24 Best Christmas Gifts for Teens They'll Actually Use

A winter-specific Christmas gift that makes sense for a teen who walks to school or waits at a cold bus stop. The speakers sit inside a regular-looking beanie, so music and calls come with warm ears and no earbuds falling out. It pulls apart for washing, which matters for anything a teenager wears daily.

The safest Christmas gift for almost any teen. Earbuds get lost, borrowed and sat on constantly, so a fresh pair is always welcome, and Skullcandy is a brand teens actually want to be seen wearing. At around $30, losing one on the school bus is not a disaster, and 20 hours of battery covers a week of commutes.

Small enough for a hoodie pocket, loud enough for friends hanging out in the bedroom over winter break. The JBL Go 4 is waterproof, so it survives the shower playlist and next summer's pool days, and the built-in loop clips onto a backpack. A step up from cheap no-name speakers that teens notice immediately.

For the teen who loses their keys, wallet or AirPods case weekly, and the parent who is tired of hearing about it. Four tags cover a backpack, keys, wallet and sports bag, and the louder chime makes them easy to find under a pile of laundry. iPhone only, so check before you buy.

If there is a Switch in the house and Mario Kart is not on it, this is an easy win. It is the game that gets cousins, siblings and friends playing together over the holidays, with four-player split screen on a single console. Check whether they already own it digitally before wrapping.

The upgrade every teen gamer wants once they start playing online with friends. The Cloud III is famously comfortable for long sessions, the mic makes them easy to hear on voice chat, and the three included connectors mean it works whether they game on a PC, PlayStation or Xbox.

A fun, inexpensive upgrade for a teen who games or does homework on a desktop PC. The rainbow backlighting looks great in a dark room and the keys have a satisfying mechanical-style feel, though it is not a true switch-based mechanical board. At about $16 it is an easy add-on to a bigger gaming gift.

The UNO edition teens actually play. Wild Draw 10s and stacking penalties make every game loud and chaotic, which is exactly why it went viral. A perfect stocking stuffer that will come out at every family gathering over the holidays.

A party game that teens and adults both love playing together, which makes it a smart Christmas pick for families. Games take about 15 minutes, the rules fit in a sentence, and the clue-giving gets competitive fast. It is also a favorite for sleepovers and New Year's Eve hangouts.

Retro is huge with teens right now, and Tamagotchis are back on keychains and backpacks everywhere. This original version is a fun, low-cost stocking stuffer, especially for a teen who loves vintage trends. Fair warning: they will need to remember to feed it.

The perfect place for all those Instax and Polaroid prints. The macrame and fairy lights give a bedroom or dorm a cozy, boho feel, and the timer turns the lights off automatically after six hours. Pair it with either instant camera for a gift that comes as a set.

Teens take hundreds of photos on their phones and print none of them. The Instax Mini Link 3 changes that: pick a picture from the camera roll, edit it in the app and a credit-card-size print pops out. It is perfect for decorating a bedroom wall, making gifts for friends or filling the photo display below. Add a pack of film to the box.

For the teen who wants the real retro-camera experience rather than printing from a phone. The Polaroid Go is small enough to bring to every holiday party, the selfie mirror is perfect for friend photos, and the classic square prints have a look phone pictures cannot copy. The bundle includes film, so it works straight out of the wrapping.

For the teen who makes TikToks, does their makeup in front of a mirror or takes online classes from a dark bedroom. The ring light gives soft, even lighting at the press of a button, and the tripod holds the phone steady for filming. It is a gift that gets used every day.

A cheap and cheerful way to give a teen's room that golden-hour glow they see all over social media. Point it at a wall for selfies or set it to a soft color for winding down at night. An easy under-$20 gift that feels on trend.

An easy introduction to a skincare routine for a teen who is starting to care about it. e.l.f. is affordable, gentle and popular with teens, and the mini sizes let them test a routine before committing to full bottles. It also fits perfectly in a stocking.

Easily one of the most requested teen stocking stuffers of the past few years. Laneige's lip mask goes on at night and fixes chapped winter lips by morning, and the little pot sits on every trendy nightstand. If you are unsure which flavor, the original berry is the safe bet.

Sol de Janeiro is a status brand for teens, and Cheirosa 62 is its most famous scent. The mist is lighter than perfume, so it is fine for school, and the warm vanilla-caramel smell is the one everyone asks about. A great gift for a teen just starting to wear fragrance.

A blowout without the salon. Teens love the One-Step for getting smooth, bouncy hair before school without juggling a dryer and round brush. This Plus version has a smaller barrel suited to chin-length to shoulder-length hair; for very long hair, the original larger barrel is the better fit.

Skincare fridges are a big trend on teen vanities, and this one is just as useful for keeping a couple of drinks cold during late-night study sessions. The 4-liter size fits on a desk, and the warming mode is handy for keeping a snack warm in the car. A fun big-box gift to unwrap.

The water bottle every teen wants on their desk, in their car and at practice. The Stanley Quencher has become a status accessory, and teens care about the color, so peek at their style before choosing one. It keeps drinks icy through a full school day, and the straw lid is far less spill-prone than older designs.

For the teen who treats their sneakers like trophies. Jason Markk is the brand sneaker fans trust, and this kit cleans winter salt and mud off everything from white leather to knit uppers. It is a thoughtful, under-$20 gift that shows you noticed what they care about.

A genuinely useful gift for a high school student juggling classes. Notes get scanned into Google Drive with the app, so nothing is lost when the notebook is left in a locker, and the pages wipe clean for next semester. It is a sneaky practical gift that still feels cool.

The gift they will put on the moment it is unwrapped on Christmas morning and wear for the rest of the break. Oversized hoodie blankets are a teen staple for gaming, studying and movie nights, and this one's sherpa lining is seriously warm. One size fits nearly everyone, so there is no guessing.