Vanity: Need gift ideas for the 15 year old boy who has everything

12/14/11 | Huntress

[Huntress]

Dear FReepers,

Can you help me? I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a Christmas gift for my 15-year-old nephew. He's a great kid, but he doesn't lack for material things. He's into sports, martial arts, weapons, and video games. He's also an enthusiastic reader. Does anyone have any ideas for a unique gift that might appeal to him. I'm looking to spend around $50. If you've got any suggestions for books, I'm always on the lookout for those. But I typically buy him books whenever I come across something in my own reading I think he'd like.

Thanks.

Huntress

[Florida native]

If he doesn’t have a Holy Bible; then he doesn’t have everything...give him the greatest gift.

[30Moves]

The Hunger Games book series (3) by Suzanne Collins - they are about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. Written for young people.

[Hot Tabasco]

That’s me! LOL

[dawn53]

Our son is 23 now, but when we wanted to get him a present, we could never go wrong with some sort of a knife, or “weapon.” He seemed to never tire of presents such as knives, utility tools, bows, and the like. In fact this year, it’s a new speargun (not that he doesn’t already have a couple, LOL) but his dad found one he was impressed with and bought it for him for Christmas.

For $50 you can get a decent knife. (also on the weapon front, you could get him a gift certificate to a firing range...they usually rent guns for those that don’t own them.)

[outofsalt]

I'm giving my boy a trebuchet kit from, http://www.rlt.com/
put it together and Hurl away! Ancient engineering can inspire an interest in modern design. Kits start around $30 but the really cool ones are ~$150 It's a neat website and you can still get one by Christmas.

[Disambiguator]

Get him this book. It's non-fiction, but fascinating, and with his interests, I'm sure he'll enjoy it.

It's not $50, but you could always buy a second book by the same author to make up the difference. :^)

[freemama]

Bookmark

[Freddd]

A pocket size U.S. Constitution.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That was the best.

[matginzac]

As a female who does home improvement as a hobby, I’d say every woman needs a good impact drill!
Cheers and Merry Christmas!

[matginzac]

Snap! I was thinking of Bennett’s first book... but can’t remember the title...
I think every young adult should read it...
“Book of Quotes” ????? or something like that.

[warsaw44]

I googled ‘ metal detector ‘ before I posted and saw simple examples for under 50.00.

Here is one.

http://www.bing.com/shopping/bounty-hunter-junior-metal-detector-bhjs/p/4C5E86E2D2AEDFC1922E?q=metal+detector&lpq=metal%20detector&FORM=HURE

[matginzac]

LOL
Oh, you naughty boy!
He should get that for his sixteenth birthday!

[aruanan]

Vanity: Need gift ideas for the 15 year old boy who has everything

How about a pre-paid burial plot to teach him to number his days and to incline his heart toward wisdom?

[Kit cat]

This is the best idea on the entire thread, they also have a gift set in
video, the video is being done in parts, so next year you can get him part
2 of the film. This would be an EXCELLENT gift!!!!!!

[rlmorel]

LOL...was there EVER a 13 year old kid who didn’t fervently wish for that to fly through a window...:)

[Sawdring]

We used to go to the arcade because the games were better than our console games. Now the games on our consoles are better than the games at the arcade unless you are talking about the simulator games where the game is moving you.

[Sawdring]

That could be quite expensive but if you want him to realize his own mortality you could buy him a set of coffin plans and a gift card to Menards and then spend quality time with by building it with him. Give him two silver dollars the next year to put over his eyes to pay the boatman on the river Styx.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I like the idea of the Kindle as a gift. But don’t you think the Smiley’s are a little difficult for a 15 year old? They are so intricately plotted.

I think when buying books for kids, it's better to go too hard than too easy - even if "Tinker Tailor" is a bit too difficult now, it's a book a teenager can grow into, and the buzz of the current movie release might help spur his interest in the novel and good writing in general. Le Carre's political views are nothing I agree with, but he's a fine writer.

[Hot Tabasco]

Get him a puppy! He’ll have fun playing with it and you’ll have the fun of cleaning up after it........