Top Class Posters

After nearly fifteen straight years of having teens in my family, I have learned there is a guaranteed way to come up with a great teenager gift idea. It is not a matter of unlimited cash or technical savvy. It is a simple rule of thumb. If you follow it, you will easily pick a teen christmas gift idea that is a winner. Here it is:

Make sure that the gift you choose fits into two categories – grown up and fun. Then add the most important ingredient – your time.

Think back to the people who made the biggest impact on you as a teenager. What attracted you to them? Wasn’t it that special way they made you feel, as if they understood that you were not a child anymore, but almost an adult? It was the respect you felt, the time they spent with you. I have found that every young person loves a gift that focuses on their growing independence and skills while promising a good time. These are a few examples of teenager gift ideas that do just that:

• Buy passes for you two to do something extreme and exciting. For example: play laser tag in a big city gaming facility, go snowboarding or skiing, take martial arts classes, or have an airplane ride in a small craft. You can often find specials that make the price for these out of the ordinary activities about the same as a new CD or outfit.
• Create a short film with all of the teen’s friends and family answering the question, ” What do you like about (teen’s name)?” Try to get at least thirty to fifty people recorded including co-workers, church members, teachers, neighbors, members of any extra-curricular classes, librarians, old babysitters…anyone! You can even include a complete stranger saying something like, “Golly, everybody knows her/him but me!” You can play background music from a favorite band while you interview some of the people to add atmosphere and dimension.” In the end, the film may only last ten minutes or so, but the memories and effects of all that love and affirmation will last a lifetime! Note: If you can’t get your hands on a video camera, try compiling digital photos on a disk along with quotes from each person.
• Make a coupon for a complete makeover. Start with shopping for a new outfit at the mall or even at thrift shops with vintage pieces (save money on returning styles!). Next have a grooming and/or makeup session. You can do this yourself, go to a pro, or schedule a session at a local department store (usually free). For girls, introduce them to new styles and brands of makeup. For guys, teach them about eyebrow and facial hair care, facial treatments and cologne selection. Finish things out with a new haircut with a stylist you trust. You may want to go over some magazines ahead of time and select several styles you think might bring out their best qualities. Bring these along for inspiration, but be flexible. End the day with a planned dinner, party or other outing where you can present the new look to family and friends.
• Look online to find out what bands are coming to the area in the next year and purchase admission tickets to the concert of one of the teen’s favorite artists. If it is far enough in advance, you may be able to get info on preconcert events or sign up to win backstage passes. You can put the tickets inside a CD or poster from the same band or singer, if you want something for them to enjoy right now. Check online auctions for great deals on these.

As you choose your teenager Christmas gift idea, remember the three crucial parts – grown-up, fun and time together. Think young again!

Melanie Farkas is the Holiday Gift Lady. She has many more teen gift ideas like these at her website www.uniqueholidaygiftideas.com

VINTAGE – Le Rock Band ’66-’69 – Jaramillo’s Collection

Vintage Aircraft Accident Warning Poster Fridge Magnet $3.99 This is a unique fridge magnet depicting a vintage poster featuring a graphic of a vintage aircraft accident and the text, “Warning! Consider the possible consequences if you are careless in your work.” It is approximately 2″x3″. This would be a great gift or personal item for the aviation buff or fan of vintage advertisements….

Walls 360 Premium Wall Graphic: Tudor Milano $56.00 WALLS 360 wall graphics are printed on-demand at high-resolution with premium 8-color UltraChrome¨ GS digital inks, for stunning color gamut and accuracy. WALLS 360 wall graphics are created using a premium re-positionable fabric material that will stick to almost any surface – from walls and windows to ceilings and around corners. WALLS 360 wall graphics are self-adhesive, easy to install, and c…

Vintage Airplane Engine – 24H x 19W – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Vintage Training Airplane in Flight – 18W x 13H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $30.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition in Blu-ray Book Packaging) $21.23 A strong candidate for the most sheerly entertaining and enjoyable movie ever made by a Hollywood studio (with Citizen Kane, Only Angels Have Wings and Trouble in Paradise running neck and neck). Positioned between the much heavier and more profoundly disturbing Vertigo (1958) and the stark horror of Psycho (1960), North by Northwest (1959) is Alfred Hitchcock at his most effervescent in a romanti…

Walt Disney Treasures – Mickey Mouse in Black and White $32.99 In these cartoons released between 1928 and 1935, Walt Disney created one of the icons of 20th-century culture. Disney’s reputation was built on these early shorts, and the films shimmer with the energy of the young artists exploring the new medium of…

Vintage Fine Art Print / Poster 19.75 x 27.50 in. Vintage Fine Art Print / Poster 19.75 x 27.50 in. – Brand New Fine Art Print / Poster – Ships Rolled in a crush proof tube – Paper Size: 19.75 x 27.50 in. – Image Size: 17.25 x 19.75 in….

Pan American Clippers: The Golden Age of Flying Boats $49.95 Recapturing the fabulous era of flying boats. For a world coming out of economic depression in the 1930s, the Pan American Airways Clipper “flying boats” symbolized elegance and luxury, adventure and romance. Illustrated with rare period photographs, vintage travel posters, magazine ads and colorful company brochures, this fascinating book covers every aspect of the fabulous era of Pan American’…

For the Boys : The Racy Pin-Ups of World War II $39.82 This historical and visually entertaining volume shows the role pin-up girls of the 1940′s played in maintaining morale during World War II. From V-Mail to bomber-plane nose art, pin-up girls inspired our boys overseas. With some of the era’s greatest artists, like Elvgren and Vargas, this book features over 500 full-color illustrations, as well as a six-color foil hardcover which provides an incr…

Poster Art of the Airlines: Featuring Pan American Airways and Its Contemporaries $16.00 …