Christmas gifts for teenage guys: what they actually want

Gift lists for this age are mostly gadgets, because gadgets are easy to find online. Boys that age spend their own money on sneakers, hoodies and socks with a logo, so I priced those instead, in real shops on 8 November.

Quick facts

• Stussy tee: the 8 Ball tee in white, CAD 90, down from CAD 150, at Outlined.
• Fear of God Essentials hoodie: CAD 180, down from CAD 300, at Outlined, 77 hoodies and sweats across the shops I read.
• Supreme for under a hundred: 26 accessories and hats at CAD 100 or less.
• Jordan 1: 492 pairs, CAD 85 to CAD 3,000, read 8 November 2026.
• Team socks: Stance Raptors crew socks, CAD 30, at parlor23.

The names he actually means

If he says "Essentials", he means Fear of God Essentials, and the Fleece hoodie in black is CAD 180 at Outlined, down from CAD 300. It comes in XS to XL, and 26 of the 77 Essentials hoodies and sweats I counted are marked down.

Stussy is the easy one for a smaller budget. It goes back to the early 1980s and Shawn Stussy. The 8 Ball tee in white is CAD 90, down from CAD 150, with every size from S to XL in stock.

Supreme started in Manhattan in April 1994, and for a teenager the small stuff is the point. A Woven Keychain with The North Face is CAD 50, a 4 pack of Hanes socks is CAD 80, and a New Era beanie is CAD 120.

Under CAD 50 is a real budget

Teenagers can read a price. A CAD 40 thing they wanted beats a CAD 80 thing they did not, so do not stretch the budget for the sake of it.

Stance's Raptors socks in red are CAD 30 at parlor23 and go well in a stocking. Parlor23's own Jordan 1 belt clip keychain is CAD 40, down from CAD 50, and it will end up on a backpack by Boxing Day.

Gifts under $100 has more of these, sorted by price.

Sneakers, if you know the size

Buy sneakers only if you can read the size off a shoe he already owns, because a sneaker is the one gift with no second guess. Look inside the tongue of the shoe he wears most, and write down the men's US size.

The Jordan 1 page lists 492 pairs from CAD 85 to CAD 3,000, and the Nike Dunk Low lists 152 pairs from CAD 95. The Dunk has been around since 1985, and the black and white "Panda" colourway is CAD 100 at parlor23 in sizes 11 and 12.

Pre owned is the honest way to stretch the budget. A pre owned Jordan 1 High OG Palomino in size 8, with no original box, is CAD 100, down from CAD 120. The full wall is on sneakers, sorted by model.

Read the size off a shoe he already owns, then buy the shoe.

How to avoid a fake

This matters because a teenager will know if it is fake, and so will his friends. Buy from a shop that says it in writing. Utopia's product pages read "every item sold by Utopia is guaranteed 100% authentic", and that covers the Supreme and the Palomino above.

Be careful with marketplace listings that look cheap for the name, and ask for the receipt when a pair is pre owned. A real shop should let you look at the shoe before you pay.

Common questions

What are some good gift ideas for a 16-year-old boy?

Clothes with a name he wears, or sneakers if you know his size. A Stussy tee at CAD 90, an Essentials hoodie at CAD 180 and a Nike Dunk Low from CAD 95 are all things a 16 year old will actually use.

What is trending for teenage boys?

Sneakers first, especially Jordan 1s and Nike Dunks, then hoodies with a name on them. The shelves show the Jordan 1 alone at 492 pairs, and Essentials hoodies and sweats at 77.

What to buy a 14 year old boy for Christmas teenage?

Start small and useful, with team socks at CAD 30, a keychain at CAD 40 or a Stussy tee at CAD 90. Any of those suits a 14 year old better than a big designer gift he will outgrow.

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