Ideas from teenage girl mums

[Lou898]

Just need some help as I’m struggling. I have two boys so I’m clueless. It’s my 17 year old sons girlfriends birthday and I don’t know her that well (with lockdown etc) but would like to buy her a gift, she’ll be 17. I bought her a personalised make- up case and put some beauty wipes and make up brushes in it at Christmas, as it was a very new relationship and thought that was something most girls would be happy with but now I’m stuck. She’s not heavily into make up, my sons useless with ideas so hoping mumsnet might be a better help.
Budget £25-30.

I do agree with those who are saying 25-30 pounds is too much. In fact, I think it’s a bit odd to get her a gift at all. She’s not your friend or girlfriend or related to you. But if you want to, just get something token.

I'd give the son the £20 note and tell him to take the girlfriend out for a birthday treat.

Is she learning to drive? One lesson for my DD is £30.

My dd15 would like pretty much anything from Pretty Little Thing, money for nail or hair salon, perfume, or jewellery. But it really depends on her taste.

Honestly I'd go with gift card if you don't know her that well.

My dd wouldn't like half the things on this thread. They are all so different.

Hydro flask.

I have one and it’s much admired by all the 17 year olds I know

Chillys water bottle

My DD would not like most of the stuff on this thread. She'd want vinyl, drawing pens/sketch books, books or manga. Teenage girls are not all into the same things just like 45 year old women aren't. However, vouchers for coffee shops would be welcome. Definately do not buy clothes for someone you don't really know. Ask your DS what she likes but I doubt she's expecting anything from you.

I think cash or cinema voucher and some chocolate would be perfect.
If you don't know her well enough to be confident of her tastes I would play safe and not risk wasting your money.

Have 17 year Old girl. Amazon gift card is my go to for her friends.

See, my DD wouldn’t want to use Amazon out of principle.

Cinema, chain restaurant voucher sound good. Wagamama’s or pizza express.

If you want to get a ‘thing’ get a chillys water bottle.

It’s hard to buy for people you don’t know but the above would be hard to object to IMO.

If you know she’ll like this kind of thing then the brand Revolution (found on ASOS) do nice bath bombs, room sprays, candles which make for a nice gift. But that only works if she’s into that kind of thing and also that her house actually has a bath (not just a shower).

alldaisypond out of curiosity, what principle?

My DD (18) has gotten and received earrings for birthdays. Don’t have to be expensive, just cute!

put the money in a card

I’d get a necklace from Not On The High Street. Maybe her birth stone .

Lush or body shop gift set Costa voucher or primark voucher

Is she planning on going to University? Something she can take with her?
Blanket/Throw? If you are unsure of her tastes, keep the reciept so she can change it.
My DD has a double bed size, white fluffy blanket which she takes everywhere. Similar to this one.
www.amazon.co.uk/LOCHAS-Shaggy-Blanket-Decorative-Blankets/dp/B0827QRBQW/ref=pd_lpo_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0827QRBQW&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

When I was 17 my boyfriends mum didn't get me anything specific and I certainly didn't expect it. I think she gave bf some money to take me out for a meal at zizzi's, that was the sort of thing that was appreciated.

alldaisypond out of curiosity, what principle?

Amazon are a business model that isn't great for smaller retailers. They dominate hugely. They also facilitate a lot of copyright and other fraud given that all sorts of fake or unauthorised stuff is sold by marketplace sellers (I've reported things and found them still available weeks later).

Their corporate & operational structure enables them to sell to people in many markets globally but often pay relatively little tax in many of them.

They waste masses and masses of unecessary packaging.

They don't have a fabulous reputation as an employer by uk standards, although they do pay well.

Blimey, some people are really overthinking this

I have a feeling that that overwhelming majority of teens will not be offended or embarrassed by 25 quid in a card - that seems about right to me.

Otherwise I'd go for a Costa gift card probably.

The not paying tax thing is really annoying but I lay the blame for that with legislators not Amazon.

Unfortunately I agree Amazon is wasteful etc but I would hesitate to endorse many retailers and It is consumers that drive consumption. Maybe I'm just too cynical as I get older to actively boycott unless there's a really high threshold of malpractice now. My bad maybe.

@wantmorenow

alldaisypond out of curiosity, what principle?

Yes, pretty much what @NoIDontWatchLoveIsland said. Their dominance over the marketplace and tax avoidance would be specifically my DD’s issues. However, if given an Amazon gift card, she would be grateful and would use it.

Just an update. Thank you to those who gave me some wonderful gift ideas. I have gone with a personalised water bottle which DS said she would like. I will keep some of the other ideas for another time (maybe Christmas) . I don’t know her really well (as in gifts she might like) but I think she is a really lovely, kind, thoughtful girl and wanted to buy her something, as she’d bought me flowers for my birthday and her parents had bought DS a gift for his birthday too.
I suppose because I don’t have lots of family to buy for (only one nephew , my parents have passed away ) so only have my hubby and 2 sons so it didn’t seem a lot to spend, but I did tone it down a bit in light of some of the comments.

does she like cooking - a taught cookery / baking session for example?

Personally, I think that one has awful connotations as a gift from a MIL type figure. Almost like she’s being trained up for taking over from his Mum.