<p>I actually didn’t address the central question, although I think an engraved Leatherman is the bee’s knees. I’ve bought one for each of my sons. </p>
<p>The other sure-fire winner for most boys are Legos, especially the theme kits. This worked for my kids up to age 13 or so, and they still each get a little Lego kit in their Christmas stockings. Other favorites include the other stuff listed here. TallSon was fond of getting Real Tools (not the plastic pretend stuff), and has a nice collection. I bought him an inexpensive 12V cordless driver/drill when he was about 11, and he was in heaven.</p>
<p>We started our kids on “real” tools fairly young. Gave them a basic tool box one year, and added to it every year. No power tools - just the standbys - hammer, screwdriver, pliers, assorted nails and screws. They worked on a tree house (I bought them a welcome mat, too) and other projects. S2 built a classy birdhouse one year. They enjoyed having their own tools. Then I thought I’d start it with a nephew as well (same age as S2) and his father had a fit that I gave tools to someone so young. (But he thought nothing of giving his kids 3-wheelers, which I wouldn’t let my kids ride. Funny, how different our ideas of “dangerous” are.)</p>
<p>My boys liked different things. S1 would be much more appreciative of books, and games. S2 wanted stuff to do - any sport, crafts. Had the loom, the rock tumbler, the metal detector…</p>
<p>In our house, musical instruments always went over well, too, hence the djembe idea (- great video, by the way). Everything from electronic keyboards to harmonicas (which my kids still like.)</p>
<p>As a former school board member–the blades are taken VERY seriously.</p>
<p>My son loved getting a tool box to take to college and says he’s used it quite a lot, though we are not very handy and have never taught him to be. This year, I got him a Harry Potter special edition DVD, a poetry book of Dylan Thomas and a Christmas CD of Los Straitjackets. The one with the frill-necked things is my cousin–we’re very proud of him!</p>
<p>Agree about boys being harder to buy for. One year I sent my nephew a large art set…I think it had pastels, dozens of colored pencils, and what-not, in a sturdy case. He liked that.</p>
<p>The 15-year-old would love a Leatherman (I had to google it to see what it was - we used to call them Swiss army knives). But he is incredibly absentminded, and it would go to school in his pocket, and I’m sure people at the school would be very upset. Too bad.</p>
<p>An alarm clock is a great idea for him. He took his old one apart and it no longer works. I also saw a thing called a Fiddlink that would be a good stocking stuffer.</p>
<p>Any suggestions for classic books for the older boy?</p>
<p>My son loved a book called “The Way Things Work” It explains how simple machines work in easy to understand language and with great pictures. We all love this book and every once and while, I get it out and leave it on the coffee table in the family room. It’s funny how it tweeks the interest of kids and adults alike. Ever have a child ask how the vaccum cleaner works? How about tv remote?
I bought my nephew “The Dangerous Book for Boys” by Hal Iggulden. In a world that seems to be fielding fewer and fewer scout troops, this book covers everything from making and flying paper airplanes, stone skipping, and making a pinhole projector, to making a great fort or tree house. I’m a big believer in getting boys out doors and because we’ve always enjoyed hiking and backpacking, we gave our son a pocket knife in the fourth grade. My H gave him “Jack knife lessons” and he was only allowed to carry it with our permission and NEVER to a friends house or to school. He also learned how to build a proper camp fire, and at 15 has not burned the house down yet!</p>
<p>There are some very cool harmless indoor remote control helicopters out…very small and lightweight. Get two on different channels and they can run obstacle courses at the same time with a friend… There are even ones that register “hits” from another helicopter so you can battle.</p>
<p>The board game RISK is very popular with boys these ages.</p>
<p>“Agree about boys being harder to buy for.”</p>
<p>Proof that the sexes will never be able to figure each other out. Come on, it’s easy! Gift for guys, from age 2 to 102, have to follow these simple rules:</p>
<p>Any gadget has to be either the kind you have to plug in, or can be used in an ahtletic competition, or can be used to fight off the zombies after Armegeddon (hence the leatherman is a great gift!) Or…</p>
<p>If it’s a book, movie, or anything else you want to get us so we can kill a few hours between the football games, it better include either aliens, rogue cops, or explosions. Preferably all three!</p>
<p>Getting a gift for a teen-age son is just like getting a gift for your husand, but our usually cost a little more (all of us men are just 5 year olds roving around in adult bodies. ut you all knew that already, didn’t ya?)</p>
<p>bulletandpima, You’d like these books. Check them out, but don’t TELL him tell him to read them. Just leave them around in places where boys hang out. It’s very interesting to observe.</p>
<p>That’s how I got my eldest S to start reading LORD OF THE RINGS. No rogue cops, but it had wizards and elves (close enough to aliens so it fit nicely into my Rule #2) :)</p>
<p>We probably have a mid-sized arsenal of weapons, aka pocket knives and leatherman multi-tools. The boys and the Dad think they are great, but never at school! They are avid campers, hikers and backpackers.</p>
<p>Depending on your climate, snowshoes are great. Nalgene bottles filled with something related to their favorite sport, golf tees, batting gloves, etc. work well for any age. Gift certificates to Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, REI, Target or i-tunes are appreciated.</p>
<p>My boys, ages 5-19, really like the wind-up lanterns and flashlights. Actually the H liked his too.</p>
<p>Baseball cards, a chess set, backgammon set, poker set, …</p>
<p>cool sunglasses, ball caps, maybe an inexpensive digital camera.
Last year my bro. gave my boys those huge “spotlight” flashlights that you plug into the wall and charge up. They thought it was a great gift. </p>
<p>My 17 year old is getting a pocketknife for Christmas. He knows he would be suspeneded for taking it in school. It will either stay at home or locked in the glove box of his truck.</p>
<p>FYI, packmom, I know a kid who got in trouble for having a knife in his vehicle at school because the parking lot was considered school property.</p>
<p>I think boys are incredibly easy to buy for. The OP didn’t want video stuff, but it’s always a hit. My boys’ presents: 15yo gets GHIII for PS2, a card game called Set, new hacky sack, Chicken Foot dominoes, crossword puzzle book; 12yo gets iPod home stereo dock thing, graphing calculator, Rubik’s cube, book on doing origami with dollar bills (he loves origami); and they’ll share a Pirates of the Caribbean video and a Sam’s-size package of chewing gum. Oh, and hubby and the boys are sharing that Planet Earth video set. Looks fabulous. And their stockings always have junk from the Target Dollar Store; this year has great stuff with The Office theme and those cheapie videos.</p>
<p>I’m on the hunt for a large megaphone for ds15, if anyone has any ideas. I also bought the SAT Blue Book, but that doesn’t sound like a fun gift so I’ll just give it to him at some point.</p>
<p>OH - just remembered one of the best silly/fun gifts for any boy: Airzooka. It shoots a very strong puff of air at a fairly significant distance. Great for sneaky yet harmless ninja attacks, epic battles, and a lot of experimentation. </p>
<p>These are pretty popular at college, too. And they come in a good range of colors, so you can give two (or more) to a family and the kids can tell them apart.</p>
<p>Not the easiest gift to find, but everyone I’ve ever played Jungle Speed with has loved it, both male and female. It’s a card game that I’ve been told is similar to spoons, although I’ve never played that, it’s fun and different each time you play. The one warning with this is that if you have a group that really gets into it people can end up cutting open fingers, get dragged across tables, or wrestling on the floor. The company also makes the above mentioned Set, which is also a fun one, as well as a game called Werewolves of Millers Hollow, a card game that’s pretty much like Mafia, but it has some more interesting characters. I would recommend all three for boys because in some ways they are stimulating to the mind and they’re just plain fun to play. All three were really popular at a convention that I went to last year, although I think Jungle Speed is the most fun out of the three because there is a bit of a physical element to it.</p>
<p>The best deal I’ve found on Jungle Speed was on Ebay with a buy it now offer. You might also check Amazon. The merchants who sell set don’t seem to sell Jungle Speed, at least in my experience. It took me a while to find it, but it is incredibly addictive, and I’ve stayed up until ridiculous hours playing with friends. Definitely worth the purchase price.</p>
<p>Sounds like Quiddler for our family! On one trip home, my brother refused to go to bed because he wanted to keep playing until he beat me, even though he had work the next day. He went to work the next morning, exhausted and … without victory!!!</p>
<p>Googling Quiddler, it’s found often at Christian bookstores. Not sure what’s up with that. Off to look for Jungle Speed!</p>
And they come in a good range of colors, so you can give two (or more) to a family and the kids can tell them apart.</p>