Hi friends! Happy December!
Usually this time of year I am running around like crazy, trying to figure out gifts, parties, decorating… Basically I’m a mess.
BUT! This year I actually feel more prepared than ever for the holidays. We decorated early, have done a lot of our shopping, I even have a bunch of presents wrapped under the tree already! It is such a good feeling.
So, since I’m all organized & prepared (for now!), I wanted to share some of the things that we got for Aden & a couple extra ideas. He is 11, almost 12, and is all boy! This age can be so hard to buy for since he is outgrowing toys, already has enough video games, and I’m not ready to give him his dream gift (an iPhone).
1. Hydro Flask – Anybody else’s kid randomly ask for a Hydro Flask? Aden came home from school one day and insisted that he NEEDS one & ALL the kids have them. I wasn’t really wanting to spend the money on it then, but I made a mental note to add it to his Christmas list 😉
2. Xbox Controller – We ended up letting Aden design his own on the Microsoft Design website, but it takes 14 days to arrive, so I found some cool controllers on Amazon that ship much quicker!
3. Digital Coin Bank – Kids in the tween age group definitely are starting to care more about money. When Aden was switching piggy banks a couple months ago, he was hand counting all of the change. This *super cheap* coin bank does the counting & then they can keep track of the total!
4. Magnetic Dart Board – What I love about this dart board is that it is NOT dangerous… haha. I love that it is magnetic & I won’t have to worry about Aden & his buddies hurting each other accidentally with real darts. #boys
5. Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition – My kiddo is a book lover, but even if yours isn’t, the Guiness World Records books are really interesting. Aden loves to read through them & it creates a lot of conversations! I ordered him the 2020 Gamer’s Edition & the regular 2020 Edition.
6. Punderdome Game – Young or old, puns are just funny. I think I’m going to let Aden open this gift (& the Fail Army game) early so we can play them at our Christmas party!
7. Poo-Pourri – Ok, I know I said puns are funny. But poop is even funnier to little boys. Poo-Pourri traps bad smells in the toilet, which if you have a tween boy, you know they need all the help they can get! I can’t wait to see the look on the boy’s face when he opens this gift!
8. Active Pants – Can’t have too many active pants, especially in the colder weather months. Aden wears a uniform to school, but totally lives in comfy pants on the weekends.
9. Apple Airpods – I don’t even have to explain this one… Airpods are one of the most popular gift ideas this year. Both Chris & Aden wanted them. We found the best deal on Amazon on Black Friday, but I would definitely shop around a little bit for the best price.
10. Gaming Massage Chair – Gaming chair + Massage + Heat + Bluetooth Speakers + USB Charger = Tween boy’s dream. I’m so excited about this gift & I may have to try it out before Christmas, ya know, to make sure it works 😉
11. Slippers – So, I find socks around our house all the time. Random corners of the basement, by the couch in the living room, under the dining table… My child gets cold, puts socks on, then kicks them off and forgets about them. Hopefully getting him some slippers will eliminate some of the dirty sock surprises. Basically this is a gift for me…
12. Takis – I must really love red fingerprints on the walls & furniture, because I ordered up a giant box of Takis for the boy. As he gets older, his gifts get to be more expensive and he gets less in terms of quantity. I thought this would be a good “filler” gift to have another present to unwrap. Plus, his love for these spicy snacks runs deep.
13. Hat & Gloves Set – Not the most fun gift, but this time of year hats & gloves are a must. There are tons of hat/glove sets on Amazon with free shipping & good reviews.
14. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Newest Edition) – Technically Aden got this last month when it came out (I pre-order all the new books in the series he likes), but he said it’s really good & loves all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books still. He has been reading them for 5+ years & he’s almost 12 now for reference.
15. Cologne – Every time we stop in Ulta, my kiddo has to smell alllllll the cologne. He fell in love with the Adam Levine cologne and has wanted it ever since. It’s really affordable too, so win-win!
16. Fortnite Nerf Gun – Every sleepover at our house ends up being filled with video games & nerf gun wars. It’s always nice having a few extra so they can all play together!
Have some other good gift ideas of tweens? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for the ideas!