Find the Hottest New Holiday Gifts for Teens and College Students

But every year, there’s always that one family member or friend whose holiday wish list always stumps you. You know what they like, what they’re interested in, etc., but shopping for that person has always been a drag because you can never quite find the right thing.

If that person is a teenager, you’re in luck! Our Kinetic by Windstream team has put together a list of potential holiday gifts for teens and college students:

1. Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Apple officially started a trend when it unveiled its iPhone 7, devoid of a headphone jack. Since then, all succeeding iPhones have left off the jack, along with other brands, such as the Google Pixel 3. So, how are you supposed to jam to all your tunes? Wireless bluetooth headphones.

If your teen already has some that came along with whichever cellphone he or she currently has, upgrade them to ones with better sound quality, like the Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones or the more affordable JLab FitSport Earbuds. (A word of warning: a good set of headphones could make your teen tune out to his or her home surroundings even more.)

2. Gaming Systems

For the gamer teens, this is as a good a year as any to get a gaming system. Many brands have re-released throwback gaming systems, including Nintendo’s NES Classic and Sony’s Playstation Classic, that have built-in games.

But if you’re looking for something a little more recent, it’s probably safe to go with the most popular systems: the Xbox One X, Playstation 4 or the Nintendo Switch. Some stores may even run some Black Friday specials that include a gaming system, plus a popular video game.

3. New Games

If you didn’t already know, there’s a game taking teens by storm this year: Fortnite. Other promising video games that have come out recently include Marvel’s Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2 or the latest installment of the Call of Duty franchise. Try a hybrid online-board game with a Harry Potter Wizard Chess Set. (And remember that online gaming can eat up a lot of your bandwidth, so you may want to go gig with Kinetic Gig!)

Don’t forget the oldies but goodies that are popular gifts for teens, like Cards Against Humanity, Kan Jam, a cornhole set or other party games.

4. Accessories

Teens and college students love accessorizing, whether it’s themselves, their things or their rooms. Give them something this holiday season to spruce up their spaces, such as an LED Light Box Sign, on which they can display whatever they’re thinking or feeling. Other neat decor include a scratch-off movie bucket list poster or a scratch-off travel map. Or try out some funky art or even jewelry, like a pizza necklace.

5. Subscription Services

Teens are just starting to figure out their style and what types of products and brands they like. Subscription services — such as Stitch Fix, Birchbox or Harry’s Shave Club — can help them sort out what works for them.

And, there’s just about something for everyone. For your voracious readers, there’s Book of the Month Club. For fashionistas, Play by Sephora lets you sample the newest makeup products each month. For yoga enthusiasts, there’s Yogi Surprise.

If your kids are away at college and are trying to avoid that Freshman 15, check out food subscriptions like Plated, Freshly or Hello Fresh so they won’t have to worry about when they need to go to the store or what they need for dinner. And, if they haven’t already cut the cord, you can help them along with subscriptions to streaming services, including Netflix, HBO Go and Hulu.

6. The Latest Tech

We all know that teenagers can easily be wowed with the newest and hottest things, especially tech products. So, what are all the latest gadgets for teens?

Most things related to cellphones are likely candidates. If your teens are wrapped up in taking selfies, there’s the LuMee phone case, which emits front-facing LED lights to get that perfect shot, or cellphone camera lens attachments.

Polaroids are also making a comeback with the new Polaroid Instant Cameras, which includes a new viewfinder, a self-timer and a 60-day battery life.

And for your soon-to-be high school graduate or college student, ensure they’re prepared for home away from home with all the tech, including laptops, cellphones and chargers.

Now that you’ve found a few potential holiday gifts for teens and college students, remember that with all the tech in your teen’s life, you’ll need robust Internet — like Kinetic Gig — to keep pace. The speed and reliability of a gig connection will keep not only your teen, but also everyone in the household happy! See if your area is eligible for One-Gig speeds today.