Christmas gift guide: for tweens & teens
Wondering what to get those mopey teens? From TikTok gadgets to trendy fashion to the all-important skincare, here are 28 hand-picked gift ideas they'll love (even if they won't admit it).
Pamper me
Mock exams getting them down? Give the gift of relaxation with this box full of lovely smelling treats from Leamington-based Berylune. These Muddy Award-winners have packed it with a pretty candle and holder, linen eye pillow, bath bombs, a clay face mask and some aromatherapy oils. Bliss in a box.
£35
Head in the clouds
Get bookworm teens a subscription to the Leics-based Willoughby Book Club, and keep them in supply of good reads all year long. There’s a special Young Adult fiction subscription, packed with all the badass witches a teen could desire, or older readers may be just as happy with a fiction, crime, or classic bundle.
From £34.99
Teddy or not
“Mum, you don’t have to freeze to death in the name of fashion anymore.” Keep your teens cosy yet chic in this recycled polyester Suncoo faux fur jacket, from the Bucks fashion emporium Fabric. Dead cool with straight-legged trousers, or bundled over a long dress.
£195
On the edge
No more excuses for being late to school with this swanky little gadget from the Oxon shop Bella Luce. Both alarm clock and light, the Edge clock is portable and rechargeable, and saves space on cramped bedside tables by both illuminating the room and showing the time.
£39.95
Arm Candy
Got a fussy teen girl in your clan? You won’t miss the mark with these pretty yet empowering ‘Wrist rocks’ bracelets from St Albans-based jewellery-making duo, Charlie and Chesca. Pick your stone from rose quartz to black tourmaline, then personalise with the recipient’s name or mantra.
£28
Hit the bottle
Constantly reminding your kiddos to drink more water? This cool recycled polyester bottle cover from Oxon biz Bottlesoc is impossible to miss. They come in a variety of colours and slogans, but this one feels like an appropriate way to celebrate getting something that’s not Diet Coke down their necks.
From £10
too cool for school
They’ll be the envy of their mates at school with this Superheroes Recycled Gymsac from Beds-based clothing designer, Another Epic Day. Choose from grey, black or teal. There’s a unisex sweat to match, plus find loads of other mould-breaking cool kids’ designs on the site.
£25
Got silk?
Winner of Junior Design Awards 2021 and perfect for delicate skins, evidence suggests this gorgeous range of luxury silk pyjamas, from Kent’s Sleepy Wilson, might even give a better night sleep. The chic designs come in kids and women’s sizes.
£99
Fries and shine
Give teen bedrooms a cool, modern vibe with this quirky art print that nods to 50s American diners. It’s one of several designs at the Sussex interiors brand Rockett St George, and also an important lesson to teach them. More fries for mum, please and thank you!
£48
Spot on
Banish blemish stress with the skincare range from Wilts-based Spots and Stripes, designed by a mum specifically for teenage skin and containing no harsh chemicals. This set includes the Gentle Cleansing Lotion, Hydrating Face Mist, and a multi-use Super Balm which can be dabbed onto blemishes, bites and sore lips.
£42
Risk it for a…
We’re sure your picky teen will love these adorable biscuits as much as we do. Handmade by The Kitsch Hen in Rutland, the tasty treats can be personalised with a name or message.
£19.50
Full of beans
Is it even a teen boy’s room if there isn’t a beanbag? These Extreme Lounging’s Mighty B Bean Bags come in 11 rainbow colours from the Dorset shop Cuckooland.
£80.10
Shell yeah!
How cute are these shell beaded earrings from Suffolk-based My Doris? Teens will love their artisanal make-up bags, rings, necklaces, bracelets, cushions and trinkets too.
£18
A stomping classic
Yep, you probably did have a pair in the 90s – and your teen will love ’em just as much today. Standing the test of time with a rather cosy faux-fur lining, find these fab Dr. Marten boots at Skintrade, an indie retailer based in Newport on the Isle of Wight.
£159
Revive me
Quite frankly you’ll want to use this yourself, so hope your teen leaves it in the family shower… Made from seaweed foraged on the Isles of Scilly by Phoenix and Providence, this reviving body wash is full of gentle cleansing power. The hefty rosemary, lavender and orange can re-fragrance even the whiffiest teenage arm-pit, and is a totally unisex scent without being overpowering or full of chemicals.
£17.50
Read all about it!
Young adult fiction at its best, the teen in your life won’t be able to put The Great Godden, from iconic YA author Meg Rosoff, down this Christmas. Available from Cambridge-based Heffers bookshop, the story follows one fateful summer.
£7.43
Smile babes
This 16kt gold smiley ring from Cornwall’s Y2K inspired fun jewellery line Blueberry Milk will leave your fingers happier by the minute, and looks as good by itself as it does in a stack with other rings.
£14.99
Rabbiting on
This adorable ceramic, gold-coloured bunny doubles up as a cotton wool ball dispenser. The Wonderland Cotton Tail rabbit, available from a Somerset company specialising in gifts for teens called Get it Rapt, comes – the clue’s in the name – beautifully wrapped.
£12
Speak up
This nifty little gadget from the Worcs-based Cotswold Trading will not only bang out their favourite tunes but also comes with a camera for selfies. (Hear that? It’s Gen Z, as one, looking up in interest.) Made from 100% natural and sustainable maple wood, the selfie function is hands-free and comes with a stylish strap to make it super portable. Not bad for half a wooden sphere…
£39.95
Pretty in pink
This hydrating vegan lip balm is made from natural shea butter, and is perfectly packaged for teens in a shiny metal case. It lightly colours the lips in a pretty cherry red, and smells of cherries too – ideal for a fun and festive stocking filler. Pick it up from Two Ducks, in St John’s, Woking.
£7.99
Squeaky clean
For teens who need to wash ‘n’ go! These super absorbent Dock & Bay towels dry three times faster than standard towels, are compact, lightweight, and made from recycled plastic. Perfect for the beach, travelling, swimming and making people jealous! Available from the Berks-based Four State.
£21
You glow, girl
This fabulous trio of favourite facial treatments from award-winning skin care brand BeautyPro will put the pamper into Christmas. Available from the Glos-based BoxTree Gifts, it’s the perfect spa-at-home treatment for teens worried about their skin, or getting ready for a party (or at home with mum? No?). The box includes a Thermotherapy Gold Foil Mask, an Eye Therapy Mask, and a Detoxifying Mask.
£12
Light on trend
The ultimate creds gift for teens, Tik Tokkers have been going bonkers for this magical, gravity-defying Gingko Smart Moon Light. Find it and more cool tech at Hampshire’s The Owl and The Pussycat boutique.
£135
Flower power
If you’ve got a green-fingered teen on your hands, this is an ideal stocking filler from The Courtyard Marketplace in Wiltshire. Just pull the pin out of the biodegradable grenade, place the grenade down in damp soil and a collection of pretty pastel flowers will spring up next season. It couldn’t be easier and the illustration-inspired flowers will look oh-so-Instagrammable.
£4.50
Show your stripes
Coveting a gift that will get their creative juices flowing? Look to Annabelle in Crouch Street, Colchester, for a selection of fierce notebooks teens can pack with short stories, coming-of-age conundrums, and musings on the move. It’s the stocking filler every writer-in-waiting will love to receive.
£12 for the pair
Play your cards right
Who run the world? Girls! And don’t let them forget it, by gifting this brilliant card game from The Bean Hive in Kettering. The idea is to collect a category of right-on female activists, musicians and politicians, with the winner crowned The Boss. Obvs your teen would never dream of letting you play with them, but it makes a fun alternative to the constant screen time…
£9.95
On board
Paddle boarding has reached cult status – you’re going nowhere these days unless you get there standing on an inflatable board using a paddle to propel yourself through the water. Top up your teen’s cool creds with a paddle boarding lesson at the UK’s top water sports centre, Bray Lake in Berkshire.
£59
Did you ear me?
Flowers for your ‘little flower’? This pair of flower bud drops from Devon’s Isla Silver are handmade with sterling silver and 18ct gold. They might not stop her thinking you’re a total embarrassment but, you never know, they might stop her pilfering your jewellery…
£24
Mini mantra
Know a notorious killer of pot plants? This little mantra pot from Muddy Award-winning Norwich shop The Watering Can is manifesting all the right energy to keep foliage alive. The perfect starter kit for green-fingered teens, TWC can advise on which low-effort plants to pop in your pot – including air-purifying breeds that are ideal for the toxic surrounds of the teen bedroom.
£5
