What to buy a 13yr old girl for her special teen birthday ??

[smiles4u]

Hi all,

My friend of 20years her eldest DD is turning 13 soon and i would love to buy her something special for her 1st teen birthday ...

it can't be a necklace as i bought her a lovely necklace when she started secondary school last year ... her Mum suffers a mental illness and for her DD's nearly 13years she has witnessed her lovely Mum suffer even having to go to the extreme of going into a mental hosp in which i would go visit her and give her a big hugs & smiles .... so, i wanted her DD on her first day at school to wear the necklace as a way to remind her that i love and care about her greatly and thought it would give her a touch of security too (something she could touch or see if she didn't feel quite right as those first days at a new school can be scary) ... apparantly she wore it each day to school for a very long time !!

She's a kind hearted girl and by far not spoilt IYKWIM and therefore loves anything she is given.

I don't want to spend more than say about $40 (her parents would embarrassed if i spent anymore) !!

Any ideas/suggestions would be so very much appreciated

[STARRYSKY]

I dont know if its the kind of thing you wre aiming for but I recently bought my (oops now 14! year old neice!!) neice a book by Kaz cooke called "girl talk" or girl stuff, cant remember the exact title.
I gave it to her for her 12 th birthday, I thought it was great as its full of all the stuff a teen wants to know but can be a bit embarrassed to ask about.
Drinking, drugs, alcohol, sex, boys, periods, EVERYTHING! it also has great chapters on developing relationships with parents and how to talk to them about Stuff That Matters.
just an idea!

[smiles4u]

That's a great idea Star ... i could always put something with it (depending on how much the book is) .. maybe i should just spend $50

.... anyone with anymore ideas

[STARRYSKY]

I got it from BIGW for about $30 I think....

umm, when I was 13 my parents bought me a beautiful midnight blue chamise, like a nighty thing, silky ...made me feel soooo grown up! I still have it now (and OMG it still fits! its abit short though!!)

[diannescruffy]

Maybe a gift voucher that way she could buy something she really likes/wants or you could take her clothes shopping (give her a limit). Maybe makeup if she's into that, music, dvd's.

Regards,
Dianne

[feeb]

Book is great idea.
Perfume
Watch
Bag
earings (if peirced)
pandora/lovelinks bracelet

[hj1981]

I got my ears pierced for my 13th! mum took me straight after school to get it done! was a very exciting time for me!

[smiles4u]

thanks everyone ... oh sorry i forgot to mention no clothes as i gave her clothes for Xmas

[Cherished]

I think Starrysky's book idea is great, and if she is into make up maybe pay for her to go to a make up workshop with a professional make up artist so she can learn how to apply it properly and how to highlight her features. I actually did this last year for myself and a friend as her birthday gift and it was huge confidence boost for me so I would imagine it would do lots for the self esteem of a 13 year old, than you can also give her some makeup

[smiles4u]

That's a gorgeous idea Cherish only thing is it would break my budget i would imagine and also cause of her Mum's illness she can't take her about to places and the pressure is on her Dad to drive her places who works heaps (i can't take her as i don't live near them) !! ... Might be an idea to get her for her 16th or 18th as she would be able to train it on her own then.

[~me~]

Feeb's idea of a pandora charm is a good one.
If the necklace you gave her can take a charm or if she wears a bracelet.
Alot of the Pandora charms have meanings...a GF has a son with Austism and one of the charms she has is an Austism awareness charm.

[smiles4u]

... anymore ideas ladies before i go shop

[Tinks]

I'd be inclined to get her a gorgeous journal a pen and a beautiful box to keep it in so she can write all her teen angsty thoughts in it.

I got DD some Britney Spears perfume for $19 at Terry White....she totally loves that!

[smiles4u]

thanks Tinks that's such a lovely idea (i remember having a diary & i think i still have it hidden amongst my teen treasures, lol)

[Cherished]

ohhhh I love Tinks idea I think that is perfect and wont break the bank

[Ahurani]

What about a nice ring?

My mum got me a necklace for my 13th the pendant had 13 on it

[smiles4u]

What about a nice ring?

My mum got me a necklace for my 13th the pendant had 13 on it

Wow, would you believe it but i was just thinking the other day when ' she ' turns 16 i am going to give her the same sort of gift my older sis gave me on my 16th birthday ... it was 16th pendant (charm) on a bracelet and over the years i was given charms to add to my now full charm bracelet ... makes a great converstation piece too ... Thanks Ahurani for the thought (great minds think alike )

... Well, i reckon i might get her the book that STARRSKY mentioned and also a sweet pen & journal that TINKS suggested (she's LOVES pink so might get it all pink & maybe sparkly) !!

Thanks again gals ... NOW i know what i'm gonna get her