What Teens Want This Christmas

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What do teens want this Christmas? The world. I’ll bet you or perhaps your kids’ kids have asked for some ridiculous gadgets, and it’s true – TradeMe Auctions best selling items seem to be iPads and iPods and iPhones, along with other summer essentials such as kayaks, tents, and BBQs. But judging from the recent Dominion Post articles of letters that have been sent to Santa, most of the technology is being wanted by kids under 12! You heard me! Under 12! Teenagers on the other hand, are likely to already have a smart phone, a laptop, and other types of technology we cannot seem to live without in the 21st century, so I decided to do some research.

At the start of November, I sent out a questionnaire to my list of over 2000 teenagers around the world asking them what they really want for Christmas, or in the New Year. I had an overwhelming response of over a quarter of these teens replying, telling me how it is, and sharing their thoughts. Although it’s a very small set of sample data, here is the list ranging from most popular of the top most-wanted gifts teens between the ages of 14 and 18 some of whom have been featured in my books want this Christmas:

• More time with family (majority of this response came from those with separated parents)

• Money

• “A new TV for my room”

• DVDs (mainly because downloading movies was taking up too much internet usage and they don’t want to pay for it)

• Clothes (mostly for girls… not surprising :P)

• Some sort of recent release smart phone

• A job

• Some sort of musical instrument

I must say, although it’s something I preach, or perhaps because many respondents have been great supporters of my books and work, I was quite surprised to see that the most mentioned ‘want’ this Christmas was the cry for more family time.

In light of this, here is my take on the reason for this:

Many have pronounced Gen Y and Gen Z to have the severe case of information overload. How many times have you caught a teenager in your home, in your kids’ homes, or on TV plugged into a gazillion various pieces of technology? It’s uncommon to see a teenager in front of a TV with their laptop open surfing the web, while upholding a conversation through TXT. Sounds unrealistic? Let me get more personal; I know I’m getting older, but my habits of technology have stayed with me. It’s very common to find me in my room with my earphones plugged in listening to music, while I write out my University essays on my laptop with various browsers open with webpages full of articles (and of course Skype and Facebook if I need a quick chat with a friend), with my tablet running for references or a book I’m getting quotes out of that’s downloaded on it for the assignment, while I’m on my phone that’s receiving TXTs every few minutes, upholding conversations with more than 2 people. Add in a home phone if I’m talking to someone else about the assignment, and I’m pretty much an illustration for reason to worry about my generation. Think about the amount of information getting thrown at me at the same time! Even walking down the street, listening to my MP3 player, while TXTing someone, information is constantly getting thrown out at me – people handing out flyers, advertising, billboards, shop fronts…it’s enough to make someone go insane, but somehow we have accustomed to this way of living every day – each generation in their own way.

So going back to the list of Christmas wishes, with all this information overload going on around us, I think it’s nothing amazing that teenagers are wanting to spend more time with family. Before you start planning the old school family board game night; “What will it be – Monopoly, Cluedo or Game of Life tonight, kids?”, family time doesn’t always have to be a planned, scheduled, or forced activity. If you see your teen, or your grandchildren walking around the home, looking dazed, or perhaps they’re sitting on their laptop playing a game, or checking Facebook, suggest going out for a little bit. Or what about deciding on a meal out that night one morning. Or visiting a cinema. Or even going to the park or botanical gardens for a picnic if you see it’s going to be a sunny day. More family time might also just be them wanting to have time to just talk to you. You have experience, and that is what teenagers need – they want to hear about your opinions, your stories, your mistakes and successes.

I hope you have a fantastic Christmas, and I really do hope that more family time is on your list of things to do more of in 2013.

Have a great entrance into the new year!