Christmas Gift Help

[ElectricBarbarella]

Yes, I am starting this thread. Don't throttle me. It's really closer to Christmas than one thinks (even I am in denial, but since that isn't an actual river and I hate boats.....)

The rules are:

a 17 year old girly girl and a 13 year old REALLY does not want to be a girl but is SLOWLY coming around to the fact that she is but is not yet ready for makeup or girly girl stuff (to the point that she's ripping her bra off in the car on the way home, she hates it that much).

Girly girl has all the girly girl accoutrements--makeup, hair stuff, you name it.
13 year old is into pokemon like major and Disney.

they could use new clothes but not to the point that it's $600 worth of clothes. They could use new bedroom suites (I'd almost say big time, but not quite) but that would be over the $600 limit.

We were thinking getting them laptops (best buy--holiday deals, we'd get two very good laps for our $600 limit) except the 13 yr old really does not need this and the 17 year old is at an undecided mode with college right now (plus I'm being screwed by the county and I'm fighting it, so college is on hold a bit).

$600 is our limit. That's what we would have spent on laps. If I am left between choosing fluffy stuff just to put stuff under the tree and laps, I'm getting laps.

So I turn to you all for ideas. What other things are out there that are not fluffy stuff? Things that they would want and use, not just want.

Help?

[Lainie]

I don't know what to say about the 13YO, but the 17YO could use a laptop whether she's going to college or not. It could help her with resumes and jobhunting. She could still use it if she waits a year or two to go to college.

$600 is a big budget to eat up if you're not buying laptops, or a Wii, or a musical instrument. Maybe you could split it between "fun" gifts and some sort of savings/investment gift? I don't know how much a share of Disney costs, but it would teach her about investing, and she might think it's cool to own a piece of the Mouse.

Is she interested in music? DD is getting a guitar for her birthday. You can get a very nice one, with a carrying bag, for under $600, with money left over for lessons/books/sheet music.

[chocolate kisses]

When DD needed a new bedroom suite, we told her she would get the bed for Christmas and the rest for her birthday (but all at once, just so we could get the hauling done in one motion). She really got a kick out of picking it out herself, watching the cost and knowing it was hers to take when she left. She even enjoyed picking out her bedding and bedroom accessories that all matched.

I agree that the 17 yo could use a laptop whether attending college or not.

DD was a girly-girl all the way so I don't have any ideas for your 13 yo.

How about a digital camera? DD really uses hers a lot and is on her second one. She wore the first one out!

[ElectricBarbarella]

I don't know how clear I was.. I was kind of stressed last night--but $600 is the budget for both girls. Not one.

I will look into the guitar thing, that's something the 17 year old is interested in as well.

I may end up just doing laps. I was hoping to hold off a bit, but gah--this is difficult when they are older.

[RCIAG]

I'd rip off my bra in the car too if I could get away with it! I don't blame her. I remember those days.

If she's just starting to be girly, you could go the mani/padi gift card route. Or a gift card to wherever she gets her hair done.

I also agree on the laptop for the 17 year old. If you don't wanna go that direction & wanna stay techy, get 'em both Ipods of some sort & gift cards for Itunes if they don't already have them. If they do, you can upgrade 'em.

If you do the guitar, get some lessons to go with it, otherwise it'll be an expensive decoration.

Pokemon & Disney is easy. The Disney Store is full of great stuff for all ages. If the 13 year old (you don't say if it's a he or she) does the Pokemon card game, you could get him/her some cards binders for the cards.

Just make sure you find out which cards he/she is collecting because last weekend we found out there's several versions of Pokemon cards out there.

[ElectricBarbarella]

The 13 year old is the one just starting to be girly. She's the one who rips her bra off

And they have updated ipods/itunes.. as for pokemon, I wouldn't know the difference between them. the 13 year old is the one who is the fan and she's very VERY into it. Knows them all by heart. Keeps telling me that if I "love her" I'll take her to Japan and the Pokemon Center.

[Ducky]

I don't see why the 13YO shouldn't have a lap.. she can use it throughout HS too.. so a good 4-5 years use. I know my 13YO nieces uses the very old HP laptop for her school work (don't think she has internet in her room.. she better not....). BIL was considering a netbook for her this year.. hasn't decided. A really basic laptop can go a long way for use with school- term papers, notes, projects (seems many are done using the computer now).. and can use Open Office or other free software although Microsoft is.. .or was offering a steal for the MS Office product for college students.. JourneyEd also offers discounted stuff too.