Ideas for Birthday Gift for My 12 Year Old Niece

Spend quailty time with her.....first take her to lunch, then take her to her favorite store and let her pick out something she wants.....

It depends on the girl and how much you want to spend. Would she love a day of pampering with a friend? or go for manicures, movie gift cert?

If she likes to read (or perhaps this would encourage her to like reading), I would ask her or her mom for a list of books she would like to have.

Check out Puzzle Island...interesting book that requires unjumbling names of animals and finding their pictures hidden in the complex illustrations on each page. There's more decoding to the story, as well. www.toysofdiscovery.com

The thing that 12 year olds are into the most is hanging out with their friends. Keeping that in mind, why not get her a gift certificate she can share with a friend? Perhaps a movie for two with popcorn type gift certificate. A few cute movies are coming out that are appropriate for her age group. I think she will really appreciate that and you'll be the "cool" aunt who "gets it" about the importance of friends. Best wishes, N.

if she has an ipod or mp3 player then a itunes gift certificate is fun, appreciated, and will make a hit.
I have 2 kids son 15 years old and daughter 10 years old. When they get this they have smiles on for a very long time.

A day of adventure with her aunt she'll never forget!
Skiing,kayaking, or horseback riding,
Jewelry-making or a pottery class
whatever she would like to try.....
I think there's time before you hook her into the hair and makeup bit...
whatever it is, leave your kids home if you can.
enjoy time while you can...so many girls shut you out in the teen years.

Being a single parent of two, grandmother of three beautiful boys & aunt of quite a few nephews & nieces I've learned presentation matters. Have you considered folding 12 single dollar bills, each one, into a fan & either tape them to the outside of a birthday card or attaching them to 12 balloons? Your niece will not be the only one impressed. Another thought, I write poetry & happen to be a multi award winning poet as well, what I did for my oldest grandson was create a very colorful poem (with graphics to compliment his favorite cartoon character) each letter of his name had a 'quip' that rhymed with the next line. Titled "This Is ......'s Room". "Food for Thought". Hope I helped you.

gift cards to a store like target where they have lots of choices...also game stop if she like video, wii, ps games etc. lastly again a gift card for itunes or a movie theatre.
mom of a 14 yr , and 9 yr old girls

My daughter always loved the girls day out. Get a pedicure, go out to lunch and maybe catch a movie together. She looks forward to this every year and then gets to show off to her friends that she has the coolest aunt in town!!
I-Tune gift cards are a HUGE hit. She'll have them spent in no time!!

D., you have so many great responses already. My suggestion is to check out a local pottery place; they have great parties for that particular age group and they're not very expensive.

This is a tricky age because especially girls become very particular of what they like and do not like but most like to shop, I suggest a gift card so that she can go shopping and pick out her own brand, etc...it will make her feel very grown up and special.

Well, my 12 year old daughter right here suggests:

I-tunes gift card
Movie tickets
Gift card to her favorite store in the mall
Clothes
Money!!!
I-pod

Obviously some of these are more do-able than others!!! I think though if you give her an "experience" rather than a tangible thing you may be better off! These are more fun and more memorable!! :) good luck!

You could find out what some of her favorite books are and get her a couple of those. Or jewelery is always a big hit - a cute necklace or bracelet.

Hi My Niece is also 12 and loves to shop at Hollister. A gift card is usually what I go for but sometimes I pick through the sale items and get a shirt or sweater along with the gift card. Also if she likes the Jonas Brothers still, they are doing a 3D movie concert I think it comes out next week.

One of my best friends has a daughter who at 11 and 12 wanted nothing to do with her own mother, but loved spending time with me (I'm younger than her mom). So, for her birthday, Christmas, special events, etc I would take her shopping for an outfit to wear for the event and do lunch with her. She's going off to college in September and I am looking forward to a day of summer shopping to find some college-worthy attire! Olivia has always looked forward to these outtings.

If your niece is not local, then I would find a local spa and get her a gift certificate for mani/pedi for two! She can take her mom or a friend and will feel very adult!

A pretty necklace, a gift card for Border's/Starbucks/Itunes, or my personal favorite- a day out for manicures, pedicures, and lunch or tea! (My aunt took me to tea at the Ritz when I turned 13, and it is one of my most cherished memories of her!)

gift card at the local mall, you know those ones you can use in any store

I think a girls day out is the most memorable gift you can give. It can be a day of hair let her get a professional cut and blow dry, manicure, pedicure. Or take her to lunch and shopping to let her pick out her own gift. I can still remember my grandmother taking me out to lunch and a shopping spree when I became a teen it was a great day and I still remember it to this day. Good luck!