Present for a 13 year old.

December 22, 2005 2:50 PM

Present Filter: What does a 13 year old girl want for a Christmas present from a 30 year old male friend of the family?

I really have no idea.

posted by trbrts to Society & Culture (29 answers total)

Lolita.
(OK, that was unnecessary).
I would think this is exactly the situation gift certificates were made for. Bookstore, music store, iTunes, something along those lines. Kids are picky.
posted by ch1x0r at 2:52 PM on December 22, 2005

Music gift certificates are always good for teenage girls. You don't want to risk anything like clothes, fashion accessories, or anything of the sort, as it will immediately be "uncool" since it was given to her by a 30-year-old.
posted by symphonik at 2:54 PM on December 22, 2005

Well, speaking for myself as a former 13-year-old who used to receive Xmas gifts from a family friend of about the same age: music! A colleague of my dad's who was close to our family bought me some of the staples of my music collection over the course of several Xmases, including London Calling by the Clash and Who's Next by the Who.
posted by scody at 2:55 PM on December 22, 2005

Someone posted this somewhere, I think but Sephora has a fragrance gift set. You get samples of different scents, and when she finds the one she wants, she redeems a certificate for a bottle of that fragrance. That would be an awesome gift for her - she's at the age where she's probably playing around with makeup and fragrances.
posted by damnjezebel at 2:56 PM on December 22, 2005

Lipglosses (sephora has some really cool lipgloss sets too)? Music CDs? (find out from her parents what she likes) On the expensive side: an mp3 player?

Ask her parents. :)
posted by Sallysings at 3:09 PM on December 22, 2005

Cash.
posted by orthogonality at 3:09 PM on December 22, 2005

iTunes gift certificate.
posted by nathan_teske at 3:16 PM on December 22, 2005

I would go with books or music, depending on what you know about her. I'd expect that your fashion/etc sense would not be on the same page, as above, and while cash/gift certificates are fine, if you give her the right book or CD you could really expand her world. Maybe it won't have an impact, but if it does she'll remember it when she's 30.

But I think gifts are ideas, not money. If you think gifts are money, not ideas, then give certificates.
posted by mdn at 3:18 PM on December 22, 2005

Both my 13 and 10 year old neices like Target gift cards, especially the ones that light up. You could also get her a little stuffed animal and have it "holding" the card if you really want to get more than just the gift card.
posted by BoscosMom at 3:36 PM on December 22, 2005

When I was 13, I would've been a bit squiffy (squicked + iffy?) if a 30-year-old guy, especially a non-relative, had given me makeup, perfume, or other grooming things.

She doesn't have a Christmas list? Nothing like one particular book or CD her parents have mentioned?

If not, I'm ninety-fifthing the gift card idea. If you know her computer/connection can handle it, iTunes is really good. You can suggest some possible songs she can get with it, and maybe she will like those, but if she tries them privately and just does a huge eyeroll, she can still get what she wants.

If you do suggest songs for her, and you don't know her well enough to know exactly what kind of music/subculture she's into, recommend something really classic and universal like the Beatles, maybe some Rolling Stones.
posted by booksandlibretti at 3:42 PM on December 22, 2005

Response by poster: I think music is the ticket. I'll browse around and see if I can find anything that would be good for her. If not, it's G.C. all the way. Thanks.
posted by trbrts at 3:52 PM on December 22, 2005

See if she has an Amazon Wish List.
posted by robbie01 at 4:05 PM on December 22, 2005

weezer blue album
posted by chuckforthought.com at 4:09 PM on December 22, 2005

gc to a local bookstore or Sephora :)
posted by gai at 4:24 PM on December 22, 2005

Money, and lots of it.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:27 PM on December 22, 2005

Money, a pack of cigarettes, two fake "excused absences" from school, maybe a 40 ounce, you know, the stuff kids like.

OR, a gift certificate to a Borders or something.

And a pack of condoms. Or a bra.
posted by Slap Incognito at 4:31 PM on December 22, 2005

Rabbit-style vibrator.

Err. I mean, Amazon.com gift certificate.
posted by frogan at 4:55 PM on December 22, 2005

A 13-year-old girl is likely to view a 30-year-old male friend of the family in one of two ways: a) weirdo, or b) crush. You can probably tell which you are. If you are (a), give a gift card. If you are (b), she will love whatever it is simply because it came from you, so it would be a good time to turn her on to some music or a book she wouldn't otherwise be interested in.
posted by ferociouskitty at 4:56 PM on December 22, 2005

ha, well said
posted by mookieproof at 6:55 PM on December 22, 2005

I like the music suggestion, but I am more drawn to the idea of a 13 year old being inspired by books. So, if you go for the certificate idea (which I think is a good one in your situation), go for a place where she can get music or books, like Amazon, or someplace like Borders which sells both.

At 13, I would have been displeased if someone gave me make-up or perfume. Not all girls are into the stereotypical girly stuff, especially at that age. Unless you know her well enough to know she likes that sorta thing, I'd steer clear of it.
posted by RoseovSharon at 6:55 PM on December 22, 2005

Check out the previous thread on book suggestions for a 13-year old.
posted by hooray at 7:04 PM on December 22, 2005

I would have been unhappy with a gift cert., I have never liked them, and have never given one. Too easy, shows no thought, just a placeholder for a gift, really.
posted by Invoke at 7:56 PM on December 22, 2005

I would have been happy with software, but that's because I'm practically attached to my computer. I remember getting dolls around this time, but I never liked dolls.

(I'd also detest makeup, unless it's glittery, but I would have been happiest with books or software)

What are her interests? Get her something you know she'd at least appreciate.
posted by divabat at 8:26 PM on December 22, 2005

An SLR camera.
posted by phrontist at 9:29 PM on December 22, 2005

iPod shuffle
posted by anadem at 10:12 PM on December 22, 2005

Money number one...duh. Gift card two. She's 13. She's not going to care if it shows "no thought". Besides, knowing you have no idea what to get her so you give her a gift card and let her pick her present IS showing thought.

If you give her music to "open her eyes" it will probably end up under a pile of clothes on the floor. She's gonna listen to what she wants to listen to, and she hates the clash. Besides, she's probably downloading all the music she wants for free.

As a last resort, that harry potter vibrating broom.
posted by justgary at 12:47 AM on December 23, 2005

Maybe a starter kit for some sort of hobby? Knitting, wood-burning, cooking, jewelry-making, scrapbooking, model cars, zymurgy, trains, stamps, coins--whatever. If you've got a hobby yourself, it's an opportunity to recruit.
posted by phrits at 5:25 AM on December 23, 2005

That or a webcam. I hear 13-year-olds with webcams can make a killing these days.
posted by phrits at 5:26 AM on December 23, 2005

recommend something really classic and universal like the Beatles, maybe some Rolling Stones.
when I was a 13 year old girl (recently) I was one of about 3 13 year old girls I knew who would even tolerate either of those bands, or in fact any band that had been around for longer than 6 months.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 8:18 AM on December 23, 2005