Teenage boys are tough to shop for around the holidays. As they transition from middle school to high school and start learning how to drive, thinking about going to college and doing everything else that comes with reaching young adulthood, their interests and priorities are bound to change frequently. The gifts they loved getting in their younger days may no longer excite them at all.
Will your teen like a new football? Are PS5 games really what he wants? What if he never wears the clothes you give him? Even if you have some good Christmas gift ideas for the teen boys in your life, you can’t be too sure what’ll click with them—but we’ve done our best to get you started.
If you need help shopping for your sons and nephews this year, here are some of the best, most popular Christmas gifts for teen boys available. Choose from 12 cool items that even the most unreadable teenage boy is sure to love.
Lightning Reaction Reloaded Shocking Game
Prepare for a shockingly fun experience with this one- to four-player game from Lightning Reaction, intended for ages 14 and up. After a round of suspenseful music, the last player to hit the button gets a mild shock. There are three levels of shock, the anticipation of which will make even grown men nervous. Lightning Reaction Reloaded is great for parties, deciding who does the chores, and more. Parents will both love and hate this game, but a teen boy will find endless fun in it.
Charging Station for Apple Products
For the Apple user, this three-in-one charging station is a must-have. Optimized for Apple Watches, iPads, iPhones, and Air Pods, it comes in five colors and is made of a sturdy, elegant aviation-quality aluminum alloy. The charging station’s intuitive design protects your devices from slipping or getting scratched, and its great cable management system will help keep your electronics in order. This charging station is a good Christmas gift for any teen boy, but the more gadgets he has, the more it will come in handy.
Remote-Controlled Drone
Holy Stone’s beginner drone is ideal for the tech-loving teenager. Controlled by a smartphone, it responds to voice and gesture control and can produce fabulous photos with its high-definition, wide-angle camera. Like most drones, it can hover in place or soar around the sky, and it even works out of sight with Headless Mode. There are three settings for speed, so you can race around or slow down to take quality pics. The drone is equipped with propeller guards to prevent damage if the pilot crashes. Keep in mind that the SD card cannot be larger than 32 gigabytes, but if that’s enough storage space for your teenage boy, this is the perfect Christmas present for them.
Gaming Chair
For the gamer teen, Dowinx has the best gaming chair on the market. Covered in high-quality real leather, it provides the ultimate comfort for long periods of sitting. The footrest, head support, and lumbar support ensure that the user maintains a healthy posture while gaming, working, or studying. The chair is incredibly mobile, its seat height is adjustable, and it reclines to a sleeping position. It’s easy to assemble and comes in five different colors. For the price, this is the best gaming chair you can buy.
Gaming Monitor
Whether your teen is a PC gamer or prefers to play on a console, he can benefit from a monitor upgrade. Sceptre’s 27” monitor provides the ultimate gaming experience with its immersive curved design, 75Hz refresh rate, and edgeless interface. It is on the upper end of the brightness scale, and it even has a way to reduce blue light. Speakers are built-in, so you can save some money and desk space too. To save even more space, you can mount this monitor on the wall. It’s fully tiltable and compatible with a PlayStation 4 as well as a computer.
Wireless Headphones
The Beats brand is known for its quality, and their Solo3 wireless headphones are no exception. These sleek headphones connect with iOS or Android devices via Bluetooth and produce beautiful sound for up to 40 hours. When the battery is low, its Fast Fuel feature will grant the user three extra hours of playtime from only five minutes of charging time. A built-in microphone enables hands-free phone calls and participation in lectures. Comfortable, durable, and even foldable, these headphones come with a carrying case to travel wherever you go, as well as a universal USB charging cable. This is the ultimate gift for the enthusiastic young music fan.
Bluetooth Beanie with Speakers
The only thing better than headphones might be headphones that keep you warm. More suited to the music listener with a sense of style, SoundBot’s Bluetooth Beanie has speakers and a microphone—both of which are removable for washing and adjustable to fit almost anyone’s head. It has a range of 33 feet and a rechargeable battery with a five-hour life. Simple buttons paired with a double soft knit design provide an intuitive, comfortable listening experience with loud, high-definition sound. It comes in six styles and six colors. With this beanie, teenage boys can comfortably listen to music outside during the winter.
Pizza Throw Blanket
If you know a teenage boy with a silly sense of humor, why not get him a pizza throw blanket? Make his dreams of surrounding himself with pizza a reality. This goofy blanket is made of soft flannel and is warm enough to keep someone comfortable while they’re sleeping or lazing on the couch. If pizza isn’t your teen’s favorite food, the blanket comes in seven different styles that include different types of tortillas and waffles. The prices vary between styles. Disclaimer: This blanket is not edible.
"What Do You Meme?" Card Game
In “What Do You Meme,” three or more players compete to create the funniest memes out of their cards. With 300 caption cards and 50 photo cards, the TikTok edition is a wildly fun game for meme lovers. On each photo card is also a TikCode (QR code) that will take you to the original TikTok video. You can even buy expansion packs for more content. Be aware that this game is intended for ages 17 and older since it contains mature content. This is a great gift for older teens who love TikTok.
Mini Basketball Hoop
The SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop brings basketball indoors. Equipped with a breakaway rim, door mounts, and a shatterproof backboard, this miniature basketball hoop and the appropriately sized basketball it comes with will bring endless fun to the athlete in your family. Whether he’s more into competitions with friends or solo shots, he’ll consider this mini hoop set is a major upgrade from shooting crumpled paper into garbage bins.
Backyard Ballistics Book
Some teen boys love blowing things up, so you might as well teach them how to do it safely. William Gurstelle wrote a Backyard Ballistics guide to making 16 DIY ballistic devices. From paper match rockets and fire kites to potato cannons and tennis ball mortars, Gurstelle gives clear instructions, complete with diagrams, photos, and troubleshooting tips, for creating all sorts of teen-friendly shooters. Backyard Ballistics educates teens about scientists such as Nobel and Newman, and it places a strong emphasis on safety throughout. Science, history, and things that go “boom”—what more could a boy want?
Shopping for Christmas presents for teenage boys may be daunting, but it certainly isn’t impossible—especially with this guide. The best thing you can do, though, is to get to know your teen’s interests as they evolve. When you do, you’ll not only be able to buy him unbeatable Christmas presents but also stay closer together in the years ahead. Here’s to happy, successful shopping.