cool duct tape if he's more crafty, miniatures plus painting supplies chocolate covered bacon funky/weird band-aids fake mustaches mini-loupes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Make magazine Mental Floss magazine T-shirts from mental floss I second Thinkgeek! That's our go to site for gifts. I'm not familiar with Mental Floss, so I'll go see what it is. Ds has never seen Make magazine, but I just visited their website and it looks like something he would really enjoy, so I'm going to order a subscription. Thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Seconding Make magazine and thirding ThinkGeek. ThinkGeek is awesome for stocking stuffers, and they have some good sales (currently 20% off orders of $40 or more). Maybe a gift certificate for MakerShed or Adafruit? They sell lots of cool kits and components for Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other stuff. TeeFury has a different cool/geeky tee shirt every day, and they're only $11 + usually $3 shipping. They're unique because each one is only available for one day. (Today's shirt is crap, but if you look in the Gallery, you can see some of the past shirts, plus there are a few that have been reprinted (although the reprints are $18). DS has a lot of Teefury shirts. Thanks, Jackie! I will have ds check out MakerShed, and Adafruit because they sound excellent! Hopefully, he will see some stuff he wants. I would rather get actual items than gift cards, because it's more fun to have packages under the tree to open instead of gift card envelopes. Also, the Christmas tree looks prettier with a lot of presents underneath it. :D I'm not familiar with Teefury, but I'll start watching to see what they have. We don't usually do clothes as Christmas gifts, but fun t-shirts are different! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I like the previous suggestions, particularly MAKE magazine, arduino stuff, ThinkGeek, cool tshirts. Raspberry pi board game (maybe something like Smallworld or King of Tokyo) My 13 year old and 14 year olds are really into Magic: the Gathering :rolleyes: although I would hate to push an expensive card collection game video game programming set/book scuba/surf lessons/gear snow-shoeing/ski gear rip-stick bike or skateboard jump (if you're okay with that kind of thing) mechanical bank nice wallet book on making things with duct tape/cool duct tape if he's more crafty, miniatures plus painting supplies chocolate covered bacon funky/weird band-aids fake mustaches mini-loupes Wow -- you have tons of great ideas!!! Thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Geeky tshirts and gear from ThinkGeek are always a hit around here. Found some great fandom things on Etsy as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Forgot to add the sale code for ThinkGeek: PREPNOW gets 20% off $40, good until midnight 10/17. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerenityNow Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Sounds odd, but my 12yo ds wants an executive office chair for the desk in his room. He also wants upgraded items for his computer: a better mouse, a better keyboard, higher quality headphones. I miss buying Legos, but the practical side of me does admire his wish list! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Experiences are great for the teen years! Last Christmas we got my 16 year old nephew (who lives with us) a student flight experience. It was about $125 and he got 30 minutes of going over things with the pilot (air maps, controls, etc), 30 minutes in the flight simulator, and 30 minutes in the air where he actually got to take the controls. My nephew was so good at it that he aced the flight simulator so the pilot let him do everything from take off to landing in the real plane. Nephew loved it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Does he like rc cars? They have really nice electric and gas ones. You said he isn't outdoorsy, but does he airsoft? There are always better guns. If he has a nice bike, does he have a GO pro camera? Those are really cool. Music- an- electric guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Does he like to own movies on Blueray or DVD? A pet rat. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowing Brook Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I don't have any ideas other than to maybe second a pet. I just wanted to say growing up I would have loved being your child at Christmas time. And probably any other time for that matter. :thumbup: ETA what about a go cart. That might be fun for him and give him more reason to be outside. Plus he could have the fun of working on it if it broke down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'm glad you're getting Make Magazine. It was a huge hit with my ds last year! How about throwing knives? They are something that get my ds outside. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Kids in our family love experiences as gifts. We've done amusement parks, horseback riding, lasar tag,paintball etc. this year I got my nephews a 2hr trapeze class. Fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 An excellent camera with several lenses, photography lessons, and a cool trip to take pictures during and a gift certificate for Shutterfly to make a photobook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Geeky tshirts and gear from ThinkGeek are always a hit around here. Found some great fandom things on Etsy as well. It never occurred to me to check Etsy, but now that you mentioned it, there might be some unique stuff there. Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Forgot to add the sale code for ThinkGeek: PREPNOW gets 20% off $40, good until midnight 10/17. Jackie Thanks for the code!!! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Sounds odd, but my 12yo ds wants an executive office chair for the desk in his room. He also wants upgraded items for his computer: a better mouse, a better keyboard, higher quality headphones. I miss buying Legos, but the practical side of me does admire his wish list! :001_smile: My ds wanted a particular chair a few years ago when we were redecorating his classroom. He was quite particular about it. (I have to admit that he made a good choice -- it is now referred to as "the good chair" in that room because it's the most comfortable!) He got new headphones for his gaming systems earlier this year, but now that you mentioned headphones, I just realized that he will probably need brand new ones for the PS4 and XBox One. I hope Turtle Beach comes out with a set that's compatible with both systems. We have separate headsets for each system now, but I know there are a few that work with multiple systems. I'm just not sure if anything we have will work with the new ones. Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Experiences are great for the teen years! Last Christmas we got my 16 year old nephew (who lives with us) a student flight experience. It was about $125 and he got 30 minutes of going over things with the pilot (air maps, controls, etc), 30 minutes in the flight simulator, and 30 minutes in the air where he actually got to take the controls. My nephew was so good at it that he aced the flight simulator so the pilot let him do everything from take off to landing in the real plane. Nephew loved it!! Kids in our family love experiences as gifts. We've done amusement parks, horseback riding, lasar tag,paintball etc. this year I got my nephews a 2hr trapeze class. Fun! My ds has never been excited about "experience gifts," but he hasn't ever gotten any that were as much fun as the ones you guys described! We do the experience stuff when we travel, but I'm going to see what's available locally. Thank you both for the suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Does he like to own movies on Blueray or DVD? A pet rat. :lol: I would love to get him another pet -- rat or otherwise -- but with the amount of traveling we have been doing lately, and the possibility that we may have to relocate soon, the timing is really bad right now. :( He's not too big on movies, but he likes to get his favorite TV shows on DVD, so I'll have to see if there's anything he wants that isn't already free to watch on Amazon Prime. I think there are a few seasons of Mythbusters that he hasn't seen and that still aren't free on Prime, so I'll see if they are available on DVD yet. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'm always seeing preteen boys and young teen boys with kendamas around here. I'm planning on getting my DS one this Christmas. If you aren't familiar with them, check out youtube. They do all kinds of tricks with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 One of those rocking/lounging chairs for gaming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I don't have any ideas other than to maybe second a pet. I just wanted to say growing up I would have loved being your child at Christmas time. And probably any other time for that matter. :thumbup: ETA what about a go cart. That might be fun for him and give him more reason to be outside. Plus he could have the fun of working on it if it broke down. Awwww, thanks!!!! :blush: I really wish the new pet idea could work out. Hopefully, next year! A go cart would be cool, but I'm not sure he would use it. When he was little, he had pedal cars, and he loved those things, but unless his best friend got one, too, it would probably sit in the garage! And if it broke down, I can already picture him searching for the toll-free number for Go Cart Roadside Assistance and asking me if I'd purchased the extended warranty... :D OTOH, I would still like a go cart, so if I'm feeling devious, I'll buy one for the kid and steal it for myself! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 An excellent camera with several lenses, photography lessons, and a cool trip to take pictures during and a gift certificate for Shutterfly to make a photobook He already has a ton of camera stuff, because my dh enjoys photography and he wanted ds to have his own equipment. Otherwise, that would be perfect. I'll ask my dh if there is anything new and exciting that ds might be able to use, though -- I don't really keep up with photography stuff unless I'm shopping for something I know my dh or ds will want. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'm glad you're getting Make Magazine. It was a huge hit with my ds last year! How about throwing knives? They are something that get my ds outside. :lol: Make Magazine looks excellent -- I wouldn't have thought of it on my own, so I'm glad it was mentioned here. I'm getting lots of great ideas. I'll bet he'd like the throwing knives. He already likes archery, so I know he likes pointy flying things. ;). Are specific types or brands of knives better than others? I know absolutely nothing about this, but it sounds cool!!! Thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 One of those rocking/lounging chairs for gaming? That would be very cool if I could figure out where to put it! (And it would be a nice, big package to put under the tree, too -- I know it sounds idiotic, but I like to have at least a few huge boxes!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 A juggling set or some games such as: Quarto (it's a great logical thinking game and a very aesthetically pleasing game) Fluxx is accurately described as a game with constantly changing rules; our experience has been that people seem either to really like it or to dislike it! There are also themed variants such as Zombie, Pirate, Monty Python, Eco, Family, and Martian Fluxx. Iota. It's described as 'The Great Big Game in The Teeny-Weeny Tin' and the description is very true. The game box resembles a metal bandaid box, but it's far smaller. "Add cards to a grid, making sure that color, shape and number are either all the same or all different across the line. Sounds easy but as the grid expands, so do the possibilities. Whoever sees the opportunities will seize the win. Iota - the pocket-sized game that's big time fun." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 And a link to an older thread: Christmas gift ideas for 13-year old boys? Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'm always seeing preteen boys and young teen boys with kendamas around here. I'm planning on getting my DS one this Christmas. If you aren't familiar with them, check out youtube. They do all kinds of tricks with them. He would LOVE one of those! He still plays with his old cup-and-ball thing that he got in his stocking years ago. Kendamas look like those toys on steroids! Where do you get them? I will definitely buy one of those!!! Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 A juggling set or some games such as: Quarto (it's a great logical thinking game and a very aesthetically pleasing game) Fluxx is accurately described as a game with constantly changing rules; our experience has been that people seem either to really like it or to dislike it! There are also themed variants such as Zombie, Pirate, Monty Python, Eco, Family, and Martian Fluxx. Iota. It's described as 'The Great Big Game in The Teeny-Weeny Tin' and the description is very true. The game box resembles a metal bandaid box, but it's far smaller. "Add cards to a grid, making sure that color, shape and number are either all the same or all different across the line. Sounds easy but as the grid expands, so do the possibilities. Whoever sees the opportunities will seize the win. Iota - the pocket-sized game that's big time fun." Regards, Kareni Thanks for the excellent suggestions! I just added Quarto and Fluxx to my Amazon cart. I can't decide between the Zombie edition or the Pirate one. I'm thinking of getting the travel-sized Quarto to take with us when we are traveling, but it's almost the same price as the full-sized version, so I'm not sure which to get. Iota will be perfect for travel, so that's in my cart, too. I got him a juggling set last year, so that's why I'm not getting one this year, although I'm pretty sure we've lost the little bean bag-type things from the old set, so if I see an interesting new set, I might get it anyway. Thanks for all the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Arduino (nice match to extend the use of his NXT (among other things). You can get this from Maker Shed online. Make Magazine (as other's have mentioned) Elenco 300 - in - One Electronic Project Lab Elenco Learn to Solder Kit (Maker Shed also has one) Make Electronics - Learning by Doing (book) Thames & Kosmos Physics Pro Kit Thames & Kosmos Chem C3000 Kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Iota will be perfect for travel, so that's in my cart, too. The box size makes Iota wonderful for travel; however, when you play a game, you will need some table or floor space. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks for the excellent suggestions! I just added Quarto and Fluxx to my Amazon cart. I can't decide between the Zombie edition or the Pirate one. I'm thinking of getting the travel-sized Quarto to take with us when we are traveling, but it's almost the same price as the full-sized version, so I'm not sure which to get. Iota will be perfect for travel, so that's in my cart, too. I got him a juggling set last year, so that's why I'm not getting one this year, although I'm pretty sure we've lost the little bean bag-type things from the old set, so if I see an interesting new set, I might get it anyway. Thanks for all the ideas! I really like Fluxx, the company that makes it is super nice as well. Ds took all my dinosaur cards out of one of my games and they sent us more dinosaurs. thinkgeek.com has a lot of fun interesting things. We get Make Magazine, it is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Kendamas look like those toys on steroids! Where do you get them? I will definitely buy one of those!!! I see that Amazon has a number of them. See here. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I see that Amazon has a number of them. See here. Regards, Kareni Thanks! I like the black and white one with the big huge eye. No boring primary colors for my kid's stocking!!!! :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I really like Fluxx, the company that makes it is super nice as well. Ds took all my dinosaur cards out of one of my games and they sent us more dinosaurs. thinkgeek.com has a lot of fun interesting things. We get Make Magazine, it is great. Thanks!!! It's always nice to buy from companies with good customer service. There are so many horror stories, that it's a pleasure to read about a company doing something nice. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Tickets to Blue Man Group in NYC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 My 13year old is my baby boy. If it helps I plan to get him minecraft lego set, ear buds(he seems to always need a new set at Christmas time, Axe set, Green Bay flannel pants, something from Think Geek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I see that Amazon has a number of them. See here. Regards, Kareni I think I will be gettig one of these for each of my boys stockings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 As for TV shows on DVD, what about The Science of Disney Imagineering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 He would LOVE one of those! He still plays with his old cup-and-ball thing that he got in his stocking years ago. Kendamas look like those toys on steroids! Where do you get them? I will definitely buy one of those!!! Thanks!!! They have a whole bunch of different ones on Amazon. They are pretty cheap too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 I second the Raspberry Pi, pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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