Stocking fillers for 16yr old boy

[WeeMadArthur1]

His main present present is an experience/trip so I just want two or three small things for him to open but I'm a bit stuck.

Things he's into: fantasy, science fiction (he's a big book worm but tends to buy himself books), geography, maps. He's a self confessed geek.

Things he won't like: clothes, toiletries, sports related things.

Adonis to Zorro: Oxford dictionary of reference and allusion
The Fabled Coast: legends and traditions from around the shores of Britain and Ireland
A History of the World in Twelve Maps, by Jerry Brotton
Longitude, by Dava Sobel
The Nine Lives of John Ogilby: Britains' master mapmaker and his secrets might be worth a look (it's come up as a recommendation when I was trying to look for the map book above)

A mug - perhaps with the shipping forecast areas, or morse code, or knots

(gah, cold fingers - that should say Britain's, boviously)

I read Longitude at approximately the same time as reading Umberto Eco's The Island of the Day Before which deals with some of the same material, so that was a bit weirdly interesting.

The Adonis to Zorro one sounds interesting, he's actually studying linguistics for A level. I'd better check it isn't something they'd do at school though!

He's got the Twelve Maps one. I'll look up the others, thanks for the ideas.

Mapominoes
Puzzle book
Metal Earth model kit
Chocolate planets
Heat change mug

I’m following this thread as this sounds like my DS to a T! I’ve also booked a trip as his main present as he wants to add more pins to his world map.

There are some fantasy map drawing books on Amazon which look quite good and map paper.

I randomly bought a quill pen and ink set for him (which will probably stay in its packaging forever) .

I have got my teenage boy some keyboard putty (for cleaning computers), a little game I think he'll like and (weirdly) a finger piano. He'll probably have some fun with it. Will add sweets, pants, a couple of books and maybe something for his fish tank. It's hard to think of things he might like - whereas his sisters could have a stocking once a week for a year and I'd never run out of ideas.

@Hatsnbats Ooh interesting about quill and ink, my DS loves fountain pens and proper ink in pots, different coloured inks could be a good stocking filler (the pens he really likes are £££ though!).

Sweets/snacks are a good idea too.

A lock picking kit complete with see-through padlock to practise on was a hit with my son last year. Bought it on amazon.

My 15 year old has asked for one of these too. When I mentioned to my cousin, her son had one last year. I think they are quite popular.

My other son is getting a chess clock.

They both want soap on a rope for the shower!!

Mine (15 and 16) have socks, pants, gloves, hat, belt, glow sticks, festive rubber duck (pack of 3 from the works for £2, one for each child), keyring, can of Monster, mini pringles and a chocolate orange and chocolate coins and the traditional pez and pez dispenser.

@Almostwelsh that sounds like something my DS would love. Do you have a link for the one you bought? I’ve had a Google but the ones that have come up look like professional tools!

@WindUpBird my BIL is actually really into lock picking - we bought him one very similar to this a couple of years ago and that started his obsession!

Mine seems a bit basic compared to others here
Socks
Boxers
Shower gel
The nice hair stuff he likes from the barber
Electronic toothbrush heads
Takis hot nuts
Chocolate
Starbucks card
Nice chopsticks

@WeeMadArthur1 thanks, that’s really helpful!

The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book
Marvellous Maps - do a whole series of maps with different interesting facts on.

Good shout on the keyboard putty, I've ordered some.
I find my son's stocking difficult as another poster says, my daughter is so easy in comparison!

My 2 DS (18 and 17) have
Pants
Socks
Novelty soap bars (used to be shower gels but they have turned against plastic!)
Choc orange
Choc coins
A tree ornament
Sharpies
Highlighters
Shaving foam
They will be happy with that!

This is a good puzzle book, but different - bought my DH this in 2020.

29: Interactive Book Game amzn.eu/d/hCgqTFt

If he likes choosing his own books then a Waterstones or Amazon voucher? That would be a top present for me

Does he already have a Bluetooth speaker and/or a USB power bank? If he would like either of those, Rex London have them with a "map of the world" theme. The speaker is in the clearance section, so even more of a bargain. Found them after seeing a comment on one of the present-buying threads on here and have bought them for my teenage DCs

Bought my son a make your own manga comic, if he's into that?from amazon and looks brilliant, quality cover and paper. He also got from my father(a complete self confessed nerd🤣) a 3d pen. Loved it

My 17&19 yr olds have got
mini Lego head storage(£5 in lidl few weeks ago)
lego minifigure-I didn’t bother last yr as thought they were abit old-I got complaints!
pack socks
pack boxers
chocolate orange,
choc coins
razers and shaving gel
low value scratch card
hot choc satchets
mini drink can
tube of sweets

I bought this book for a friend's son.

What If?: Serious Scientific Answer to Absurd Hypothetical Questions: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions amzn.eu/d/7qd9BOc

Some great suggestions on here thanks!