The Art of Buying Presents for Kids: A Gift-Buying Guide for Parents and Grandparents
It’s common for parents, grand- gear. You can get some of those things for both genders – it just parents, or any kind of relative depends on a kid’s interests. to be unsure of what to buy a Younger children tend to child around the holidays. They may have an idea, but they aren’t make lists of things they want so everybody knows. They start sure if the kid they are getting it writing the list whenever they for will like it. Kids, especially teenagers, will pretend to like the see something on TV or hear about it from a friend, so these things you get them and never lists tend to be pretty use them. It can be long. They most likely hard to find out what pick out a lot of expenthey truly like. Getting sive things, so they will gifts that their friends get fewer gifts. get isn’t guaranteed to The big problem is, if make them happy. It they have siblings that all comes down to their don’t pick out expenpersonality traits. sive things, they will To start, you should compare gifts and how consider what sports much they got and will they play. If you see Torianna most likely have an arthey’re interested in Swinson gument. A way to solve softball or baseball, you could buy them gloves, baseballs this is to give joint gifts. You or softballs, catching gear, or get could give the girls a few presents that are for all of them and them tickets for a professional not just one of them, and the baseball game. same for the boys. Or you could If they like traveling, you give a brother and a sister some could take them on a trip to a state of their choice and explore. joint gifts to share, too. Some Spending time with them would ideas for joint presents are board games, video games, electronics, be a great gift that would give movies, and simple things that them lifelong memories. children will enjoy. This way, the Or if you’re unsure about children will learn to share and what gift to give, you could let can’t complain that their siblings them go to stores to pick out are taking their toys. gifts and have a fun family adA good way to get to know a venture. You could also talk to child better and figure out what them about their passions and what they’ve been up to lately to they want is to ask them how their day was. Sometimes a child possibly get ideas. If it all goes might say they were jealous of wrong, you could ask them to write down gift ideas. If you dis- something another child had. like that idea, you can simply get Other times, you can just look at their clothes to see what kinds them a gift card or money. Another idea is that you could of clothes they’d wear. You could take a peek at their room go to a movie theater and let and the stuff they decorate with them pick the movie and buy to get an idea. movies of the same genre as a If their room is decorated gift. You could ask their friends, parents, or siblings what they are in a certain color, you can get interested in. If they’re a girl, they random things like brushes, lip gloss, or water bottles in that may like nail polish, face prodcolor. You could figure out ucts, or beauty products as preswhat their favorite scent is and ents. If they’re a boy, you could buy them air freshener, deodorbuy them video games, AirPods, ant, perfume, lotion, and other speakers, drones, or workout
things. If you can’t figure out what their favorite scent is, you can just buy them a ton of scents because even they might not know what their favorite is. Their personality can say a lot about what they like. If you notice that they like to read, you can buy them books or a bookshelf. If they love to stay organized, buy them organizers for school and at home. If you notice they are trying to be an artist, you can buy them paint sets, pencils, colored pencils, drawing boards, and many other things. If their room is full of electronics, you can get chargers for them or any electronics they don’t have. In my opinion, it’s harder to buy for people who love electronics because you truly never know if they’ll like it or not. What makes it worse is that they’re super expensive. If you notice a child loves to write, you can get them paper, pencils, any electronics to type stories, and many other things. If they love to decorate, you can get them decorations for all seasons. Chances are, if they’re a teenage girl, they’re most likely going to want beauty products. Whether they’re a boy or a girl, they may be trying to get fit, so workout gear might be a great gift. While all of these are gift ideas, they aren’t one hundred percent guaranteed without truly knowing the child. If you’re totally unsure, the best thing you can do is give them what you believe they’d like and keep the receipt. One thing is certain, though – kids will notice and appreciate the sentiment behind any gift you do give them. About the author: Torianna Swinson is a high school student who lives in Marshall County. She is a straight A student who has participated in volleyball, track, cross country, softball, and basketball at school.
A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Holiday Life | October 2021 23
