Help! 18th birthday present ideas needed!

[singinginthelifeboats]

DPs son is 18 in March. It sounds odd but I don't know him that well - he is quite independent, often not around...DP and I don't live together either so although I think I know him pretty well through talking to DP about him, we haven't actually spent much time together. I have generally fallen back on 'tokens' for presents in the past and these have gone down well but I would like to be a bit more imaginative for his 18th. Now, of course, I could ask DP but I would like to demonstrate my fabulous ability to choose just the right present......without help!

Any suggestions? It will be a gift from me only and so I have a budget of roughly £50 I thought. He is quite sporty (rugby, skiing etc) and quite sociable. Will be off to uni this autumn.....

Please help me appear soooooo in tune with 'young people' (I have a DS but he is a bit younger) and thoughtful!

my teenage son is 18in april im giving him the money to do what he wants with,but as you only have around£50then may i suggest you maybe pay for a sports camp,or a voucher towards it.hope you find what you want.

My DS1 is 18 soon too. If I were to give him cash for his birthday, it would be blown in a weekend and he'd probably need his stomach pumped.

The Swiss Army knife is a good idea and would go down well, but he may already have one. I bought them for both my boys as a sort of 'right of passage' thing at adolescence.

I think you are going to have to check with his mum whatever you get, I'm afraid, because boys are difficult, and by 18, most of the 'lasting' or 'significant' presents may already have been bought.

My boyfriend's mum bought me a good rucksack for my 18th. I went with her to choose it and I still have it (and would use it if I wasn't an arthritic old crock these days). It is in fact one of just three 18th birthday presents I actually remember... But I guess they may be more than £50 these days though...

Cash ! Never fails to please and believe me , there's nothing impersonal about it ... it's all they want ! I also ordered a kind of dog tag ID thing online with Happy 18th and his name stamped into it like a real military one - he loves it , never has it off him and it only cost about a fiver ... including postage ! Just google personalised ID tags.

I got my nephew an engraved Leatherman a couple of years ago for his 18th. He loves it - doing electronics at uni, he uses it all the time.

http://www.leatherman-store.co.uk/multi-tools-c27/wingman-multi-tool-p847 This is where I got my nephew 's engraved Leatherman. Good price, and engraving is free.

Both of my sons love their Larsson and Jennings' watches. You can buy online at larssonandjennings.com

was that from www.billandbenthecartoonmen.com

My parents bought my son an engraved tankard for his 18th which was 3 days ago. He loves it. My daughter bought him vodka and southern comfort which he loves too but after 5 days of fresher's week he had gone off it. Lol

Has he got a good watch? I bought my nephew a GShock watch because he is in to camping, sailing, cycling etc. He has worn it everyday for 3 years now and never needs to take it off because it is waterproof / shockproof etc.

You will probably have to add £10 to your budget, can you stretch to that?

www.thewatchhut.co.uk/Casio-G+Shock-Blue-Data-Strap-Watch-G+2900F+2VER.html

www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/l/watches/brand|g-shock/

I too need ideas for an 18 year old boy.
Thinking f the engraved tankard. What would you get it engraved with for an 18th? Are there any good sites Tobit them off as the ones linked to on here don't work.

Bump!