Welcome to Metropolitan Mama’s Christmas Gift Guide for Teen Girls. Below you will find clothes, shoes, decor, games, and accessories that teen girls are bound to love for Christmas 2019.
When I inquired about what teens would want for Christmas, my 13-year-old specifically mentioned pretty school gear.
Consider bloom's new 2020 planners in this category. Bloom's planners stand out because they are thoughtfully designed to be both beautiful and practical. There are monthly spreads as well as weekly views - complemented by enchanting fonts and inspiring quotes. These planners also come with great "extras" like to-do lists, a goal setting page, and a vision board. Be sure to throw in an adorable pack of planner stickers too!
Bloom also currently has five binder designs that she will be glad to put in her backpack.
An attractive insulated water bottle is a strong gift pick for active teens. When it comes to size, you can see the difference in the above pictures between the 18oz active and 40oz original designs. For a teen, I would say to stick to a bottle that holds 24 oz or more. Now that I have my hands on the 40oz, however, I would say to go for the 24oz bottle since it appears to be slimmer and thus easier to hold or stow in a backpack than either the 32oz or 40oz bottles.
No matter which bottle you choose, note that Takeya's water bottles are BPA-free and offer double-wall vacuum insulation, which keeps water cold for 24 hours. Available in a number of different colors, Takeya bottles are most well-known for their insulated spout lid - which is leak-proof and easy to drink from without spilling. The company touts that their design is "the best lid ever." The entire top screws off for easy ice filling.
As far as I can tell, the only difference between the "original" water bottles and "active" water bottles is that the lid is black on the originals, while the actives are monochromatic. The lid, carry handle, and construction appear to be the same for both.
In our house and at our girls' school, casual sneakers win as the shoe of choice for teens. Teens want comfortable, no-tie sneakers without the running shoe look (which is typically reserved for after-school sports). Dr. Scholl's No Chill sneakers are an excellent pick in this category because they have a great, no-frills look while also offering plentiful support and cushion. The black suede is stylish and easily matches with tons of outfits - from shorts and tees to jeans and a flannel, even a Sunday dress! This sneaker is also available in snake print, leopard print, grey, and taupe.
A challenging 3D puzzle that doubles as a decor piece? Ravensburger has lots of puzzles in this category and they are excellent for teens! New for 2019, your teen can build a realistic Porsche 911 R at 1:18 scale. The 108 plastic pieces fit together perfectly and can be assembled (and then displayed) without glue.
A new board game is a great go-to gift for a teen because it allows for non-tech entertainment with friends! Scattergories, a game I loved as a teen (and still do as an adult!), is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year - and is a fantastic game for people who enjoy working with words and thinking quickly on their feet. The 30th anniversary edition reproduces the classic game in its original form from 1989. This game is recommended for ages 12+ because it requires speedy reading/thinking as well as knowledge about geography, presidents, product names, etc.
If you love Scattergories and already own it, consider Scattergories Categories - a newer game for 2-4 players. Each round starts with a word or phrase. For example, the card might say "road trip" and then "names of cities." You then have two minutes to list as many cities as you can that start with the letters in the words ROAD TRIP. You could write "Rockford" for R, "Oakland" for O, etc.
Even though most teens live in sneakers, there are occasions when fancier attire is recommended or required - Christmas parties, graduations, award banquets, honor society inductions, etc. For those events, a pretty flat dress shoe is a smart pick over tall heels that will prick, slice, and cramp their feet all night long.
Take a look at the adorable Alder Alma in Bright Red. These gorgeous scarlet shoes offer elegance and sophistication without skimping on comfort.
Know an aspiring artist? Browse the super fun sets by Tombow! Pictured above are the Dual Brush Pens in the Floral Palette, which comes with 19 colors and 1 colorless blending pen. The brush tips work like a paintbrush to create fine, medium, or bold strokes.
Another fun gift pick is the Advanced Lettering Set, which includes four Dual Brush Pens, one Colorless Blender Pen, two Fudenosuke Calligraphy Pens, one MONO Twin Permanent Marker, one MONO Drawing Pencil, and one MONO Eraser. These tools can be used together to create beautiful signs, artwork, binder covers, birthday cards, etc.
Even teens who don't actually have a scrapbook album will enjoy using these paper crafting kits for school projects, arts & crafts, and letters to friends. The two pictured kits are "Discover USA" and "Southwest Adventure," but there are themes for a variety of different geographies, interests, and holidays.
Say good-bye to old-fashioned curling wands! There's a new curler in town. Conair's Unbound Cordless Auto Curler offers an easy way to get perfect curls. Because of the innovative design, this auto curler makes it simple for teen girls to do their own hair for special occasions, theatrical productions, or everyday wear. Essentially, you choose your heat and curl direction, insert a 1-inch hair section into the curl chamber, push down a button, listen for a beep, and then release for a gorgeous, defined ringlet!
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Some of the products in the list below were sent to us to try. Other products are ones that we purchased ourselves or were given by family members and friends. Know that I will always provide both the pros and cons of each featured product. You are welcome to send any follow-up questions to me via twitter (I’m @stephsheaffer).