Comments on: awesome present for an awesome kid?

Question: awesome present for an awesome kid?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:54:34 -0800

What present should my mother get for her 13/14 year old nephew? Complications within.

Mom is visiting Russia tomorrow for a month. She hasn't been there or seen the family since 4 years ago and she doesn't really know his interests (other than that he likes chocolate). Also, his parents give him everything he wants/needs generally.

She needs to buy this present today and I'm guessing wants to spend less than $60 (she rejected my iPod suggestion). Any ideas, metafilter?

By: k8t

k8t — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:02:37 -0800

Fashion forward? Pick up some surf-related shirt or Abercrombie. At least here in Armenia, those seem to be all the rage with the teen set.

By: frieze

frieze — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:02:51 -0800

Does the nephew speak English?

By: mustcatchmooseandsquirrel

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:10:38 -0800

Last time I was there he spoke English, though I don't know if he kept that up because he was starting to learn French.

By: mygothlaundry

mygothlaundry — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:46:07 -0800

Where is your mother coming from? The US? I'd say bring T-shirts - the more outrageous, the better. My son at that age was truly fond of fake vintage band shirts from that horrible place in the mall - I can't recall the name offhand but there's one in every American mall; they sell pleather spiked armbands and t-shirts and hideous Metallica wall hangings. If she doesn't want to go to the mall (and who could blame her?) the fake vintage band shirt has jumped the shark to Target & WalMart, as has the cute saying shirt. Failing that, weird local candy and chips with incomprehensible labels are also always a big hit with that demographic.

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:54:54 -0800

That's a notoriously finicky demographic; you really need to know what he likes. I think the only thing that would be universally approved is cash. Keeping it in US dollars (or whatever non-Russian currency your mom uses) might make it just special enough.

By: hal_c_on

hal_c_on — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:11:44 -0800

You have to use the force within you. The force of google.

http://www.sandia.gov/ASC/russia/gifts.html

Good luck!

By: mustcatchmooseandsquirrel

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:19:06 -0800

Coming from the US. I think cash isn't a great idea because the kid has money.

Google isn't really the answer here because, uh, my mom does know Russian culture and also some of those things are kind of insulting: pens? movies? you can get dvds for, like, 60 rubles on the side of the street if you want movies.

Weird local candy and goofy shirts might be good. I will wander around with her trying to find some of that.

By: chiababe

chiababe — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:31:37 -0800

mygothlaundry: I think you're referring to Hot Topic

By: yohko

yohko — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:24:07 -0800

hal_c_on, that list is aimed very specifically at business and government travelers from the state of New Mexico. I think the western wear, Georgia O´Keefe, Nambe, and calendars with New Mexico scenes are probably suggested to be gifts from the area of the US where Sandia National Labs is located, not because people in Russia are desperate to get their hands on some Nambe.

By: misha

misha — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:59:56 -0800

Itunes card (even if he doesn't have an ipod, he can download tunes to his computer) or T-shirt is excellent, but most teens like t-shirts with their favorite bands on them, so that makes it tough.

If he likes chocolate, he might be disappointed in US chocolate, which is universally considered sucky by anyone who has ever had the real, unwaxy stuff they serve anywhere else.

She may not like the idea of cash because she thinks he has money--but how much money is his parents' cash, that he has to ask for, and how much is HIS money, to blow on whatever he wants? Even if his parents are indulgent, a little extra pocket cash is intoxicating to most teens I know.

By: SuperNova

SuperNova — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:19 -0800

Itunes card (even if he doesn't have an ipod, he can download tunes to his computer

I don't know, this probably runs into the same issue as DVDs -- isn't Russia where all those two-cent-per-song download sites originate? (Unintended consequence of actually having copyright law: easier gift-buying!)

I think the idea of American knick-knacks is good, especially if he hasn't been here lately/ever. Even if his parents get him everything, there's probably some stuff that you just can't (easily) get in Russia. But it does depend on the kid's personality and tastes. Can she not ask his parents if they have any thoughts?