[pipernoswiper]

my 13 year old daughter has yet to tell me what she wants for christmas, i asked her again last night what she wants, and she tells me she doesnt know yet......i say, yet? what are you waiting for, christmas? and she says...oh mom there is all kinds of time.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........really?! cuz my calculations have us at 17 days and counting...........grrrrrrrr!!!

i was going to get her a backpack for her snowboard gear and a nikon coolpix camera, but then las night she informs me she doesnt think she wants the camera, which is odd because a week ago she would just absolutely DIE if she didnt get it. teenagers!!!!!!!!!!!!

so then i said how about i just give you the money then and you can get whatever you want, and she says NOOOOOOOOOOO MOMMMMMMMMMM (like i'm some complete moron) that is not the same. and then she tells me she'll get back with me and let me know what she wants after she thinks about it some more........................you've got to be kidding me

anyone got an idea???? i'm so stuck and running out of time.......

[anastasia]

in a couple of days she probably will want the camera and even if she says she doesn't i bet if she got it as a present she'd love it! it might well be a safe bet to get it anyway.

are there any cds or films she likes? You could get her that?

[tigger175]

I'm 20 so I'll try to think back a few years and remember what I liked at 13... lol

Does she have an ipod? I absolutely love mine.

I liked clothes a lot as a teen, maybe you can do a mother daughter shopping day. I live about 2 hours from Chicago and one year my mom took me to lunch in the city followed by some clothes shopping and sharing it with her was so much fun! Or you could do a day at the salon or spa together.

I really enjoy my wii now. I don't know if she is into playing any games, but the wii is fun for the whole family.

Thats all I have for now. Good luck!

[kaplods]

Money isn't cool, but a credit card might be. Actually a debit card, the Mastercards (and probably others) you can buy and fill. I've seen them at Sams and Walmart, but I would guess other stores sell them as well. A cool wallet and/or purse might be a fun gift with it.

My sisters always said I gave the "coolest presents" when they were kids (I'm 14/16 years older then my two sisters). Which is kind of funny because my budget was pretty terrible during much of it (being a college and then graduate student).

When I had no money, I gave them "sistering" gifts. A coupon book they could use once a month to go on an outing with me and get a cheap gift (under $3 to $5). So a book or a magazine, something like that. I almost got lynched the year I had actual money and didn't give them a coupon book (one was in junior high and the other was in high school that year, so they were 12 and 14 at the time.

When they got older, I would do gift cards, but not just a gift card, but a gift card with a matching gift, or several gift cards that could be used together. So there might be a gift card to their favorite store in the mall, and a card to a restaurant in the mall, in a new purse. Or a card to Barne's and Noble in a cool book bag. I agree with tigger that a present that includes time spent with you on a special day together is one of the best gifts. Especially if it puts her in charge of the day. My sisters loved that as much at 7 as they did at 16. My husband and I have continued the tradition with my youngest sisters' boys. The oldest 7, would be heartbroken if we didn't give him Caleb day for his birthday (he gets a gift card and gets to choose lunch, dessert or treat, and shopping locations for the day). He gets to choose whether his mom and littlle brothers come along. Jayden just turned 4, so this year will be his first Jayden day for his birthday.

But back to the subject of cool gifts for a 13 year old girl.

I think the ipod idea is great and an itunes card would be a cool surprise to go with it.

Or the camera with photoshop or similar photo manipulation or electronic scrapbooking software (or a giftcard to BestBuy or Walmart or something for her to pick out her own software). Or scrapbooking supplies or a gift card to a scrapbooking store (if she likes being crafty).

I think at 13, (if I remember back that far for myself and my sisters) she's facing the dilemma between getting what you asked for and the joy of being surprised. She wants both.

Although I guess really don't have to look back that far, because whenever a family member asks me what I'd like for a birthday or Christmas I still face that dilemma. "Surprise me," can sometimes end up with a bit more surprise than I was prepared for: Last Christmans hubby and I got matching fleece vests from his father and step-mom - nothing says scary like 700 lbs of couple wearing matching bright, tomato red, polar fleece vests - we looked like (a young) Santa and Mrs. Clause decided to go deer hunting together.

I think one of the best gifts for kids of any age is a gift that they don't expect an adult to give them. If you can think like a kid (this is very easy for my husband and I, because we're very immature), you've got an advantage. But what I mean is a gift that under normal circumstances an adult would say "that's completely impractical," or "you're not ready for the responsibility." A gift that represents freedom (or control over an adult).

I think it's why my sisters and nephews loved the gifts that put them in charge of an adult (within reasonable limits) for an afternoon. Getting to choose (although the adult having veto powers) where we ate, what we did, and what we bought - was a lot of fun, and sometimes their choices were surpising.

[mandalinn82]

My mom had strict list due dates. If you didn't get her your list by Black Friday, she bought whatever she pleased and you'd have to deal with it. Next year you might want to make that a rule!

[PearFreak]

An Ipod, a gift card or two so that she can download some tunes on to the new Ipod, fluffy, comfy socks, a new purse?
What are some of her hobbies? Reading? Writing? Music? Dance Classes? ... go along with that theme and get a g/c to a store she frequents that has things to do with it?
Just a few ideas. Good luck!

[kelly315]

oh boy...maybe get everyone else's presents done, and her stocking stuffers, and then it won't be as bad if you have to go out later and run around like crazy for her.

[Ufi]

Oh, I'd agree that she probably wants to be surprised by something that shows you know her and her likes/dislikes.

How about setting a day that you're going shopping and tell her that she doesn't have to give you a list if she doesn't want but she can if she can get it to you by that date. If she doesn't get back to you, sounds like you've got a couple of solid gift ideas already in mind. It isn't like she can't exchange the gifts later if she doesn't like them.

[jimaterry]

what about asking her best friend if she has any ideas of what your daughter wants for xmas..i had to do that one year with mine and she was so jazzed i got her exactly what she wanted and that i had gone thru the trouble to find out..just a thought

[pipernoswiper]

oh wow ladies!!! so many wonderful ideas here. since i posted this, i've ordered the camera should be in within the next 3 days. i love the mother daughter shopping idea. she already has an ipod, but an itunes card is a great idea for the stocking. she also has a wii, but i'm thinking maybe i will call her bff paige and ask her what games she might be interested in. also, i am soooooooooooooo implementing the list b4 black friday rule!!!
kaplods you are to funny!!!!
she loves to read so maybe a gift card to the local bookstore would be good in her stocking too.

thanks so much for the ideas ladies!!!!

thank goodness i only have the one child i couldnt afford another one!