Best gifts for teens 2025: Gadgets, food and clothing to buy them for Christmas

A teen without a hoodie is like a tortoise without a shell. Team GQ have found Abercrombie’s SoftAF model to be universally appealing.

Gift cards are not always cop outs. Not when they’re the difference between buying something that’ll live in their drawer with the tags on and something they’ll wear to rags, at least.

Bed rotting done upright somehow feels less rotten.

Filters, mode selection and self-timer are the main tweaks on what has been, since its inception, the perfect camera gift.

AirPods falling out of their ears willy nilly? Sick of replacing the stupid cordless things? Good news: fashion is swinging back towards over-ear headphones.

If your teen hasn’t yet owned a pair, get them started with the classic black — or branch out in colour and design if you’re expanding their collection.

Who knows. Maybe GTA 6 will come out before they turn 21.

House of Sunny makes very fun jumpers, but its simple, retro takes are much safer bets.

Give them their name on a golden chain and the power to embody the sticky sweet style of the 1990s.

A transformative makeup tool that becomes imperative in the dark mornings of winter.

Papier, my favourite stationer, meets Damson Madder, one of the coolest fashion brands to come out of the past five years.

Loop ear plugs have seen team GQ through some of the loudest events of the year (British GP, MBV concert)… its Swarovski line is absolutely splendid.

An exciting build consisting of 526 pieces, all of which come together to create a rotating, “orbiting” model of the Earth and our Sun.

Our in-house sneakerhead Adam Cheung’s pick of the one “sneaker that everyone should own”.

For movie nights sans TV and dance parties while they get ready, they might need something with a little more oomph than their laptop.

It may be £40 but Casio’s vintage retro A168WA-1YES watch is still one of our — and horological experts’ — favourites.

One of several present ideas racking up millions of views on TikTok, the animal-centric ring dish is ever-growing in popularity.

Gen-Z and younger have done away with ankle socks so thoroughly that it’s unlikely they’ll ever recover. When you look at beauties like these, you won’t be able to deny that the kids were right about this one.

There are so many zodiac-themed gifts that we could make a separate guide just for them. In place of that, here’s one of the best: Eleanor Bowmer’s outrageously beautiful retro zodiac mug, available in all twelve star signs.

An excellent moisturiser for dry skin, Bubble’s affordable “Slam Dunk” is formulated to protect from the effects of blue light damage as well as to quench the face.

The tent-like ‘Oodie’ may be this brand’s identity, but the onesie version of its fleece ‘n’ sherpa formula is bound to be its next best-selling runaway success.

There’s no getting away from the fact that if your teen is a gamer and/or is addicted to their phone, it’ll be a real battle to cut down their screen-time. One thing you can do? Make them more comfortable with one of these highly-coveted “Boo” pillows.

As far as I can see (and on the subject of adolescents, that’s admittedly not very far), unusual animals are still very much du jour. Gage Beasley has a truly superlative collection.

Disney Plus doesn’t only screen Elemental and The Little Mermaid — though there are those classics in spades. In fact, this streaming service is competing with the Nows and Netflixes of the world with a slate of films and telly they’ll be desperate to watch.

A present that says, “I shan’t be queuing behind thousands of fans in an online gladiator battle, but I will give you the money to do it yourself”.

If they’re going to be doing skincare (and if you want my two cents, I think that’s fine past age 15) then make sure it’s something targeted at their age group.

Sick to the back teeth of digital, or at least so saturated with it that more analogue alternatives are suddenly looking rosy, teens are making the big screen a priority over the little one once again.

Once, bubble tea was the liquid of choice for adolescents. Now it’s matcha.

Cutter & Squidge can make one hell of a cake. Or, as in the case of this biskie selection box, six hell of a cakes. A biskie is a special Cutter & Squidge invention combining cookies and buttercream

The magic of chocolate might not extend to the Harry Potter animism of, say, chocolate frogs, but a “newspaper” full of Belgian chocolate “fish and chips” does still inspire joy and whimsy.

Does what it says on the tin: immortalise their favourite tune in glass via this Not On The Highstreet vendor.

We love these cookies at GQ HQ — and you can get them personalised via Selfridges!

Set to be the next über-viral Adidas sneaker, the Campus is straight outta 2004 and set for immediate wear with wide-leg jeans and an oversized hoodie.

The White Fox Boutique’s sweatpants and hoodies always have the goods: this one in eight-ball/cherry print is primed to be one of the most popular of the season.

Papier’s hardback tomes offer up to 100 glossy pages on which you can place photos of their most treasured memories. Ideal for landmark birthdays such as 16th or 18ths.

A reusable bottle made from ocean waste, now in bespoke format courtesy of one of my top gifting destinations of all time: Not Another Bill.

A more grown-up version of the sticker, Papier’s beech wood and rubber stamp set allows for the very serious business of personalising one’s notes.

It’s an undeniably luxurious gift for a young adult, but a silk pillowcase is also a hair and skin-saving beauty grail that puts off having to buy them makeup for at least another year.

Like every eau de parfum, Gen-Z makeup brand Glossier’s production, You, smells different on everyone who wears it. There’s something about this, though, that has teens clamouring for a bottle.

There’s rarely a grey area between organised and chaotic, particularly during adolescence, so if your offspring falls into the former category then something like this ultimate makeup organiser from Stackers ought to hit the mark.

For if the teen in question is more of a Rory Gilmore than a Serena van der Woodsen.

Named Collective’s cybersigilism tracksuits have a lot of hype around them. What you may not know is that that hype is justified: these separates are of spectacularly high quality.

For when the urge to plaster their walls in posters and magazine cut-outs turns to coveting framed pieces.

Rains, of waterproofed outerwear fame, is making a very convincing case for PU as preferable to leather with this sleek wash bag.

Combining the cosiness of lounge products with an anxiety treatment, weighted blankets have been proven to give a sense of security to those who can suffer with nerves.

A thorough — and thoroughly researched — jaunt through the history of vinyl record covers and their artworks.

One of the most affordable consoles on the market right now, the Xbox Series S doesn’t sell out as quickly and still does everything any other Xbox would — just not in 4K.

Some living cells short of a real tank full of jellyfish, this atmospheric lamp brings a bloom of jellies right into their bedroom.

The form-fitting running jacket is to 2020s working out what midweight hoodies were to the 1980s. This one by Tala is the best gym piece I own.

Will the classic Dr Marten 1460 boot ever go out of fashion? Perhaps, but it’ll be no time soon.

Got a teen on the beauty side of TikTok? Chances are they’ve heard of — and want — the hair masque by Coco & Eve.

Almost two decades into the existence of the iPhone and people are only just beginning to realise that the front-facing camera doesn’t quite hack it as a mirror… you (or at least they) will want a mirrored phone case for that.