Little boys grow up. Literally. And figuratively. Well, sort of. While they undoubtedly have the height now, that figurative ‘grown-up’ still has a ways to go. Perhaps you might even call it a bit disappointing. And that’s no slight on the boy, but being an adult is more than just an age. Because well, well, well, he still gets into a lot of mischief. He prefers his friends over his parents and anything that ‘must be done’ doesn’t apply to him. And yet, this boy is almost 18 years old. What kind of gift do you actually give for that eighteenth birthday?
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The developmental stage of an 18-year-old boy
From a teenager to still a teenager, but now ‘adult’. According to many laws, at least. It’s interesting to see how this development has progressed, both the law and the development from baby to young adult. We’ll leave the law aside for now and focus on the development.
At 18, many boys are in a transitional phase between adolescence and adulthood. This is evident in various aspects, including cognition, socio-emotional capacity, and physical development. You might think an 18-year-old finally has his emotions under control, but in practice, that’s not entirely the case. While emotional control is better, in stressful situations and identity issues, panic can still arise. This can manifest as (unjustified) anger/frustration or isolation. Pretending there are no rules might work for a while, but soon enough, there will be a realization that this, of course, isn’t sustainable.
By now, the growth spurt should be largely behind him. Depending on genetics, as well as sports and nutrition, the boy will have developed a body he’ll have to deal with for the time being. However, it’s definitely not too late to develop muscle mass and increase endurance. 18 is a great age where appearance suddenly becomes quite important again, especially since a romantic partner might have entered the picture.
Speaking of that romantic partner: from this point on, the boy will undoubtedly try to engage in some long-term relationships. His wild days are behind him, and he’s ready for something more stable-ish. On the other hand, plenty of boys are just entering their wild phase, making perhaps some not-so-wise choices. Well, you learn from mistakes, right?
Don’ts (types of gifts you shouldn’t buy for an 18-year-old boy)
A lot of things are fantastic for an 18-year-old. Read: alcohol, alcohol, maybe alcohol, and oh yeah, more alcohol. This may sound stereotypical, but many 18-year-old boys will wish for this. That’s why an aunt buys some specialty beers, friends bring a small tower of beer crates, and mom and dad might sponsor the drinks for ‘the party’. However, there are many other great gifts we’ve described, and there are things you better not buy. Think of money in a boring envelope, self-help books, or practical household items. These are gifts the boy doesn’t need or want at that moment.
What is an appropriate budget for this age?
What is appropriate? Yes, what is actually appropriate? An amount never reflects the value you place on your child. In fact, a child is priceless, so if there’s a gift involved, you’ll never find something fitting. Therefore, consider the following amounts as a sort of guideline.
- Parents/guardians: £50.00 to …
A driver’s license, a new gaming laptop, or just a nice gift. Generally, an eighteenth birthday is a special occasion where large gifts are given. - Close family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £20.00 to £50.00
You rely on your family, or not. In any case, the amounts between family members will vary greatly. Depending on how close the relationship is or if grandparents, for instance, always give the same amount to all grandchildren. - Neighbors/acquaintances: £10.00
Maybe he’s been wanting to buy something for a while, and you know about his savings goal. Add to his savings with a small donation or buy a fun, typical ’18th birthday’ gift. - Friends: £15.00
A bottle of spirits, a crate of beer for more fun… All jokes aside, you hopefully don’t want to encourage drinking, but this is a good amount to buy something fun.
Additional tips
A joke is something an 18-year-old boy will undoubtedly appreciate. Choose a gift that has a little joke incorporated. A box with ‘adult air’, for instance. Add a funny poem about how this air will help him in his adult life. Another example could be to make a small puzzle with personal messages, missing the middle piece. That missing puzzle piece is him. Without him, none of those messages would exist. He is an addition to the family/friends group, etc.
1. Wireless headphones
You really can’t just lift 80 kilos on the bench press. In fact, some encouragement and someone standing by as a spotter is definitely helpful. What also helps many boys of this age push their muscles to the limit is music. Don’t think of a sappy song by Shawn Mendes, but something that helps him power through. Techno or hardstyle, if it has a beat, it will likely work. Since the whole gym doesn’t want to listen to this music, it’s handy for the 18-year-old to have wireless headphones. Hence, the number 1 spot in this non-ranked list goes to wireless headphones. If you’re smart, ask him which ones he wants to avoid getting the wrong pair.
2. Shaving kit
He may not have believed in it the past few years, but now it’s more than necessary to remove those stray beard and mustache hairs from his face. Or, at least trim them if he likes the look. With a good razor and shaving cream, you’ll see that his sensitive skin reacts much better to hair removal. 18 is still a period where boys can suffer from things like acne, so you don’t want to mess with it too much, like when shaving. And oh yes, you might see this as an unusual gift, but he’ll ultimately be happy with it. Besides, it’s his eighteenth birthday, so all gifts can be given with a touch of humor. ‘Now that you’re an adult, we thought it was time for…‘ You get it?
3. Beerpong
Yes, as a parent, you really have to accept that the young man will drink alcohol at this age. You might have already turned a blind eye to the occasional beer, but now he will really ‘go wild’. Not only can he get into all kinds of clubs now, but he probably can also buy it himself at the supermarket. An evening with friends typically involves a bottle of beer in hand, and a won game is celebrated with, you guessed it, a beer in hand. In any case, you can expect someone to show up with a beerpong set at the birthday party. Let it go and join in, for all we care. You can play the cool dad, right?
4. Barbecue tools
A summer party often revolves around food, and what’s more classic than a barbecue? Exactly, you want to enjoy some meat with your friends. With a sizzling grill, the smell of charcoal, and friends’ laughter, it’s an essential summer activity. But to prepare that meat perfectly, you need the right tools. Think tongs, spatulas, and brushes to clean the grill. If you know a boy who enjoys this, then barbecue tools are the perfect gift. These tools will make the party a huge success that everyone will enjoy. So, fire up that barbecue and let the party begin! Maybe you’ll even get invited to the party as a thank you for this great gift…
5. Kitchen knives
You can never start too early with gathering household items. Since boys tend to start collecting these items less quickly than girls, you can give him a little push. Starting with a vacuum cleaner might be a bit much. A set of kitchen knives, on the other hand, is something much more necessary in our opinion. Besides, it’s just more fun to receive, but that’s beside the point. Good kitchen knives are indispensable in the kitchen. If you want the young man to cook well and healthily for himself, this is roughly the first step you should take. It makes chopping vegetables and cutting chicken much easier. Well, you probably know all this. As long as you remind him to use them responsibly, everything will be fine.
6. Drone
A drone is a great gift for an 18-year-old boy. With a drone, he can see the world from a new perspective and express his creativity through video making. It also offers the opportunity to develop his flying skills. Maybe something he will use in his future studies or as a hobby. Whether it’s exploring nature, capturing special moments, or just having fun, a drone will definitely pique his interest and provide many hours of entertainment. However, he must be mindful of the areas where he is allowed to fly. Fortunately, there are handy apps nowadays that tell you exactly where, when, and how you can fly in a location.
7. Cocktail shaker set
A cocktail shaker set includes a collection of tools used for making cocktails. It typically contains a shaker, a measuring cup, a strainer, a stir stick, and sometimes a citrus press and a muddler. With this set, your eighteen-year-old can prepare professional cocktails at home, from classic martinis to exotic mojitos. It’s a great gift for mixed drink enthusiasts and offers the chance to get creative in making delicious drinks for parties. This should sound like music to the ears of someone who just became legally able to drink alcohol, right? Perhaps it’s an idea for someone to give the ingredients for one cocktail on the birthday so he can start experimenting right away.
8. Beer glasses
Hmm… An evening with friends is, of course, incomplete without a bottle of beer. But since you all probably find the standard beers a bit boring now, it’s time for some specialty beer. If you really want to do it right, you drink it from a glass. But, hey, are there actually glasses available for this activity? No? Okay, then that might be an idea to ask for your birthday. Another item for your household collection, although it might not be the most necessary thing you need. Well, you’re old enough to think about that yourself now, right? After all, it’s your eighteenth birthday, and you only celebrate that once. You undoubtedly want this birthday to be memorable.
9. Beer brewing kit
If you already have the glasses… There must be something to pour into them. You can buy ready-made beer at the store, or you can make it yourself. A special beer brewing kit ensures that this will actually succeed. You might think: ‘my eighteen-year-old will never do that,’ but we’d like to prove you wrong. Maybe this handsome guy already has a relationship where everything is fun. You give him a free date idea for an evening with his partner. On the other hand, there are also plenty of eighteen-year-olds who still enjoy doing activities with their parents. Either way, we see it going well. And you know what, if it fails, it’s not the end of the world.
10. Wallet
A driver’s license, bank card, ID card, student card, and a gym card: you need to store it all somewhere. And since the eighteen-year-old is known for literally losing everything all the time, it might be a good idea to give him something to store these important things. Know that there are different variants on the market. You could give him something known as a ‘cardholder,’ but you might also consider giving such a holder with a case. While cash seems to be becoming a thing of the past, an eighteen-year-old boy might still carry some cash. And if you lose that, it’s really gone. So, keep it safe!
