Gotta have it
Stuck on what to wrap under the tree for your tween or teen this year? No fear, Muddy's here with 26 brilliant gift ideas.
Here at Muddy the talk of the office has been what to get those pesky tweens and teens for Christmas this year – they’re so notoriously difficult to buy for that sometimes it can feel like you’re shopping for another species (I speak from experience!).
Which is why I just had to share this awesome wall print I’ve discovered from Sanders on Oxford High Street. The shop specialises in antique prints and maps but if you have a root around in store and online there are actually some really cool pieces from contemporary print makers that’ll make for a really unusual gift and look striking framed or tacked up on your teens wall. Plus, you’re shopping local and supporting the high street which is always a massive bonus.
This Bright Young Thing print, above, is by London-based printmaker James Brown (FYI, he’s worked for GQ, the Guardian and exhibited at the V&A, so extra cool parent points).
Need more inspo? We have it, like, totally covered (with added hashtags and emojis), with our brilliant Muddy Christmas gift guide. Just add wrapping paper.
In a spin
Know a budding young rugby player? This genius ball, designed by a sports teacher, has a unique spiral design at each tip, so children and adults can see pass if they can send the ball accurately with a perfect spiral rotation. The red lines are for passing off the right hand and dark green lines are for passing off the left. Looks cool too.
From £14.99
sushi socks
OMG how cute are these?! This three-pack of novelty socks, from Anthropologie, are rolled up and packaged to mimic different types of sushi rolls, plus they look really cool and striking when unrolled.
£27
eco footprint
From cool sustainable brand All Birds, these Tree Trooper high tops are a great wardrobe staple for your eco-conscious teen. The shoes are made from naturally-drevied and renewable eucalyptus tree fibre, with a merino wool lining, meaning they're super lightweight and breathable, so no smelly socks. Result.
£115
social survival
Nights out can remain fabulous even in a crisis with a minimergency kit to solve your social snags. Contained in a cute pouch, you'll find 17 beauty personal care and style essentials including deodorant, earring backs, tampon, safety pins, needle and thread, emery board, stain remover and more. More useful than Bear Grylls with a pen knife.
£17.50
special silver
Anything from Lisa Angel is deemed cool (ask Topshop) and this gorgeous sterling silver necklace is bang on the personalisation trend. If they don't appreciate it now (do they like anything at the moment?) then it's the type of gift which will get rediscovered and treasured in years to come.
£46
keep it cool
These reusable stainless-steel water bottles from S'well feature stunning snaps taken from BBC Earth footage and keep their contents hot for 12 hours, or cold for 24. They're also the perfect size to slot into a school or gym bag. The bottles are sold exclusively at John Lewis, in-store and online.
£30
pocket printer
A reinvention of the Polaroid for the insta-age, the HP Sprocket is a mini, on the go printer which instantly prints photos direct from your phone or social media via an app. The printer doesn't need ink cartridges (it uses wizzy no-ink technology) and teens can customise their prints with borders and emojis. Warning: product may come with blu tack marks on the wall!
£119 (Black Friday deal £69)
Boots and all
These hiking boots are bang on trend and perfect for the style-conscious teen. They come with a zip fastening - so easy to get on and off - as well as adjustable lacing and buckle. There's also a set of black laces in the box, in case red is not your teen's colour.
£279
korean cuteness
Teen skin needs a lot of looking after and this unicorn-themed Konjac sponge will make daily cleansing that bit easier - and a lot cuter. Made of Konjac fibres and spring water, it comes with its own special hook for easy storage and suits even the most sensitive of skin.
£10.99
smart watch
The no brainer gift. The Apple Watch Series 5 has all the tech a teen could need - 18 hours of battery life, built-in speaker and Apple Music - plus it can send and receive calls and texts. It comes in a number of funky colours, styles and straps but we're mainlining this on-trend coral sport-strap.
£399
style statement
This statement 8-ball motif jumper, from British brand Temperley London, is the perfect gift for your fashion-conscious teen (hey, or yourself!). It's on the pricy side but it's made from 100% merino wool so you know it'll be top quality and stay super soft.
£280
breakfast of champs
This mini waffle maker from Urban Outfitters (extra cool points) is a great gift for older teens back from uni for Christmas. It's easy-clean with a non-stick coating, plus it's compact size is ideal for storing in messy student cupboards.
£22
Hoopla!
Full moon hoop earrings for cool teens with a conscience. They're not only beautiful, with hammered moons and freely hanging hoops, they're handcrafted using recycled sterling silver by designer-maker Josie Mitchell. Silver ear pin. Hoop in two sizes.
£45
NO STRINGS ATTATCHED
A much cheaper alternative to Apple's AirPods, these Bluetooth earphones look near identical but with the added bonus of coming in five funky colours. The nifty portable case also doubles up as the charger and the buds will last for 3 hours of music once fully charged. You can find them at quirky online store Skinnydip.
£35
the cult backpack
No doubt the unisex Kånken backpack, from Swedish brand Fjällräven, will be at the top of your teen's wish list. The cult bag comes in heaps of different colour-ways, plus it's super practical for school or uni with internal laptop pocket, removable seat cushion and durable Vinylon fabric. A dead cert.
£80
fresh faced
Designed with younger skin in mind, the new My Clarins range is also vegan-friendly, eco-conscious and contains no nasties. This handy set, worth £48, includes a full size moisturiser and cleaning milk, plus purifying gel and sleep mask - the perfect recipe for refreshed, hydrated and ready-for-school skin.
£33.15
check it out
For the cool kid, this 22" Pennyboard from the iconic Aussie brand is made with Penny Australia's secret plastic formula (it's built for 'maximum radness', can't argue with that), so should have no problem being knocked around the skate park. There are tons of different designs but we're betting this checkerboard graphic with blacked out wheels will impress.
£109
a christmas star
Sitting at 18 inches, this delicate Starlet Pendant gem necklace is the essential longer length necklace for stacking but also beautiful standalone by Alderminster-based Tara Osborne Jewellery, a double Muddy-award winner for Best Jewellery Store in Warwickshire. Matching earrings are £44 in silver and £50 in gold plate and would make a lovely luxe gift set for a teen.
£58
heads up
Padded, printed or studded with pearls - headbands have never been cooler which is why she'll love these spotted ones from Freckles Gifts. They come with a twist-knit design to give it an extra cool-girl edge and with the likes of Kate Middleton rocking the padded ones, don't be surprised if you're tempted to buy one for yourself too.
£12
Hood up
This Ralph Lauren colour block hoodie with POLO graphic on the hood is bright, bold, machine washable, plus it’ll earn you extra parent points for the designer label.
£149
wild thing
This hand screen printed canvas purse featuring Chase and Wonder’s ‘Wild Thing’ design makes the perfect stocking filler. Better still it's proudly made in Britain by a family run business supporting mental health. It's subtly stylish in a way that even the fussiest teens will love, but also a steal at the price.
£10
strike a light
How totally awesome is this bright neon yellow lightening bolt with industrial concrete base from Oliver Bonas? Cool and contemporary, no doubt it'll look wicked in any tween or teens bedroom (messy or otherwise).
£55
dippy eggs
How do you like you eggs in the morning? Served in a ceramic flamingo, of course! These hand-painted, vintage-style kitsch egg cups from quirky homewares brand Graham & Green are a great option for an unusual stocking filler and will make a lovely addition to the breakfast table. The cups also come in swan, toucan or turkey styles if you fancy the whole Aviary.
£21
cosy toes
Treat teen tootsies to a little TLC with these luxe 100% cashmere bed socks from The White Company, made by Scottish cashmere stalwarts Johnstons of Elgin in Scotland. Lots of colours to choose from but we're loving this simple ribbed pair with grey tipping at the top of the cuff.
£36
Wild and wooly
On the slopes or just out and about, this cable knit hat with furry pom pom from cool Amsterdam-based brand Barts will keep your teen groovily snug.
£26.99