| When it comes to buying the best gifts for teens | | | | idea, you might consider buying them some |
| this Christmas, the easiest thing to do is to look | | | | extreme sports accessories. Teenage boys love |
| no further than your own wallet. Just reach in, | | | | skateboarding, riding dirt bikes, snowboarding, and |
| pull out a few bills, slip them into an ironic card, | | | | anything else where there's a danger of breaking |
| and whallah! Your holiday shopping is complete. | | | | bones. Get them something that protects them |
| However, if you're concerned that your teen | | | | (or at least makes them look cool) while they're |
| might spend this hard-earned dough on something | | | | at it. For instance, you could spring for a pair of |
| less than savory (as far as I can tell, teens spend | | | | Grenade Gloves for a snowboarder, a heavy |
| their money on expensive sneakers, fast food | | | | skate sweatshirt for a skater, or a new helmet |
| and joints), you might go one step further: get | | | | with a skull on it for a dirt biker. |
| them a gift certificate to one of their favorite | | | | Also, you can never, ever go wrong with a couple |
| stores (H & M, Forever 21, Hot Topic or Old | | | | of extreme sports videos. My favorites are |
| Navy, among others). Yet even this method of | | | | 'Notice to Appear' by Standard Films and 'Yeah |
| gift giving leaves something to be desired. It's so | | | | Right' by Spike Jonze. As you might guess if |
| hands-off that it shows you're fairly out of touch | | | | you've seen any of Jonze's films, (Adaptation, |
| with what your teenager wants. | | | | Being John Malkovich, and more recently, Where |
| It's best to buy presents for teens that they will | | | | the Wild Things Are) 'Yeah Right' features some |
| actually use and remember for years to come. | | | | pretty awesome camera work. There's one |
| Firstly, this means investing in gadgets or | | | | segment where he somehow erases the |
| electronic devices. | | | | skateboards from underneath the feet of the |
| If your son or daughter doesn't have an iPhone | | | | riders so it looks like they're hovering. |
| yet (and you can afford the high monthly service | | | | It's pretty tough to find good gifts for teenage |
| fees), you absolutely cannot go wrong there. | | | | girls, but you can't go wrong with a digital camera. |
| iPhones are the coolest gadgets of the decade, | | | | Girls are much better at taking lots of |
| and possibly the absolute best device since the | | | | photographs than boys, men, grown women, or |
| invention of the laptop. When other kids see | | | | anyone else on the planet. You might need to |
| your kid with an iPhone, they will swoon (but | | | | include an extra battery pack with it! |
| hopefully not steal). | | | | If your kid already has everything but is really into |
| Also, the best Apple accessory for an iPhone or | | | | movies, then you could get them gift passes for |
| an iPod is unquestionably the iPod dock. These | | | | the theater. It might encourage their alienation |
| cool, miniature speaker sets can get pretty loud | | | | but it also might turn them into the next Spike |
| and have good sound quality. Apple makes both | | | | Jonze! |
| portable and plug-in versions, so make sure you | | | | For more awesome gift ideas for teens, slide |
| get the one that suits your teenager's fancy. | | | | over to Cool Gift Ideas for Teens. |
| If you're interested in finding a less expensive gift | | | | |