My son turns 17 next week… hard to believe! He’s finishing up his Junior year.
There’s nothing he really wants for his birthday; he’s always pretty hard to shop for. So far I’ve gotten him some T shirts I know he’ll like.
He’s planning to go away to school in a year, though we’re still in the process of looking at schools.
Is there anything you can think of as a “birthday gift” that’s actually something you know he’ll need for college? I stayed home for college, so I have no idea of the realities of dorm life.
A hammock from REI would be a great present. Lots of college kids hammock in the trees at their schools. My kids love their ENO brand hammock from REI. Each child chose to get the double size hammock, it is roomier and more comfy for them.
Does he have his own laptop? Start shopping now, or ask a techy friend to help you if that is not something you know much about. There are lots of deals to be found, if you know what you are looking for. You might want to wait til November and find a Black Friday sale special for the laptop.
To be honest…it’s a full year before he goes to college. I would not get a college related item now. Let him enjoy this birthday without college stuff. Be patient…next year, you will know where he is going for sure, and what he needs and wants.
But for this year…how about sticking with something he likes to do…that is not college.
I have a S and I know they are impossible to buy for. Still, I wouldn’t start buying college stuff yet. Let him enjoy his senior year before thinking about it. Plus what you get will depend to some extent on where he goes, what his rooming situation is like etc. My fallback position for my S is a nice family dinner and a couple of tickets to a sporting event he likes so he can go with a friend.
This mom is asking a genuine question, and deserves some practical gift ideas. Yes, it’s all well and good to put money in an account for college, but that’s not very exciting for a 17 year old’s birthday party.
A hammock can be used now AND later, can be enjoyed alone in the backyard or with others in group settings. Or buy him a nice pair of sandals (if he wears them) that will last into college. Chaco, Teva, there are a number of brands that will endure several years of service.
If he is done growing you can purchase a nicer set of clothes, or at least a nice jacket that can be dressed up for occasions requiring more than tshirt and jeans.
A small starter tool kit that is compact size could come in handy later, but if he isn’t that type of guy it might not be appreciated as a bday gift. If he is interested in having a futon sofa, that is something he could enjoy now and also have for college.
The luggage mentioned is a good idea. I just heard today the airlines might be decreasing the size of carryon luggage, so be sure to check out the regulations before you make a purchase.
An alarm clock that will actually wake him up, if that is an issue for him. A small table lamp. A charging station for iphone, etc if he doesn’t already have his own.
Does he need a new backpack? Will he want to have a bike on campus? Does he enjoy a hobby that requires equipment or supplies?
Those are some practical ideas to get you started. Have fun shopping. I agree that it is hard to find gifts for a teenage boy.
A laptop upgrade if his is old (especially if the battery life isn’t great), or an extra monitor (which has been really useful for me and can be found not too pricey). A printer, a microwave and a coffee machine could be useful too but not as exciting :-). Or you could get him clothes (jeans, a pair of converse sneakers…)
Concert tickets are always a huge hit here. If you know his fave bands or singers, root around online and see if they’ll be anywhere near your town soon. Buy two and tell him he can take a pal.
+1 on the concert tickets or actually they seem to be outdoor music festivals that my D is always wanting to attend… The prices vary but some can be quite expensive.
Some ideas:
Video game console if he doesn’t already have one
Computer monitor
Mini phone tripod if he likes taking selfies and such (like a joby gorillapod)
Multi-tool (e.g. leatherman or swisstool)
Clock/radio phone dock
Cordless/portable bluetooth speaker (e.g. jawbone jambox)
One thing my just turning 17 year old son asked for is an external battery pack for his phone. They are very reasonable. Many phones don’t last the entire day on one charge, especially with heavy use. My daughter had been traveling a lot and considers this an essential item.
I’d go with something he can use “now and later” if only because you don’t know what he’ll need for college, as that will depend on where he goes, his dorm set up, what roommates bring, etc. At 17 my son would have been underwhelmed with clothes of any kind, but tools (he’s always loved to tinker) or stuff for his videogaming would have been appreciated. He got a lot of gift cards to Home Depot or Gamestop-big hits at that age. One year he wanted to teach himself electric guitar. Hobbies are always a good option-add to whatever he uses for them. My D has some 17 yo boys who are friends and she’s gotten them items related to their favorite sports teams. They always seem happy with those.
My son is a junior as well. As is quite common among kids in our area, he tends not to wear any sort of coat to school because he’s not outside for any extended periods of time. Even though we live in the NorthEast and it gets plenty cold, the short walk to the bus stop or from the bus stop into school aren’t enough to motivate him to wear a coat. When he goes to college and has to walk maybe 15-20 minutes between classes in the cold I figured he might actually want a good coat. He didn’t have a particularly good list of things he wanted for this past Christmas, so I decided to get him some things that I believed he’d find useful while way at college. I got him a Patagonia down jacket and a North Face hooded soft shell jacket. I would have also gotten him a lighter-weight rain jacket but couldn’t find one I liked so that might be a future birthday present. He wasn’t overly thrilled about these gifts but I do think they’ll come in handy once away at college. And maybe next year he’ll give me a better Christmas list
