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Let’s be honest, today’s trend-focused teens can be hard to please. Sure, well-intended gifters can play it safe and go the gift card route but, in addition to these cards being decidedly boring to receive, they’re also easily lost and often forgotten. Some teens even trade them with friends for cash of lesser value, which is certainly not the desired result for the gift-giver. This year, take heed…it’s easier than you think to give the teen or tween in your life something “cool” and on-trend that will elicit their elusive accolades. Here are a few great ideas.

Alpinestars Jetlag Sound Disk Beanie (www.Alpinestars.com) – $44.95
In collaboration with Aerial 7, the Alpinestars Sound Series is the integration of sound and sport through the combination of advanced technology with stylish, on-point apparel. For example, the company’s Jetlag Sound Disk Beanie features built in earbuds making it a fashion-forward way to keep the head warm and still be able to listen to high quality music output. Alpinestars Jetlag Sound Disk Beanie is designed to offer a perfect knit hat fit that also boasts adjustable speaker placement. In fact, the removable ultra-slim sound disk speakers are designed for comfort without sacrificing the music experience. This Beanie, available in blue and burgundy, also features a built-in microphone for use with iPhone or Blackberry. Alpinestars has outfitted countless world champions past and present and produces the highest level of performance and protective footwear and apparel. This boss beanie is case in point.

Nemesis Leather Cuff Watches (www.Overstock.com) – $46 – $52
Keep your teen on time and on trend with a leather cuff watch, which is are all the rage right now. These timepieces make an edgy fashion statement and are practical to boot. Whether dressed up or down, a cuff watch can be that statement jewelry piece that commands all of the attention. Overstock.com carries many leather cuff watch designs but one of my favorites suitable for teens is the Nemesis Men’s Brown Roman Numerals Watch with Brown Leather Cuff Band. This watch features a brown background with silver dials while a 1.5″ wide brown leather strap and steel alloy case finish this trendy timepiece. Movement is Japanese quartz and water resistance is 10 ATM/100 meters/330 feet. For gals, I love the somewhat similar Nemesis Women’s Trendy Oversized Brown Leather Watch. With its brown leather cuff and contemporary Arabic numerals, this timepiece will add modern style to any outfit. The polished alloy case gives this watch added shine and durability. Like the men’s watch, movement is Japanese quartz and water resistance is 10 ATM/100 meters/330 feet.

Photo Ownership/Copyright Credit: Overstock.com

Seventeen Magazine Fashions (www.Sears.com) – Up to $50
Teen and tween girls will simply love fashions from Seventeen Magazine’s collection that’s available at Sears—perfect pieces for those girls wanting to warm up with the hottest styles. The line is bursting with stylish and playful looks, including super-cute sweaters and funky footwear well-suited for the holiday season. Being a premier teen style authority for the past 70 years, Seventeen’s holiday collection is sure to satisfy any trendy girl’s wish list as well as the gifter’s budget, since each piece retails for $50 or less. From stylish surprises to stocking stuffers, the full holiday collection includes apparel, accessories, footwear, handbags, and jewelry girls can easily wear from the early months of fall straight into the holiday season and beyond.

Big Feet Pajamas (www.BigFeetPJs.com) – $16-$50
Footed PJs have made a comeback in recent years and no company does it better than Big Feet Pajamas—a trusted brand with over 340,000 Facebook Fans. This company’s flannel onesies for teens and adults, alike, are made of 100% cotton flannel and are double-brushed for added softness and comfort. These pajamas button up the front and have non-slip soles. They even have a fun, drop-seat option! Also available are uber-soft fleece footed pajamas that are made of 100% micro-polar fleece that’s durable enough to last until the teen outgrows them. The fleece fabric this company uses is said to be higher quality than other fleece pajamas and will not pill when taken out of the dryer, so they’ll always look and feel great. These pajamas also button up the front and have non-slip soles, and are available with or without the drop seat. Both flannel and fleece are available in nine colors and fun prints.

CanvasPop Canvas Prints (www.CanvasPop.com) – Starting at $30
Have a photograph or cool graphic image that would make fantastic canvas wall art? Here’s the perfect solution: CanvasPop. You can print any photo or picture onto canvas, even turning tiny Instagram, Facebook and iPhone photos into big, bold and beautiful wall art. CanvasPop is a quick and easy way to get photos off of a device and onto your teen’s walls. CanvasPop uses the highest quality materials and every print is hand-crafted in the USA. It always arrives ready to hang—the package even includes the nail! CanvasPop was reportedly the first company to print Instagram photos as canvas prints, and utilizes their proprietary technology to ensure even small, low-resolution images can be a stunning décor addition. You can even work one-on-one with a personal designer from the company to ensure your print is perfect. CanvasPop also offers a 100% lifetime guarantee on its products.

Selfie, The Game of Silly Expressions (www.USAopoly.com) – $14.95
What does your Selfie Say? Find out with Selfie–The Game of Silly Expressions. Draw a card, take a selfie, then watch as your friends and family guess your expression. The favorite guess gets a point and the player with the most points at the end wins. Make a silly face and SAY CHEESE because today is the day to play and share with #theselfiegame. This 4-player game is great for parties, sleep-overs and get-togethers with friends for ages 13 years and up. A 20-minute quick play time means there’s always time for a Selfie!

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost and/or arranged to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way as per the disclosure policy on our “Legal” page***