Top gift cards for teens this holiday season

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Teenagers are, like any age group, a diverse group with a variety of interests and opinions. However, they all agree on one thing – gift cards make great gifts.

As is developmentally appropriate, they like to have some control and they can be a bit fickle. Those are just a few of the reasons they love gift cards. They’re easy to get and wrap, and many can be sent by email, making them great options for last minute shopping. But the big question remains: a gift card to what store?

Here are the top gift cards for teens this holiday season according to my informal survey of a variety of adolescents:

Coffee Shops, either Starbucks or Dunkin’

This was at the top of the list for the teens I asked. In our area, Starbucks is a popular location to study and to just hang out with friends. Dunkin’ is known as a more efficient and economical option that’s a popular stop on the way to school. You can’t go wrong.

If you’re playing Santa to multiple people, I love this pack of four gift cards to Starbucks, each worth $10.

Target

Hit the bullseye with a gift card to Target, which was also listed a top get by most teens. The store has something for everyone, and teens enjoy wandering. My daughter says it is a destination and going there is an event.

Amazon gift cards

Amazon is a prime gift card to get. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) One of my teen’s friends said Amazon is her favorite because she purchases gift cards to other stores from Amazon, and occasionally finds them on sale, giving her more purchasing power. I think the holiday pop-up box or snowman gift tin options make for a fun presentation.

Visa gift cards

Teens said they love that they can use Visa gift cards pretty much anywhere.

Clothing

American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, and Pac Sun have clothing for males and females, so these trendy stores works for most kids.

Movie Theater gift card

Movie theater gift cards are particularly good at the holidays because kids are out of school and have time to see movies. Find out what theater is nearest to your teen gift recipient, such as AMC or Regal, and get a gift card to there.

If you’re looking to connect with them and you’re far away, ask them to let you know what movie they use it to see and if they would share their thoughts on it with you via text.

Food gift cards

Teens love to eat. Go with that and get them a gift card to a favorite place. Chipotle is a pretty safe bet. If you have a teen who will likely be up for watching some college football bowl games over winter break, go with Buffalo Wild Wings.

Prior Post: Tips for making the most of Christkindlmarkets in the Midwest

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