2022 Gift Guide: Teens, In-Laws and Teachers

Who’s left on your holiday shopping list? There are always a few people who are tough to buy for, and you told us the giftees stumping you the most are teens, in-laws, grandparents, and teachers. So, here are a bunch of of ideas, most of which are under $30…

TEENS AND TWEENS:

Teens are famously hard to shop for (so many strong opinions! so many ways to flub it!), so we texted five cool kids to get the inside scoop. “Gift cards to coffee shops in their college town,” 19-year-old Abby suggested. “And I love Drunk Elephant’s cleanser and this vegan milk cleanser.” Meanwhile, 14-year-old Leon shared his own wishlist: “, a cheese danish, and some radical survival stuff.” If all else fails? Get a yoyo. Everyone from my nine-year-old kid to my 71-year-old dad immediately wants to “rock the baby” and “walk the dog.”

TEACHERS:

‘Teachers make the world go round’ is an understatement. (Case in point: Anton’s teacher brought a drum pad into the classroom break area because, as she told him, “drummers gotta drum.”) Share your appreciation with thank you notes or kids’ drawings, says a teacher named Kristyn: “I pin them behind my desk to cheer me on tough days and remind me why I love my job.” Also, “emailing our bosses to share an anecdote about something we did for your child is THE BEST,” adds Whitney. Keep in mind, “Teachers have allllll the mugs,” says Katie, but kids themselves can do no wrong, says Sarah: “A leaf your child found will bring me to tears every time.”

IN-LAWS/GRANDPARENTS:

For the in-laws, food gifts are always a solid choice — like Greek olive oil or the most delicious cookies we had all year. If you have little dudes, treat their grandparents to a neckwarmer or for sledding dates. And if your parents/in-laws/grandparents are addicted to true crime podcasts or The White Lotus, give them this murder mystery book to solve. Finally, a donation to help folks thrive is always a beautiful thing.

Thoughts? Are these helpful? Any other stumpers on your list?

P.S. Last year’s hard-to-shop-for guide, and the complete 2022 Cup of Jo gift guide!

(Top photo from Never Have I Ever.)

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