There’s probably nothing more disheartening than seeing that look of disappointment in your teenager daughter’s eyes when she rips open her birthday or Christmas gift to find that it is something she didn’t even want.
Yet we’ve all been there.
The point of this gift-guide is to ensure that you never have to see that look of disappointment again and, instead, replace it with a look of gratitude and sheer happiness. What follows is a list of fool-proof gifts for the teenage daughter that you are, sometimes, afraid to shop for.
Clothing and Shoes
My daughter is my biggest achievement. She is a little star and my life has changed so much for the better since she came along.
Picking out clothing and shoes for your teenage daughter may seem like a bit of a daunting task at first, and one that can easily go wrong if the right steps and precautions are not taken.
Before purchasing any clothing or shoes for your teenage daughter, peek into her closet to get an idea of where her wardrobe already stands. For instance, if her closet is full of yoga pants but you happen to notice that—even though she already has a pile of yoga pants—her collection is missing a pair of plain black yoga pants, you may have found the perfect gift.
Jewelry
Even if your daughter is not a huge fan of jewelry, the types and styles of jewelry are so diverse that you could very well find a piece of jewelry that your daughter would adore anyway. New jewelry trends also emerge—or reemerge—every three to four months, so this leaves you with plenty of gift-giving opportunity for your teenage daughter.
Jewelry could include anything from dainty hoop earrings to chunky rings to choker necklaces. If you’re buying your teenage daughter a piece of jewelry for an extremely special occasion such as her sweet sixteen or her high school graduation, it might even be worthwhile to pick her up something a bit more on the flashy side like a heart-shaped locket from Tiffany & Co.
Self-Care
It’s never too early to start encouraging your daughter to start taking care of herself first, so why not buy her some items to get her started on her self-care journey?
This might include anything from a journal in which she can keep track of her daily thoughts; a gift basket full of scented soaps, bubble-bath, lotions, and candles to help her unwind from a long day at school; or some new skincare products and face masks to help sooth her skin.
Self-care products are also a timeless gift, so even when your daughter enters adulthood, she will likely still enjoy receiving self-care products for her birthday, Christmas, and other special occasions.
Books
It’s understandable that you may be a bit hesitant about this one: Does a teenager really want a book gifted to them. Well, if it’s the right book, then the answer is yes.
In order for a book to be a fantastic gift, you just need to consider your teenage daughter’s interests. Is she an aspiring makeup artist? Then maybe a makeup artistry book by Bobbi Brown or Kevyn Aucoin might be the ideal book to gift her. Is she a horror fanatic? Maybe she would enjoy Stephen King’s newest book.
A book—or a set of books—is a great gift for your teenage daughter if it suits her interests.
Movie, Music, or Audiobook Subscription
There are so many movie, music, and audiobook subscriptions these days—Netflix, Crave, Spotify, Apple Music, Audible—with unique content, so it’s hard to go wrong with gifting your teenage daughter a subscription to one of these services for a year.
Even if she has, say, Netflix already, there are plenty of shows on Crave that are simply not on Netflix. Your daughter will likely enjoy having the extra choices for her lazy, movie-watching Sundays at home.
Sports Equipment
If your teenage daughter is an athlete or just enjoys sports and the outdoors, in general, then she will probably jump with joy at the sight of a new piece of sports equipment.
There are endless options to choose from: If you live in or near the mountains, maybe she would enjoy a snowboard or a pair of skis; if she’s into team sports, perhaps a basketball hoop for the driveway might suit her best; if she likes hiking, a new pair of hiking boots or trail backpack might just do the trick.
Gift Cards
If all else fails and you just can’t seem to find the perfect gift for your teenage daughter, gift cards to their favorite stores and shops are a safe fallback.
In fact, your daughter might even prefer the gift cards to any other gift because it will allow her to purchase whatever she wants for herself, rather than being forced to give you that dreaded look of disappointment when she opens her gift. Yes, they dread giving that look of disappointment just as much as we hate receiving it!