My oldest Niece (who also lives 2 states away) is turning 16 in a week and I'm trying to determine what would be the best gift? She's very smart, loves to read and loves animals.
I had thought about sending her money or a gift card but what would be a good amount? We are very close so I want to be sure to provide her with a wonderful gift!
How about horseback riding gift certificate, or lessons, if affordable. Gift certificate to major bookstores (Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc.), movie tickets, play or ballet tickets, gift certificate to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc. Tickets to football or basketball games, etc.
Maybe a pandora bracelet?
O.K....a young lady's I6th birthday is a BIG deal! Anyone can give a gift card/money, and she'll probably get plenty of that. Since you two are close, why not give her something she will treasure and perhaps give to her own children someday...along with the story of her favorite aunt who gave it to her? I have a good friend, who for her neice's 18th birthday, had a simple ring made from a single diamond she'd inherited from her grandmother, by taking her broken gold to a jewler (along with the diamond) to a jeweler and designing it there in the shop. It was not as expensive as you'd think and it will be a lovely family story for her neice to share with generations to come. I'm a little sentimental, and that's just me, but it seems that she's acheived an age where enough maturity can be assumed that she'd have an appreciation for something like that.
Forget a gift, they want their own money to use as they like.. There may be a trip, and outfit or if she is like our daughter a set of books she is collecting for.. If you do send her a check, send her a Visa Gift card..
$75. to $100. is what most of our family gave our daughter when she turned 16.. She also was very studious, and is still addicted to books and books on CD..
Depending on how much you are willing to spend, find out if she has an iPod and get a gift card to purchase book downloads. You could also talk with your extended family and consider chipping-in on a Kindle (or something similar)
My dd is 16..and any gift of money, cards for her fave stores, personalized useful/meaningful things that will last (mine is an artist so she got some monogrammed art cases for her expensive pencils, etc)...or electronics seem to be all she wanted.
Double check with her family tho on the electronics..what she already has, what she has asked for (the book reader idea is great..I have a Sony book reader and I love it..altho my dd who is a book kid too dislikes the idea of electronic books..she calls it cheating..even tho she is techy in every other way!!! She loves being surrounded by books and their lovely spines!).
My daughter got a new phone for her birthday (from us)...we have Sprint, so she got an EVO 4G...
Have fun shopping!
Visa gift card - nice can be used anywhere
If she likes to read - Barnes & Noble gift card, or purchase a book and put gift card in it. Book light, book mark, etc. (I have a teenage daughter who loved this when she received)
Movie Package - DVD she might like, microwave popcorn, movie candy and try to get gift certificate from theater in her area and a little cash :o)
I also am a distributor for Allura Gems and Y-Not Sparkle handbags. If you find that this is something she would be interested in I would be happy to give you a 25% discount - just mention "I have a 16th Birthday" and I'll discount for you.
My websites are: (Allura Designs) www.snowflakegems.com
and (Y-Not Sparkle Handbags) www.y-notsparkle.webs.com
C.
I would ask her parents to get an idea of what she likes/wants. What are her hobbies, is she into sports at school, etc.
Sweet 16 is a huge bday. My daughter will be 16 in late December.
If she is getting a car, I might get something car related for her.
My daughter loves cash/gift cards. She buys her olwn clothes and accessories. She has one of the new IPhones and she loves to switch out the protective cover on occasion.
What type of things does she like? My daughter has a really nice bracelet and necklace byt Juicy Couture. LOVES them as well as some of the Juicy and Coach bags.
If I didn't know which route to take, I would be extra generous with cash or one of the Visa gift cards she can use anywhere.
How about a ring or earrings with her birthstone? Also, a nice keychain with her initials engraved would be nice for 16.
id start getting her savings bonds-50.00 costs you 25.00-for all bdays an holidaze-start up a nest egg for her-my exinlaws did that for my kids from birth to 20 yrs.they were able to buy a car,and do so much more-then add a 50.00 gift card,
I always give a gift card to a gas station for 16th birthdays.
Well ask her mom about the things that she likes. And then decide how much something like that would cost and then get her a pre paid visa so she can spend it where ever she likes. Believe me, I raised a bunch of teens and that was always there favorite gift besides cash....or you can just buy her a car!!!!!
Will she be driving her own car? Perhaps a funny book about driving or a very nice personalized keychain. Maybe an adaptor or whatever she needs for her car to listen to her ipod (if she already has one). I like Krista's idea to get her one.
If not - then maybe a high-end stylish purse. At 16, I wasn't able to buy myself a nice purse for $50 or more at the mall. I went to Target and spent no more than $10. Always wanted a nice leather purse that made me feel 'adult.'
A subscription to a magazine - "Seventeen" maybe? Ask parents permission perhaps if you think they may not approve.
---update --- someone mentioned Pandora. GREAT idea. Very high-class and you can give her a bead every year for her birthday. The first blank bracelet is $50 and most silver beads are $25 each. I have a Pandora bracelet and love it. There are lots of beads and she can make a wish-list online and email you her favorite beads for her subsequent birthdays and christmases.
I would say either cash, a gift card, or a little blue box from Tiffany's (it's the blue box, there's just something so iconically "special" and "grown up").
Regardless, I'd say about $100.
Do you know if she's getting a car from her parents? If she is, or if she's recently gotten one, maybe you can make a care package to go along with it--seat covers, air freshener, key chain, cell phone adapter (or a hands-free phone system), music, gas gift card, window tint gift card, fix-a-flat, flashlight, mace...
If you send her a gift card or cash, the amount is really up to you (and your budget). Sweet 16 is a special birthday, so I'd send a little extra if you can afford it.
