Does this sound familiar?...
"Dad?"
"Yes, Lyall"
"Can I have an iPhone for Christmas?"
"Erm unfortunately, lad we don't have a million pounds!"
"Nikes?"
"Still the same answer, babe."
Cue a five-minute sulk before Lyall's lured back to his normal (hormonal) self again with the help of a couple of Oreos, a fizzy drink and a Snapchat from his best mate Louie. Phew.
Here's our run down of our fave gifts for teenage boys!
From £30
Loop Lasso EVO is the latest craze. I say 'craze' from the point of view of a harassed 43 year old dad who's been pestered for a few months; ever since these nifty gadgets appeared on Tiktok. With a bit of practise, your kids will be performing amazing, gravity-defying tricks - fantastic for impressing/confusing the grandparents on Christmas day afternoon after a sherry.
£13.59 (Black Friday deal from Amazon)
I mean the blurb from Amazon might be hilariously dreadful... "Especially looks like a real 3D night light in the dark or take a photograph, the vision thrill will be strong!" however these 3D illusion lamps are actually quite impressive. I'm not sure you'd take a photograph as suggested however these nifty lamps come in various designs and will change colour via a neat little remote control.
Currently only £13.59 on Amazon - a stylish little stocking filler that your teenager will be proud to pop on their desk.
£69.99
The new version of the Razer Kishi mobile gaming controller essentially turns your kids' mobile phone into a fully-fledged gaming console. Its buttons are satisfyingly 'clicky' (according to Richard) and it has a universal fit so it'll basically fit any size of phone.
Its layout is very similar to Nintendo Switch controllers so it feels reassuringly familiar. Additionally, with third party apps your little gamers can stream games from their PC or games console to their phone - allowing for a genuine console experience at the fraction of the cost of a Switch or similar handheld console.
From £9.99
Our boys have been asking for a Cuban necklace for some time now - they're all the rage among year nines and tens this year, apparently.
While we're not too keen on our lads looking like they belong in a cartel off Breaking Bad, these Philip Jones necklaces are actually quite presentable and subtle. Also at around a tenner they're not too big an investment. They're stainless steel, available in various sizes and they come in a nice little pouch.
£34 (Black Friday deal on Amazon)
For older teenagers we recommend a wet/dry shaver as a great way to introduce a grown-up grooming routine. This Remington Style Series shaver is rechargeable and can be used in the shower or with shaving foam, or dry.
It works for 60 mins on a single charge and has an LED indicator to let your kids know if it needs a charge. It's easy to use with very little training required (believe me; we've been there with our Lyall) and currently it's reduced from £119 to £34 on Amazon, so get in there quick sticks!
From £12.99
We always like to use Christmas and birthdays as a way to renew the boys' school stuff. This ellesse backpack and pencil case combo offers very good value for money from £12.99 delivered.
For me (Daddy speaking) I love the nostalgia of ellesse and all these vintage sports brands that are coming back into fashion - heaven forbid I ever mention I used to wear ellesse trackies to the boys! Anyway, joking aside, these backpacks are hard-wearing and great quality - our boys' ellesse bags have lasted almost a whole year.
£39.99
To get the kids off their phones, this electronic basketball hoop is a great time-killer. It keeps score and will even cheer (possibly annoying but stick with me) each time it detects a ball going through the net.
It hangs over the top of your kids' bedroom door so they can play it from their bed or desk - plus the balls are lightweight and not too noisy so you can expect at least a few minutes' peace and quiet!
It's currently £39.99 from Amazon.
£39.99
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is this year's biggest video game. It's exclusive to the Nintendo Switch range. For us parents, it's basically an authentic, nostalgic throwback to the original Mario games of the 80s and 90s.
For the kids, it's an engaging and collaborative game, full of colour and fun challenges. Expect singing plants, water-shooting elephants and lots of fun. Also, if you have two kids like us, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a great two-player gift to share.
That's it for now! PS I must mention, some of the links within this blog post are 'affiliate' links which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase via the links on this page. Gotta make money somehow, eh? Have fun shopping x