Nest Book Club
SusieBW
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
SBR: Holiday shopping for YA strangers
I'm "adopting" a teen in state foster care this Christmas - meaning that I'm buying a bunch of presents for a 12-16 year old stranger. The group home that I'm matched with only gave general guidelines and doesn't pair volunteers up with individual kids, so I'm sort of winging it in shopping. They said that they have boys and girls aged 12-16, and that all the kids like card and board games, like Uno and Trouble. Seriously? Upon further inquiry, I was also informed that they all like gift cards, and that the girls like "things from bath and body, curling iron or flat iron, blow dryers." I guess when I signed up, and saw "wish lists" mentioned, I assumed I would be paired up with an individual and provided with some idea of what that person was into/wanted/needed. Not for nothing, but girls age 12-16 tend to have vastly different personalities and likes and dislikes. I want to buy someone something they will like and can use, you know? I'm shopping with a 15 year old girl in mind.
Anyway, today I inquired again and specifically said I was thinking about books, and wanted to get an idea of what the person I'm shopping for might like. The woman recommended "young adult popular books that are appropriate."
Given this direction, any suggestions for books? I was thinking about the Hunger Games trilogy or the Divergent trilogy, but am obviously open to other ideas.
Any suggestions for other stuff to get? I guess maybe I will get a set of BBW body wash and lotion, maybe a nice mitten/hat/scarf set . . . what about a tote bag? Don't jr. high and high school girls carry their stuff in cute bags now, instead of backpacks? I know my nieces do. What else?
Anyway, today I inquired again and specifically said I was thinking about books, and wanted to get an idea of what the person I'm shopping for might like. The woman recommended "young adult popular books that are appropriate."
Given this direction, any suggestions for books? I was thinking about the Hunger Games trilogy or the Divergent trilogy, but am obviously open to other ideas.
Any suggestions for other stuff to get? I guess maybe I will get a set of BBW body wash and lotion, maybe a nice mitten/hat/scarf set . . . what about a tote bag? Don't jr. high and high school girls carry their stuff in cute bags now, instead of backpacks? I know my nieces do. What else?
Re: SBR: Holiday shopping for YA strangers
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Divergent is a great idea. Or Sarah Dessen books. Anna and the French Kiss. Shatter Me.
We have a group home for teen runaways in our neighborhood, which sounds a lot like the group you're buying for.
They love decks of cards. I think the kids have been playing rummy everytime I've been over there. They also hoard the free movie ticket gift cards until they get enough to take a group trip to a movie. If there's a theater nearby, copies of Divergent and then tickets to go see it could be fun.
Earbuds, journals, razors, nice hairbrushes and zumba/workout DVDs are also on their holiday wishlist for the year.
Kate's Recipe Box || Relatively Bookish
I had to go to the mall last night, so while I was there, I picked up some BBW stuff (they had a great sale on) and a Pinkberry gift card. Then I swung by the dollar store on my way home for basic stuff like nail files, hair ties and bobby pins. And some candy.
Then I'm also planning to get a tote bag, nail polishes, a hat/mittens set, a journal and the Divergent trilogy.
So far I've gotten things really cheap or with coupons, so I'll see where I'm at once I get that stuff, and maybe think about a flat iron or something. They ask that the total gift be around $75 so that all the kids are getting about the same.
I have a whole bunch of casino card decks at my house, from Vegas. Would it be weird to give them one of those? I think it's fun to have casino-used cards, but maybe that's not appropriate for a teen?
Sugar & Spice
Sugar & Spice
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Thanks! What I'm doing is a Holiday Gifts for Teens campaign overseen by the state department of children, youth and families (they are CPS, oversee the state foster care system, the welfare office, they license day cares, etc.). Probably whatever equivalent agency your state has does something similar. Or just check in with the group home in your neighborhood directly and ask them - you could maybe even buy gifts for the home that all the kids who stay there could benefit from. It's definitely sad, but I'm glad to be able to help out one kid, even if I can't help them all.
Sugar & Spice