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Hey Parents, Stop Before You Shop: Here’s How to Avoid Holiday Teen Gift Faux Pas
by: ARA
(ARA) - As the holidays go by year after year, trendy gifts come and go. A few years ago we witnessed the truly engaging battery-operated, wall-mounted singing fish. Rewind to the decade prior and we find the puzzling Rubik’s Cube, as well as a dozen theory books on how to solve it. But holiday seasons throughout time have shared one common truth. It’s a constant struggle to find that perfect gift for teens, especially one that adults can feel good about.

This should come as no surprise. Most parents and grandparents, not having been constantly glued to MTV or regular cruisers of the local high school’s hallways, feel hopelessly out-of-touch with what’s cool for teens this and every holiday season. In addition, teens have high demands and a fickle sense of style, making it hard for even the hippest parents to stay on top of the latest trends.

Still, according to published reports, the National Retail Federation is expecting the best holiday sales in four years in 2003 with an expected 5.7 percent spending increase over the previous holiday season. So the question remains: will adult shoppers be in touch with the cool barometer for teens?

To clear the air and avoid perplexing shopping situations, here are a few fundamentals that teenagers tend to look for in gifts. These factors hold steady for technology, fashion, games and most any kind of teen gift.

* Coolness -- Teens want the latest, greatest thing out there. It has to be pleasing to the eye and in tune with what’s fashionable these days.

* Customizable -- While teens usually want what everyone else has, they also want to be able to put their own twist or stamp on it for self-expression.

* Multi-functional -- The more ways to use it and still look cool, the better; in social capacities, for entertainment, for organization or for school.

There are guidelines that savvy gift-buyers can follow to make this holiday season fun and functional for teens. These tips revolve around ways to ensure you hit the hot buttons for teens this season.

First, stick to fashion seen in today’s teen magazines and on TV. Editors and on-air personalities with these outlets are usually trustworthy when it comes to what’s cool to the younger crew. They often publish or broadcast on-air gift guides a month or so before the holidays.

Secondly, the latest technology provides a sure bet for coolness. When it comes to technology, consider a product that delivers what kids crave in terms of speed, coolness and fun, while also delivering what parents crave in terms of longevity and educational value. A product like a graphing handheld from Texas Instruments, such as the TI-83 Plus Silver Edition and compatible TI Keyboard, fulfills this multi-faceted requirement both in and out of the classroom. From a long-term investment standpoint, it can also be used throughout a teen’s educational career.

Third, in the wake of rising homeland security issues, today’s teens are developing a deeper sense of social responsibility. For teens in this category, a donation to a favorite charity in his or her name can be a welcome and heart-warming gift.

Furthermore, there are certain items that will likely never be cool gifts to teens. The following are prime examples of gift-giving faux pas often committed by unwitting parents and grandparents.

* Socks and underwear -- Never cool. Few teens are capable of opening this type of present without some degree of embarrassment, no matter how multifunctional or customizable they may seem.

* Footed or flannel pajamas -- While these might have made a comeback in some isolated species of teen in the Galapagos islands, footed PJs just aren’t what teens in North America want to show off to their friends. And, beyond being mildly entertaining to other family members, they don’t have any redeeming qualities from a functionality perspective.

* Portable cassette tape players -- Yikes. It’s hard enough to stay on top of the hottest music for teens without having to work with an outdated mode of playback.

And lastly, Santa made a list -- so should your teen. Identifying the scope of your holiday shopping smorgasbord ahead of time will shorten time spent in long lines at the mall and free up time for family and friends. It might also save some embarrassment for both you and your teen.

Graphing handhelds by TI are available at retail and office supply stores nationwide or on the Web at education.ti.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content


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 Holiday Planning Tips For Busy Moms
 by: Aurelia M. Williams

Ahhh, the Holidays…… The Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven golden brown, with an enticing aroma that fills the entire house. All the china is in pristine condition and not a single piece in the set is missing. The family is gathered for holiday pictures, the children are poised perfectly; hands to themselves, not a hair out of place and their smiles are shining brightly for the camera. Then just as the photographer is about to capture the shot… you wake up!

Let's be realistic ladies. Without proper planning, the holidays are anything but a holiday. Just look at the list of things that need to be done: Shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, sending holiday mail, the list goes on and on.

Let me clue you all in on a few key questions that you should ask yourself in order to have a holiday season free of stress and worry, and instead filled with fun and laughter:

What types of holiday celebrations do you want? For example: Do you want to have an immediate family only holiday affair or an extravaganza including immediate and extended family plus a few friends? Once you've thought everything through and decided on the type of holiday gathering you would like, you can then start making your plans.

If you are ready to get a head start on organizing yourself, your family and your holiday check lists, then keep reading:

Holiday Cards: Start early! I use a holiday card list that I derive from saving names and addresses from holiday cards my family has received in past years. I created a simple, computerized list that is easy to edit and print onto address labels. Be sure to stock up on stamps so that when you have your cards signed, stuffed and addressed you can affix a stamp to them and make one, simple trip to the Post Office.

Holiday Gifts: There's nothing like getting a HUGE credit card bill in the mail at the start of the New Year. Many of us tend to want to be generous when shopping for holiday gifts. While your generosity will be appreciated at gift giving time, keep in mind that it is very easy to succumb to "impulse buying" and go all out on your holiday shopping. While your intentions may be good, your pocketbook may be singing a different song. Set a budget and stick to it – your bank account will thank you for it after the start of the New Year.

Wrap it up: Wrap your gifts and place nametags on them immediately after you bring them home, then store the gifts in a secure spot. This will cut down on those late night wrapping sessions that I am sure we ALL have experienced a few times, if not every year.

Baking & cooking: If you will be cooking during the holidays, it is important to plan your meals ahead of time. Be sure to stock up ahead of time on all the necessary non-perishable baking ingredients such as flour, sugar and spices. Create a list of your holiday menus and a list of the ingredients you will need to prepare each of those meals. Also, try to think of a few dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and then frozen as an extra timesaving measure

Delegate: This is one of my favorite tips. Be sure to enlist the help of your family or friends. Sit down and discuss what needs to be done then ask for volunteers. If no hands are raised, simply assign small tasks to each of them. Whether it is arranging for a babysitter so that you can escape for a child free day of shopping, passing the shopping list onto another family member or friend so that they can pick up the items for you, or letting the children decorate your home. Be sure to get the whole family involved in the holiday preparations so that you will not be overwhelmed.

Enjoy: Whatever you decide to do, remember to relax and enjoy yourself. You and your family will have much fonder memories of this holiday season if you are not spending it pulling your hair out.


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