Waited and waited for the teenagers Christmas lists and.......

[myotherusernameisbetter]

DS1 (15) Blank sheet of paper
DS2 (14) 3 computer games

:(

I've usually done all my shopping and wrapping by now but I have nothing except a few books, a new phone case each and Pjs.

They just have everything and are good at taking care of their stuff so nothing needs replaced.

This is the magazine that we've had for the last couple of months for anyone looking for a suitable subscription:

www.geekymonkey.tv/

Boys are quite enjoying it as it has a bit of everything.

Sodastream?

what about a subscription box? geekbox, lootcrate (i really want one of these!)

those funko pop vinyls seem popular if they are into collecting figures?

last year i bought my dp a set of dragonballs from ebay - they came direct from china or hong kong and were about £10. they came beautfully boxed and dp was chuffed with them!

i have also bought him a framed film cell from one of his favourite anime films.

he also likes replica swords/ weapons from games/films he likes. i understand if you wouldnt buy for you teenagers but he started collecting them around 15/16 and had them on display. we have used blades uk a few times with no problems.

Davros - do you keep you table outside? Although as we are in Scotland (currently pishing down!) we really don't get the weather to have it outside - it's either too wet or too windy - it'd be a waste for the 3 days a year they could play on it.

We have a sodastream :)

Sorry I know I keep rejecting ideas - they are really good ideas honest, we just have too much!

We usually get a new board game but we have plenty and we have mostly been playing scrabble anyway so I got these for this year instead:

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=571255&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&searchTerm=scrabble

I've ordered a one off z-box so we will see how that goes. They don't seem into the pop vinyls, they had them at the Gaming thing - they even had Breaking Bad ones which I thought they'd love but they were a bit "meh". I quite fancied the one they have of the crack caravan thing myself.

Yes we do kfl it outside but you certainly could have it inside if you have room to fold it out and I think indoor ones are cheaper. If you are interested, get one that folds half up so one person can practise against the other half iyswim.

If you like Scrabble have you tried Scrabble Twist & Turns?

Unfortunately we don't have any rooms big enough to have a table tennis table indoors and still be able to move about enough to play properly - we had a table football thing once and that was bad enough. We've tried the clip on net over the dining table but you just can't move enough for it to be enjoyable. I've looked in the past at outdoor ones but think it would be a waste as we just don't get the weather sadly.

doisy, funnily enough I have that put away as they had it in sainsburys at £5 a few months back. I'd forgotten I had that - see I am doing better than I thought - I can parcel that up with the books for someone. Is it any good? i though at £5 it was worth a punt and would be handier for travelling too.

I am lucky in that because they are so close and like similar things I can wait and see how the piles are looking and swap stuff about or have some things as shared or family gifts.

Back to the outdoor gear there always seem to be new and improved things coming out, if you are in Scotland I highly reccomend merino socks, only thing that keep my feet genuinely warm. Improved waterproofs, down jacket, new base layers, backpacks, hats, gloves, hand warmers, buff etc. Trek towels are great for packing down small. If they do winter hiking, crampons, ice axes?
Also depending on where you are Glenmore lodge do fantastic outdoor skills courses - could look into something like rock climbing that's s bit of a different angle to what they would do in DofE.

It's surprisingly enjoyable, yes...we take it camping with us as it's easily contained and quite compact. It's one of the few games we have (and we have loads!) that we consistently come back to. Very simple,but can be quite tactical. The other game we play quite a lot is Carcasonne

Yes we have Carcasonne and Tsuro too and loads more. i love Tsuro purely for the way it looks but the games last only a few minutes.

They do a lot of outdoor stuff but apart from Camping which DS1 loves, i wouldn't say they necessarily enjoy it as there is no wifi/gaming :) DS2 in particular is a lazy sod. However DH took them up Ben Nevis last year and they did do some local training for it with him. They are pretty well equipped now to be honest. I keep picking up bargains on Amazon and went through a spell of getting Berghaus hats and gloves at a fiver a pop. DH does a lot of Hillwalking and has loads of gear too which they borrow when required - they all more or less take the same size though DS2 is a bit bigger in the waist and slightly shorter at the moment (just about to shoot up again I think).

What they do need is kilts but they wouldn't really see that as a present, just a necessity for International Scout camps :) I'll try to get those 2nd hand though as the real deal costs a lot.

DS2 does need a new Scout knife, he covets the one DS1 has.

We use thinkgeek (website) for gifts type things too. Both ds and the girls are a bit nerdy, and ds loved his 'bazinga' pjs - I am ordering him the binary people t shirt this year, and they all like the periodic table spelling ones... (The girls have the periodic table shower curtain in their bathroom). No idea if there is a UK site...

That stove ruined my next suggestion, which was a solar charger for their gadgets lol.
The 'big' pressure for ds this year is probably going to be a go-pro, but I have to find a cheap one... previously we have bought different remote control things, last year a raspberry pi, he really wants an x box this year. Sigh.

The stove is fab - they took that and a normal wee gas burner away camping for a couple of days - they took a bag of kindling away in case there wasn't too many twigs and stuff about and it really gives out a hell of a heat. Also they managed to get it to run a bit smokey as it helps with the midges. One pan on the gas burner with rice/pasta etc and the other cooking the meat on the biolite. I'm going to get DH the grill attachment for next time.

Is it a teenage boy thing I wonder? Son is 15 (he does have ASD though) and his list consists of games and amiibos. I've got him a few surprises which I'm hoping he will like (mini fridge, gaming chair and some nintendo socks!) but it's like pulling teeth trying to get any more out of him!

Daughter on the other hand (20) could bankrupt me several times over with her varied and ever growing list - she's now been warned that for every item she now adds to it, she must cross one off. I'm not fucking Rockefeller

DD17 and DD20 are still keen on lego kits- last year they enjoyed making a huge R2D2 and a complex Star Wars fighter. This year they will be making remote controlled racing cars. I will also buy some jigsaws for us to do as a family. Might these ideas suit your boys OP?

I bought some bits from Firebox last year that went down well. I will look on there again this year.

Other ideas- 2016 calendars, Guinness Book of Records, portable phone chargers, thumbdrives, fun onesie, bits for room eg new rug, clock, duvet cover.

Some good ideas on here that I will be stealing thanks!

I have a non socialising 14 year old DS. He is at school six days a week so just wants to veg the rest of the time.

SuburbanRhonda
maybe we all just assume other kids are like our own

Er no, we don't.

My unsociable ds is also borderline AS, although you wouldn't have a clue if you met him.

You really shouldn't judge other people's children purely by what your own are like ...

glad to help :)

My sciences DD2, 16, has been on a campaign to get me to overcome my "irrational" reluctance to have microwave. She been on such a mission, moaning every time she has to heat something on the hob. So I will get one for Christmas with the microwave cake in a mug mugs from Lakeland.

DD3 wants a ps4 which they could share. They would also like steam vouchers, costa vouchers (they walk past one on way home from school), Netflix subscription.

DD just s tarted sixth form and her social life has taken off. It mainly consists of her friendship group of 3 girls and 5 boys and sleepovers involving gaming or D&D or movie night e.g. on Halloween. Also likes comic on.

She has been rather reserved but I am looking at a picture of DD dressed as batgirl sat on a replica of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones at Geeked Fest. The guy taking the picture said - yes I caught your sass.

My oldest son is 15 and doesn't 'want' anything either!! He also doesn't go out apart from rugby and cadets, he spends his time on Xbox talking to his friends!

I've got him some little bits, a watch, onesie, t shirts, smellies and he will end up with cash I guess!

I got them new onesies last year that are untouched. I think they find them too warm and now they are too tall to find them comfy. DS1 is 6'2 and DS2 is almost 6', both still growing!

Nice to hear that some of the quiet teens are coming out of their shells.

Weekend at Alton towers? There must be a campsite nearby.

What about a weekend in a cool city - UK or abroad depending on your budget? My teens love staying in a premier inn and visiting Brighton/ London etc you could tie it in with a Comecon festival?