25 best Christmas gifts for teenagers that they’ll approve of

Once they reach the teenage years, you’d be forgiven for thinking their Lego building days would become a thing of the past. Turns out it's quite the opposite. Lego has a range of more complex builds specifically aimed at teens and adults that are not only fun to build but also look really impressive on display once complete.

With retro vibes and a fully-functional design, the Lego mini figure vending machine proved to be the biggest hit with my testers. Building this iconic vending machine together was great fun for my testers (and would also make a fun bonding experience for a parent and a teen).

With over 1300 pieces, this build was quite a significant project, built in two shifts over the course of a weekend. With a complex cog mechanism that spins and releases the capsules, I was impressed by my tester’s patience and persistence, especially since my daughter’s attention span is usually the length of a 30-second reel.

My testers were so proud to reveal their completed build, encouraging their younger siblings to insert a coin and release a capsule with one of 16 mini figures nestled inside. Now proudly positioned in my teen’s desk, I loved how the capsules could also be filled with sweets or fun surprises.

If you’re seeking a budget-friendly gift for a teen, you really can’t go wrong with this Christmas sweet selection from Ask Mummy and Daddy.

The refillable 1l jar is packed with delicious festive-themed sweets, ranging from vanilla marshmallows to candy cane poles, sour red and green Christmas trees and my tester’s personal favourite, fruit jelly Santas.

Although the tub is big enough to share, you’ll definitely need to be quick. I’m actually a little embarrassed to admit how quickly the contents were consumed. For smaller packs more suitable as a stocking filler, we also loved tucking into some delicious reindeer poo – a phrase I never thought I'd see myself write.

My teen loves a pyjama set, so it’s not surprising that this Boux Avenue set was well received.

They have a relaxed fit, and the fleece fabric is cosy and comfortable. And they wash well, with no signs of bobbling or fading.

If your teen’s desk is scattered with charging cables (or they’re forever forgetting to charge their phone), Belkin’s three-in-one charging stand makes a genuinely useful gift.

As the name suggests, it can charge up to three devices simultaneously, including a MagSafe iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.

My tester was really impressed by this neat, compact stand. With the option to attach her phone horizontally or vertically, she could use her phone hands-free.

It promises to charge up to five times faster than other wireless charging devices. While I couldn’t test this exactly, it did boost her phone battery significantly after just 20 minutes.

From a parent’s perspective, I appreciated that her devices didn’t overheat while charging.

Starting a journal can be an excellent way for your teen to manage their mental health, pausing at the start and end of each day to reflect on their emotions.

This gratitude journal from Papier was well-received by my 13-year-old daughter. It contains five months of undated pages featuring daily affirmations and gratitude prompts for morning and evening.

Despite never having a journal before, it was lovely to see my daughter snuggling up with her journal every night before bed – without any encouragement.

As a parent, the teen skincare obsession has felt like a total minefield, navigating through the endless marketing spiel and attempting to figure out which products are actually safe for teens’ skin.

Initially launching on TikTok, [Coat]s skincare is a clinically proven and dermatologically tested skincare brand explicitly aimed at a younger audience. Its travel-sized skinsentials set makes a great starter kit for teens dipping their toe into the world of skincare, featuring mini-sized moisturiser, cleanser, and toner.

In the words of one tester, the slightly clinical ‘periodic table’ style packaging does not scream ‘insta-aesthetic’ – a factor which could be off-putting for some. That said, the simple three-step routine and fragrance-free formula got the seal of approval from the whole group, keeping their skin well hydrated despite the changing seasons. While a larger set is available, this travel set is super handy for holidays and sleepovers.

The bold and bright packaging of Bubble needed absolutely no introduction to my Gen-Z testers. Its formulas proved a popular choice among both teens and tweens.

For teens with dry skin, the brand’s slam dunk moisturiser is definitely deserving of a place on their Christmas wishlist. My testers loved the simple pump mechanism, with two enthusiastic taps creating a perfectly shaped flower of moisturiser on the lid.

Lightweight and non-greasy, the moisturiser absorbed quickly without feeling sticky. My eldest tester preferred to use just a small amount when applying makeup after as it can cause pilling.

As a big fan of the original Crocs, my 13-year-old tester instantly fell in love with these comfy slipper equivalents.

The shearling certainly lived up to its cozzzy name, and the adjustable back strap held them securely in place. While some may prefer a more rigid sole, she appreciated the textured grips, which ensured she didn’t slip on our tiled kitchen floor.

With a wide choice of colours to choose from, you’ll find a pair of these slippers to suit every teen’s preference – from traditional shades like navy, black and mushroom, to more statement colours like lavender and pink milk.

Ghd’s hairdryer makes an impressive gift, and it’s beautifully presented with a complimentary croc washbag.

Beyond the packaging, the hairdryer is packed with features to prevent your teens' bad-hair-day meltdowns, including a powerful brushless motor, a contoured precision nozzle and ionic technology to minimise flyaways and frizz.

In practice, the lightweight design was appreciated, as was the range of speed and temperature settings. Compared to my teen’s existing hair dryer, the helios was notably quieter too, with a long cable that gave her the freedom to multitask.

With £238 worth of hand-picked PLouise favourites, the miniwood vanity box gift set is a showstopper guaranteed to make an impact on your teen this Christmas.

My testers were excited to unbox this multi-drawer beauty case, which contains lip oils, a full-sized makeup palette and a high-quality 10-piece brush set.

Despite the impressive light-up mirror, I question whether teens would want the festive packaging and bright red shades on display all year round. That said, with beautiful scents of cranberry and vanilla inside, it certainly boosted their Christmas spirit.

If you’ve been refusing a TV in your teen's bedroom, the Dangbei N2 smart projector makes a great alternative, helping you set up impressive movie nights in seconds as soon as the weekend arrives.

While the main unit was larger than the mini name implied, we all loved how easy it was to set up and start using. Pivoting up to 190 degrees, my testers were able to project their favourite shows onto their bedroom wall (or ceiling) for the comfiest viewing, quickly syncing our Prime, YouTube and Netflix accounts using the included remote control.

I was super impressed by how well the projector automatically adjusts and straightens to create a clean image.

For the best audio experience, I’d recommend sitting close to the device.

This Beaverbrooks bracelet has been inspired by Van Cleef and Arpels’ iconic Alhambra design.

A symbol of luck with an elegant, timeless design, it’s a striking jewellery gift that adds a little something special to their outfit of the day. It’s also available in gold, malachite, and silver with mother-of-pearl.

If your teen already lives in their oversized White Fox hoody, you’ll be pleased to know that this Australian influencer favourite brand has recently launched its own beauty gifting range.

There are 17 beauty and pamper gifts in the collection, but by far the biggest thumbs-up from my tester went to the perfect lip balm and charm, earning pride of place clipped to her blazer for tackling dry lips during school hours. Meanwhile, she loved the fragrance of the smooth body butter, a combination of vanilla and peach that was perfect for a pre-bedtime pamper.

While it can’t take away the never-ending homework tasks, revision or exam prep, this stationery set from Stabilo can certainly make their school or college work feel that little bit brighter.

There’s an impressive 23 bold and bright shades in this Stabilo arty highlighter set, ranging from traditional neon pink, orange and yellow to pastel shades such as lilac, pale green and peach.

My tester loved the included recycled plastic desk tidy, which slots neatly along the side of his desk for organised access to his colour of choice while studying.

While this larger set doesn’t come cheap, the water-based ink colours were really vibrant when highlighting key paragraphs of text, with no smudged writing in sight. A sucker for the detail, my tester was impressed to see the anti-dry out technology also lived up to its claim – leaving some caps off for more than three hours without any signs of drying out.

While hygiene and self-care gifts can be tricky to perfect, a high-quality aftershave or eau de toilette can make a personal and practical gift for your teen.

I’d recommend Hugo Boss’s bottled tonic eau de toilette, which has a subtle, citrusy scent. It’s the perfect first fragrance and can be worn every day.

If your teen loves getting creative, the Biscuiteers snowman DIY kit will make a great shared experience over the festive period.

I loved unboxing this festive Biscuiteers tin with my teen daughter, revealing 12 pre-baked biscuits and a selection of decorations to help bring them to life.

We had lots of fun creating these perfectly imperfect snowmen, and they tasted amazing. If you’re expecting a Biscsuiteers standard of finish, however, you may need to lower your expectations.

This is quite a niche choice; so if your teens aren’t into gaming, you’d be forgiven for being somewhat confused by this oversized ice blue banana.

Polar Peely is an iconic character from Fortnite, and for teens who love gaming, this officially licensed XL cable guy stand can be a great addition to their gaming setup.

Standing at over 30cm tall with his arms outstretched, this fun character is designed to declutter their gaming space, holding larger consoles such as the Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, the Steam Deck, or even a mobile phone.

My gaming mad tester loved being able to stand and showcase his tablet while it charged. He was also chuffed to find a free code for an in-game snow day emote – a rare animation worth 500 V-Bucks.

This mini fridge is another must-have addition to your teen’s gaming bedroom. It can hold up to six full-sized cans and snacks, so if you’re feeling particularly generous, I’d recommend stocking it up for them before wrapping it up.

My gaming-obsessed nephew was pleased to set up this mini fridge in his bedroom alongside. While he wasn’t so keen on the stickers (perhaps something more appealing to tweens), he loved tapping through the range of 12 colourful light modes, creating a pulsing infinity mirror effect that looked really impressive in a darkened room.

The infinity door does need to be cleaned with care. Sprays or cleaning products may damage the mirror, so in the rare event that your teen fancies a room tidy, be sure they use the provided cleaning cloth.

For teens who love being both behind and in front of the camera, this portable Instax mini link printer makes a thoughtful and entertaining gift.

My tester loved snapping live shots and uploading images straight from her camera roll using the intuitive Instax app. After choosing from a huge range of fun frames, filters and stickers (including seasonal designs), she printed her updated snaps in literally seconds, popping out a full-colour 8.6cm x 5.4cm retro-style print.

As a huge fan of group selfies, she loved the remote shooting feature, which let her control the camera while still being in the shot. Thanks to innovative AR modes and photobooth-style collage creation, she also captured hilarious memories with friends, producing prints that are perfect for journaling or to showcase in her bedroom.

The only downside? The film is sold separately and isn’t cheap. Given the high price point, I’d have loved to see a starter pack included.

British brand Jellycat has been around since 1999, but thanks to social media influencers and collectors, this trending soft toy brand has become hugely popular amongst teen (and even adult) collectors (guilty as charged). There is a huge range of adorable characters to choose from, which often sell out fast.

The Christmas tree cookie was a particular hit with my testers, who loved its cute expression.

The toy comes in a Jellycat dustbag, which makes the gift a little more special.

If your teen is a die-hard Disney fan, they’ll instantly fall in love with this hand-finished Lilo and Stitch charm, which they’ll be able to add to their existing charm collection on any Pandora moments bracelets (sold separately).

My tester loved the attention to detail on this sterling silver Stitch charm, with his playful expression, enlarged head and a pop of purple enamel painted inside his ears.

Beautifully presented in a small Pandora gift box, this premium gift is something your teen will treasure for many years to come. Be warned, however, there’s also a pink angel charm in the collection.

Whoever coined the phrase “the way to their heart is through their stomach” certainly wasn’t wrong. You can’t go wrong with food-related gifts for a teen – especially one who’s forever raiding your snack cupboard.

This festive canvas Santa’s sack from Prestige Hampers is packed with a selection of festive-themed snacks – ranging from clotted cream fudge and festive shortbread shapes to a tub of Yorkshire crisps and sun-dried tomato breadsticks. My teen’s standout favourite, however, was the chocolate Santa honeycomb chocolate bar. Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky enough to get a look in.

While there are only eight items inside, the bundle was big enough for my testers to share, providing a good mix of sweet and savoury options to tempt every taste bud. Perfect for that lull between Christmas and New Year, you can even refill the bag to create next year’s DIY hamper.

If your teen loves fashion-forward, feel-good accessories, the pink collection from premium leather bag maker Pom Pom London will be right up their street.

My teen tester loved the fluffy pom pom keyring and the stunning London-themed lining of this pink leather handbag. She found it surprisingly spacious – perfectly sized for stashing her purse, keys and lip gloss without becoming heavy or bulky. As well as an easy-access compartment at the front, the handy interior pocket safely stored her phone when out and about with friends.

The bag doesn’t come cheap, but it feels high-quality and something they’ll wear for years to come.

An excellent gift for students, the lightweight and portable Logitech casa pop up desk can completely overhaul their study space, quickly converting into a laptop stand to make any desk an ergonomic wireless work station.

It’s available in both pink and black and makes a stylish compact case that includes a wireless keyboard and touchpad mouse. The mouse was a huge hit with my tester and a refreshing change from a traditional mouse.

Instead of crouching over his laptop, it was great to see the casa pop raise the screen height, making his homework more comfortable and improving his posture for longer periods. Once his tasks were done, the set folded away in seconds, putting school work out of sight and out of mind until Monday.

If you’re looking for a truly unique gift for your style-savvy teen, this watch is unlike anything we’ve seen before. So much so, it proved to be a real conversation starter among my teen and her friends.

The Fossil watch ring features a dainty round watch face encased in ceramic, with a unique, flexible band that’s designed to be worn just like a ring.

My tester loved the bold and bright colour options, particularly the combination of gold and jade green, which added a pop of colour to her otherwise dark winter outfit.

With a simple watch face, she loved how easily she could check the time when doing her homework. Unlike a smartwatch, there were no tempting notifications to draw her back to her phone.