We Asked Teens What They *Actually* Want for the Holidays & Parents, Take Note!
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There is truly no better feeling than giving a gift that makes its recipient feel ah-mazing. And here comes the parent’s paradox: there is no harder recipient than a teen. We’ve all seen a 16-year-old open a gift that their parents spent hours picking out, and respond with a halfhearted “Oh! Um, thanks!”
Of course, in a perfect world your teen would be over the moon at every stocking stuffer, but why not just cut out the guessing and get them gifts you know they’ll love.
Here’s where I come in. Who better to tell us what gifts teens actually want than teens themselves? And where better to find teens in the holiday spirit than New York City’s Winter Village? So I hit the town (Bryant Park, where the Winter Village is held) to gather and compile the ultimate teen-approved holiday gift guide.
I talked to teen girls and teen boys — locals and tourists alike — to come up with the most trustworthy gift guide, for and by teens. Without further ado!
Gifts Teen Girls Want:
Women's Mini Bailey Bow II Boot
Uggs, uggs, uggs! 19-year-old Lynn, 15-year-old Samara, and 16-year-old Jane all confirmed this. If your teen is a girly girl: i.e. she loves scented lip balm, Starbucks frappuccinos, and all things pink, I recommend nabbing her a pair of Mini Bailey Bow II Boots.
Women's Lowmel Boot
If she’s more outdoorsy, a bit sportier, I recommend the Lowmel Uggs, which are almost like a tennis shoe — and are perfect for running around the halls of high school.
SKIMS Long Sleeve T-Shirt
The teens I talked to want all things SKIMS, Kim Kardashian’s flagship brand. For during the day: tank tops, for night: the long sleeve. If you want to play it safe, the brand has a ton of neutral colors, but I know I’d be thrilled to receive anything in their seasonal Cranberry shade.
Aritzia Cozy Fleece Snug Hi-Rib 1/2 Zip Sweatshirt
Brandy Melville is also huge with teens, but since it only offers items in one size, I recommend heading to Aritzia for elevated basics. Teens want sweatshirts — anything they can wear with leggings and Uggs, and this one is a classic crowd-pleaser.
Sam Edelman Winnie Bootie
For the fashion-forward teen, you can’t go wrong with a great pair of black boots. Jane, 16, whom I spoke to at length about clothing trends, told me any will do, and so I ran this pair by my own 16-year-old sister: they’re a go!
The Essential Bucket Tote
19-year-old Lily told me she’s asking for a new book bag, as she’s feeling ready to graduate from carrying a backpack to classes. Her friend Lynn, also 19, was sporting this Madewell bag — both girls were huge fans.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Lip Oil
And finally, two teen sisters, Samara and Soraya, both wanted lip products as stocking stuffers. They recommended the e.l.f. lip oil and the Laneige lip sleeping mask (specifically the vanilla flavor!)
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Gifts Teen Boys Want:
Azzaro: The Most Wanted Eau de Parfum Intense
It’s seven letters long and rhymes (kind of) with Baloney. Yes, teen boys are dying for cologne! Here at SheKnows, we’ve known that the luxury fragrance market has a new buyer: teen boys, and two different boys I spoke to in Winter Village enthusiastically confirmed this. Chris, 15, told me that all his friends want this one from Azzaro.
FIFA Video Game: EA SPORTS FC 25
The other hit is FIFA, the soccer-based video game. Make sure to get the 2025 version (linked above), and also to buy the one that corresponds to whatever videogame console your teen boy has (my brother uses Xbox; Chris, who I talked to in the Winter Village, has a PlayStation 5).
The last thing I need to recommend is the app Giftful: which Jane, 16, told me is the new and best way to organize wish lists. She and her sister are both using it this year, and in her words, it’s a “game changer.” Whoosh, ok! There you have it! The best and most teen-approved gift guide for this upcoming Holiday season. Happy giving!
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