Any birthday gift ideas for 12 YO boy?

[KurtNYC]

It is my brother's birthday again and I am having trouble coming up with something. It was far easier when he was 8. 12 is in the middle of everything. He watches a lot of Spongebob but actually owning any Spongebob stuff would be to baby-ish I think for 12. Loves football and the Colts. Has a PS2. Has an iPod.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[devilgrrl]

1. He's 12. Time for his first Ramones CD...

I suggest 'Rocket to Russia'

[LeftyMom]

2. Colts jersey? A nice case and an itunes card for his ipod?

The '07 version of whichever football game is best on the PS2?

[ikojo]

3. May seem cold and impersonal but 12 year olds

tend not to have much access to ready cash...how about an iTunes gift card?

A game for his PS2? Is the 2006 football game out yet?

[Taverner]

4. Ween. A Ween CD would give him the Zappa that we had. nt

[Wcross]

5. Here is a good off the wall idea.

http://www.beapilot.com/register.html

You can buy him a one hour flying lesson for 59 dollars. If the flight school has a Cessna 172 you could probably go along in the back seat. I don't know how each flight school handles it.
You can be sure that the instructor would be willing to fly over your neighborhood and the local area. He would get a thrill that he wouldn't soon forget!
It may inspire him to greater heights in life!

[grannylib]

6. Spend the day with him doing something like Habitat for Humanity, then

take him to his favorite place to eat and a movie...build a home and a memory.

[crim son]

7. self-delete: triple post. Wow!

[crim son]

8. and again...

[crim son]

9. My son is thirteen.

He has an iPod too, and a giftcard would be a good idea, or any accessory. However what he loved the most was being allowed to invite a few friends to the movies with him... tickets, popcorn and drinks on me, of course. It might not be as great for a kid who gets to go to the movies regularly, though.

[politicat]

10. An iTunes gift card. A gift certificate to the used book store.

A really cool set of headphones with excellent reproduction. An iPod speaker dock.

[Extend a Hand]

11. airsoft guns

are all the rage around here. They shoot inexpensive soft plastic bb's that don't hurt (too much-- as long as the kids wear eye protection.)

[datasuspect]

12. some tools and a box of old carburetors

[arwalden]

13. Cash.

[datasuspect]

14. dupe

dupe

[arwalden]

15. Cash.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

16. An air rifle, lawn darts and some fireworks.

Now that makes for a fun weekend.

[borlis]

17. cash, gift cards or maybe Colts memorabilia

my son is 13 and he also likes gift cards from Subway, Burger King, Panera Bread, etc. Those are places close to home that he can ride his bike to with his friends. Or maybe depending on your $$ situation, get him tickets to a Colts game.

[Broken_Hero]

18. Easy...

the radio controlled superman flying toy...its about 60 bucks...:)

[Heidi]

21. Heck, _I'd_ like one of those!

:D

[Broken_Hero]

22. damn, you are telling me!

they are just a bit to spendy...and I am still at a loss, of how the damn thing will fly....last year, I got spoiled...my mother bought me that huge R/C batmobile from Batman Begins, that thing is HUGE...and I torment our little dog all the time with it...its rather funny...

Batmobile vs My little pom...its a riot...:)

[sakabatou]

19. Any other shows that he likes?

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

20. Take him to Hooters

no just joking, I did that for my step-brother for his 15th birthday. You have Go-Kart tracks around where you live? Take him to drive go-karts if you can, I know boys that are pre-teen and under 16 can't wait to drive a car so that's like the next best thing. If you do this just make sure he's old enough or tall enough to be able to drive one.

[Richard Steele]

23. I actually answered this question correctly once...

I bought my nephew THIS:


It's really just a modern version of those Swiss Army Knives we
all wanted when we were 12, but it looks sooo much COOLER!

All stainless-steel, cool swiveling-action tool extension, and it carries
in a belt-pouch so ALL the other kids can notice it.

12 year old boys are attracted to guns and throwing stars and ETC.
like junkies are attracted to heroin.
THIS is like Methadone to that heroin;
it satisfies the CRAVINGS just enough,
while MINIMIZING the danger.
(It has a knife blade, but it's actually SMALLER than the blade
on the cheap-ass CubScout knife I got when I was 12)

And, best of all, it's actually a DAMN useful tool!
Just like a Swiss Army Knife: if you carry one, you will
find a dozen uses for it every day, no matter who you are
or what you do. And you will soon wonder how you
ever got by without it.

So he may carry it at first because it impresses all
his friends, but he will soon come to regard it as just
an ordinary, everyday TOOL that he carries because it is USEFUL to him.
And THAT is an important 'paradigm shift' that we all
need to experience on the path to Adulthood.

http://www.leathermanstore.com/lenewwawiles.html

[xmas74]

25. Bought one of those for my dad a couple of years ago

for Father's Day. It's something that everyone should have!

[gr8dane_daddy]

24. A subscription to Playboy...

That's what I wanted when I was 12! :9

[xmas74]

26. I'm a big fan of magazine subscriptions for children of all

ages. Something they can look forward to getting every month and it gets them to read, even if only about one subject.

[MissMillie]

27. books... classic books

Treasure Island, The Last of the Mohigans, The Phantom Tollbooth,....

[RedG1]

28. cell phone...

either a prepaid account for safety needs (programmed for call to mom/dad/sister/brother/relative if needed, 911, etc (like need a ride if school lets out early...or ball game called cuz of weather)...

or regular add-a-phone to family plan for ten bucks a months

we did it with 8 year old in family and no regrets

[noonwitch]

29. Slot car racing

I saw some sets at the hobby store for around $35. It is a gift that he is the right age for-little kids mess them up.

I'm asking for a set for X-mas.