Stuff your soon-to-be teenage girl would love to find under the Christmas tree...

OK, so maybe these are things that my soon-to-be teenage daughter would like to find under the Christmas tree (or things she has already received and loves)...

1. Emu Stinger Hi Boots - These are not a bargain item (although, with some judicious shopping, they can be found for less than $100) but they get a very enthusiastic thumbs up from C who, anytime the temperature is below 50F, suffers from chilly foot syndrome. She has work these nearly every day since she got them. I compared these Emus to Uggs before I bought them and chose these because they have better arch support and thicker fleece. They tend to run small and do stretch a bit after a few wearings.

2. A batch of these chocolate chip cookies. You know that one thing that your mom or grandma used to cook/bake that still makes your mouth water when you think about it? I think these cookies may occupy that niche for my (crazy picky) kids. The strained button on my jeans can attest to their absolute, far and away superiority to any other chocolate chip cookie EVER. Don't you dare use Iodized salt in these - it's gotta be sea salt. We like them most after they've cooled and been kept in the refrigerator overnight. (Resisting urge to go upstairs and eat 6 of them.)

3. Music. For the musician, I highly recommend sheet music. There's something unbelievably empowering about learning a new song. I buy ours here and (for percussion) here. C enjoys "consuming" music as much as she enjoys producing it. Pandora is a great way to find new artists and songs, and she always enjoys an iTunes gift card (although I'm beginning to move away from iTunes since I want to be able to play my music on any device I want to, thankyouverymuch). C, being more than a little bit interested in percussion has her eye on a new crash cymbal for her drum kit. Who knew those suckers started at around $150 and went up from there? Crazy.

4. Do all girls this age like tea as much as C? We haven't been drinking as much tea this year as we did last year. Our ritual used to be to have a cup of tea together before bed after all of the homework was done. This year, however, "after all of the homework is done" tends to fall well past bedtime. Advanced math is kicking all of our butts this year.

5. A really nice, well-fitting pair of jeans. For kids, like adults, jeans are a very personal thing. What works for one girl won't work for another. For C, who is slim and not terribly tall, Abercrombie Kids Maddy Skinny jeans fit like a glove. Beware, though, Abercrombie Kids jeans' sizing varies wildly within one "style" based on the type of denim fabric. It's always dicey to shop online - especially since the closest store is about an hour from my house (but the Wahoo's fish tacos on the way make the drive feel a lot shorter). Oh yeah, and NEVER, EVER pay full price for these jeans. They all eventually go on sale. Bonus points if the jeans are gifted along with a cool hoodie or t-shirt.


6. A special night out (or in) with friends. It seems like kids this age are kinda obsessed with "making memories" and I almost always have a great time schlepping kids around for an evening of silliness. Movies, mini golf, music, laser tag, manicures, and/or dinner always seem to go over well plus it's an opportunity to get to know the people she hangs around with. Since C didn't go to elementary school with any of the kids from middle school, I don't know much of anyone, either.

7. Books. It makes me so very happy that kids this age read for fun. Most recently, C enjoyed the Hunger Games series tremendously.

8. Electronics. Heck, my kids get excited about an electric pencil sharpener...

9. Journals/planners/cool binders/office supplies in general. Even my less-than-organized 12-year-old enjoys items that make her appear more "on top of things". There are tons of great options available on etsy.com and in most stores.

10. Jammies/socks/blankies. Just because she's too big for those all-in-one cotton long johns she wore nearly every day when she was a baby doesn't mean she wouldn't love something warm and cozy. As much as kids this age want to be grown up, I think they relish times when they get to be "little" again.

So there it is... my gift guide for a slightly offbeat but seriously awesome pre-teen girl. This year, gifting fewer "things" and more "projects" - Mr. K and I are helping the kids re-do their rooms to fit their changing needs and interests. I'll post pictures if we actually manage to get them done!