Right, the 7 year old has been dealt with now .....

[RuleBritannia]

........ it's an 18 year old boy who has just started at University to read study automotive engineering.

Any suitable books out there in second hand shops because a book would probably be too expensive that could be useful to him?

Would you offer him toiletries? If so, which? I'm totally out of touch with teens now.

Don't buy him uni books, I'd have found that so depressing as a student.

DBs (now 20 and 23) always like FCUK or Ted Baker toiletries from the Boots 3 for 2.

Get vouchers - for Apple or Amazon, then he can pick his own thing? You could get him a supermarket voucher or good box (super noodles etc.) to top up his present and take back to uni.

A mini hamper. Good idea. Baked beans, tinned tomatoes, packets of pasta etc. Hmmm. He's sharing a kitchen so they might be taken and they have only a very small room each so there wouldn't be room for a cupboard in it.

Thanks for the tip about books. I wouldn't have thought about that. Toiletries it is then - might get a pair of socks as well though. Thank you.

He will love a litre bottle of any spirit

Lol Brandy has the right idea

I'd love a litre of spirit myself but his parents are Primitive Methodists ie no alcohol. Worth asking them though!

Go with a boring itunes/amazon voucher or a dvd along the lines of a cult classic he's probably never heard of like leon, and he will think your super cool after he watches it.

He thinks that of me anyway.