Best Christmas gifts for teenagers 2023: unique, practical and stylish options

With better immersive graphics than ever before, the Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest VR headset to hit the market. The latest redesign has seen the addition of two GB colour cameras with an innovative depth projector, which gives you the ability to seamlessly blend virtual and physical spaces.

This is mixed reality and the result is transformational. Your living room is digitised and infiltrated with the Stranger Things Upside Down or you can get lost in all four corners of this world and others, whether transported to Venice in Assassin's Creed or into space. As you climb, the possibility of falling feels real, while fighting off invaders in lifelike situations gives the feel of real consequences.

Lightening-fast performance is supported by the Qualcomm Snapdrgon XR2 Gen 2 processor and the 4K+ infinite display will leave you struggling to discern reality from fiction.

You may have noticed on the Glossier Instagram page that the posts are littered with comments from fans of the original Balm Dotcom formula begging the brand for its return.

Well, the label has listened and for a limited time, you can add limited edition holiday flavours; Cookie Butter and Hot Cocoa with the previous formulations – before it became vegan. The former has a caramel tint and a cinnamon-spiced speculoos aroma, whilst the latter is a chocolatey-vanilla treat with a subtle chestnut brown hue.

Bundle these together with the Glossier’s Holiday Tumbler (£29) for a gift that can’t fail.

With a bohemian colour palette and flared bottom, these cosy, mid-length legwarmers from Free People are the perfect layering accessory this winter. We particularly love how they’ve styled them with a pair of lacy stockings and chunky boots for a 70s-esque Penny Lane look.

There’s nothing worse than struggling to sleep on a flight, especially under stress. Drowsy’s sumptuous silk sleep mask features a total black-out effect, a pure mulberry silk fabric, a fully adjustable head strap and a hypoallergenic, breathable design. The wrap-around fit and cloud-like plushness ensure all surroundings are effortlessly blocked out.

Treat the F1-obsessed teen in your life to some officially licensed gear this Christmas. You'll certainly be able to spot them in a crowd in this Lando Norris cap in McClaren's signature bright orange hue.

This ingenious two-in-one device is the wellness accessory you never knew you needed. Himalayan salt lamps are said to help cleanse and balance our energy. They are used by many meditation experts to help enhance their experience, but we’ve never come across one with a built-in Bluetooth speaker. Enjoy the calming sounds of the ocean or your favourite album while drifting off into a post-study-sesh nap.

Teens have been flocking to Adidas in troves to purchase Sambas like Emma Chamberlain, or Gazelles – which have been dubbed ‘Satellite Stompers’ by Harry Styles fans, as they’re a key element of his tour ensemble. This has resulted in both Sambas and Gazelles being extremely hard to purchase. Offering a brilliant middle-ground between the two styles and our personal favourite, the Adidas Spezials are a bang-up choice and are available in a range of colourways.

We’re particularly partial to the navy/baby blue colourway with gum soles. You can also add some subtle personalisation at the side of each shoe. Now that’s a perfect gift.

Young skin is often sensitive and very reactive. Rosewater offers calming, moisturising and brightness-boosting properties for your teen, and this formula by Forest Essentials is as good as it gets when it comes to the magical elixir. High-quality roses are sourced from Kannauj in India, after which they are steam-distilled to retain as much of their essence as possible.

With a noise-cancellation capacity that makes you feel like you’re floating in outer space, unbeatable sound quality and looks to boot – the AirPods Max is one of the most coveted pieces of tech to be released in the last few years. If you really want to impress your teen, we recommend scooping up a packet of adorable jelly stickers so that they can customise their new prized possession.

A brilliant present for the noodle-obsessed, slurpy meals have never been more of a delight than when eaten from this cute and practical ramen set. Complete with a ceramic chopstick holder in the shape of an outstretched hand, as well as a notch on the rim of the ceramic bowl to hold your chopsticks to prevent spillages – this gift is a university essential.

Treat the budding DJ in your life to a brand-new set of starter decks this Christmas. Serato DJ Lite software is included in your purchase and offers all the features integral to learning how to mix and scratch like a pro. Simply set up your Hercules via an iMac or Windows PC and connect to a pair of headphones or speakers depending on how confident you are in your set. Complete with 16 pads for triggering funky samples and loops, this lightweight device is sure to kick-start your musical career.

Though we’re not necessarily supposed to encourage our teenagers to never leave their room, this 15L mini fridge will keep their favourite snacks and beverages safe from sneaky siblings. Plus, keeping skincare in a mini fridge is a fantastic way to keep opened products as fresh as possible, while boosting their soothing or calming capabilities.

We don’t think we’ve ever come across a more perfect Weekender bag. Equipped with a single main compartment, two interior pockets, a side pocket, an adjustable and detachable strap, and realised in a dreamy desert rose and sand colourway, this is an essential piece of kit for adults and teens alike.

A true heritage piece, treat your teen to a jumper that’ll last them a lifetime this Christmas. The iconic American Flag crew neck by Ralph Lauren is truly an embodiment of the brand’s all-American aesthetic, offering a perennially stylish essential that’ll keep you warm during the coldest winter months.

Teens and tweens will adorn this giant Miffy lamp. It exudes a gentle warming light for young ones to use while reading and relaxing at night.

Stylish and inherently practical, the bum bag has made a comeback in recent years and we think it’s here to stay. Part of Eastpak’s Resist Waste collection, this attractive piece has been crafted from surplus materials and leftover fabrics. With one large main compartment, two zip-fastening front pocks and an adjustable strap, your teen can keep their belongings as close as possible while upping their street-style game.

Handheld and portable, the Nintendo Switch Console has a whopping nine-hour battery life depending on their game of choice. Hook it up to your telly to play Mario Kart like a pro, use table-top mode for a high-quality home-gaming experience, and of course, go fully handheld for gaming on the go.

Whether your teen is into bullet journalling, daily diary entries, sticker collecting or any other hobby that requires a hard-back notebook – Papier is the place to purchase one. The beautifully designed, neutral-toned Mavis diary can be customised to feature the recipient’s name. Plus, you can choose between dotted, lined or blank pages.

Taylor Swift’s Speak Now was originally released in 2010 when the international megastar was just 21. The 2023 re-record features six unreleased tracks from the vault, which were written during the time of the album’s initial production – offering a whopping 22 scream-into-your-hairbrush-worthy bangers.

The not-so hidden secret of healthy skin and achieving a general all-over glow is pure and simple: hydration. The appeal of the 1.2 litre Stanley Quencher has become unbelievably widespread, reaching it-girls and hydration obsessives in all corners of the United Kingdom and the rest of the globe. Purchase this ludicrously capacious water tumbler for your teen this Christmas and thank us later.

We don’t think we need even comment on this giant goose plush toy, the picture alone says it all. Available in sizes ranging from 90cm to 160cm and with a price point that never exceeds £50 no matter how giant a goose you go for, the pay-off for this massive stuffed toy is priceless.

Slouchy, sumptuous comfort for Christmas morning and beyond, no teenager’s winter wardrobe is complete without an Oodie.

Scarves are considered pretty standard gifts, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. Ganni’s adorable printed scarf showcases the brand’s logo and cheery winter tones set on a warm woollen fabric. A true It-girl accessory, this piece is sure to delight budding fashionistas.

Pull this camera out during any special occasion and have retro-tinged keepsakes to cherish forever. The 27-exposure film produces a stream of vintage-looking pictures.

Designed to be used in tandem with the already cult-favourite product from Fujifilm - the InstaX Link polaroid printer - the InstaX Pal is an adorable miniature digital camera for capturing moments on the go.

Brilliant for remote shooting, the InstaX Pal comes equipped with a wide-angle lens and a detachable multi-use ring which can be used as a miniature tripod for self-timed shots. Your Pal can store up to 50 images at a time on a Micro SD card, and can also drop your favourite picks via Bluetooth to your smartphone.

Purchase the InstaX Link separately if you don’t already have it for instantly printing your spontaneous snaps onto InstaX mini, square or wide polaroid film depending on which model you go for.

The Mike Wazowski-esque camera is offered in five different colours: pistachio green, milky white, lavender blue, powder pink and a shin gem black.

Available from October 5.