Please tell me what your 17 year old sons like.

[HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey]

DSS will be joining us for his first christmas in a very, very long time.

What do they like, what's cool?

I thought a ticketmaster gift card and a Cinema gift card but what else?

Please tell me what you will by buying yours, i need inspiration!

Thanks, great suggestions.

I think i will look at Abercrombie and Jack Wills.

He's really into football but tickets hard to get for his team, i might get him an annual membership so it's easier. He and dh went half way across the country last weekend for a tour of his teams ground.

He's not geeky really.

Little helicopters and stuff are cool but it's hard when you don't know what they have at home, dh and exw have no contact at all so has never been in dss's house.

I think i will look at Abercrombie and Jack Wills

Be careful before you by Abercrombie and Jack Wills because in some places they are considered smart wear however in other places they are deemed quite common and only a certain type of person will wear them.

(Think along the lines of Burberry, overload big blingy chains and rotweillers on rope!!)

Hey OP - I think Iknowwho is right A&F and Jack Wills are on the wane for the older teenagers. But, a pair of CK or A&G pants in the old stocking would go down a storm.

Someone upthread asked about stockings. For the last couple of years mine has been given the option of "stocking or money" and money has won hands down. Sad but true

Look for CK pants in TK Max

I bought DS a mini blow up doll last Xmas - I thought it was funny - ds and dh thought I was bonkers - properly mental I think I was called.

Ok thanks for the heads up, so i will go more CK, Armani or up market than those other brands.

So can you help with sizing (i'm taking the mickey now i know, i'll be asking you all to buy it for me soon!) do teenage boys wear mens small clothes.

DSS is average build for a teenager, not tall and lanky but not over weight at all, what size would that make him - roughly.

I really do appreciate all your advice, it's all in a good cause!

6'2?! You make big uns!

all am making notes!

If he doesn't enjoy this Christmas he'll get an orange and a lump of coal next year!!

You might only get a grunt but he'll appreciate it really!

RE Abercrombie- it seems to be here a shirt or pair of jeans is ok, the branded tshirts and hoodies are not.

I'd take the medium too, if the small fits they'll no doubt have a growth spurt after five minutes!

My DS got my DD a helium filled remote controlled fish at Christmas (he clearly wanted one himself). Off either ebay or firebox I presume. They both loved it, and its deflated remains are still in the bookshelf.

Going to google helium filled remote fish. Ours would love that dd14, ds 17 (18 on Xmas day) - not that that has ever been a challenge

My Ds bought Dh a remote control helicopter for his birthday. Dh loved it, and the spent hours together playing with it on holiday

For t-shirts etc, I would definitely go for a men's size medium, esp for Hollister/Abercrombie as they tend to be quite small. Good luck!

Boxers are a good present because although you say his DM will buy them, they will possibly be a pack of 3... Mine certainly prefer the branded ones. Do check though if he wears the cotton ones or the jersey material ones - as IME (which OK is minimal and based on a group of 2!) they like one type or the other.
TK Max is good for CK PJ bottoms and at a reasonable price.
Present finder often has good present ideas too.

Money, sigh...they always want money. (Don't we all!)

And actually, silly presents go down quite well for a small gift. We had something called 'Butthead' one year where you wore a silly hat with velcro on it and other people threw soft balls at you. Excellent fun! Try Hawker's Bazaar for daft gifts/stocking fillers. You can order online.

Agree with Maryz and sowornout. Mine love to have lots of little things to open. Consumable things, like shower gel and shampoo and deoderant. I always wrap up some socks and pants and stuff like a flannel and some new gloves and things. That said, I don't know how much of that is tradition (which presumably it wouldn't be for your dss is he's not been with you for Christmas before) and how much is just 'what older teens like'. Money always goes down well, as does chocolate, but definitely "prezzies" to unwrap is part of the whole day / atmosphere at Christmas.
There was a thread last year that was suggesting things like hot chocolate and marshmallow kits, or jars of nutella, etc.
One prezzie my friend gave my dcs one year, which was just so much more exciting than opening a voucher, was a cinema voucher wrapped up with a bag of popcorn. The shape of it just made it look so much more like a present. Illogical I know, but somehow nice.

Oh, a decent belt is a great idea. And has anyone got ideas for good T shirt brands for very tall, skinny boy 6'4"? If he was 5'10'' he'd be a medium in most things, but as it is am buying XL for length which is too loose.