MAIN Party Ideas Gift Ideas Gift Ideas for Teenagers

While it's traditionally easier to shop for kids or toddlers, buying a gift for teens can be difficult if you don't know their personal tastes in clothes, books or music.

Of course, some teenagers aren't shy about letting family and loved ones know EXACTLY what they want for their birthday or as a holiday gift. Other teens are no help at all, and requests for help often met with a shrug.

No worries if your favorite teenager is in the latter group.

To paraphrase the old Cindy Lauper hit, most teens just want to have fun - while preferably establishing their independence. That said, most teenagers won't object to cash and a greeting card. Along with movie theater passes, or gift cards to their favorite fast food restaurant, here are a few more gift suggestions that most any teen will love:

Music - Whether it's pop, rock, rap or hip hop, almost every teen has their favorite popular band or teen music genre. While a gift card from their favorite music store is probably the safest bet, ask their siblings or parents about their favorites, and particularly which CD's they need or want to complete their collection.

Clothing - Although teen clothing is usually top of the list for girls, avoid the foray into teen fashion unless you're absolutely sure of their personal tastes. You can't go far wrong with a gift certificate from trendy clothing stores which cater specifically to teenagers including the Gap, Old Navy, or Target.

Video Games - The very popular Call of Duty or Gears of War series are sure to please most teen guys who are into video games, while the Sims series are more popular with girls. For everybody (and that includes kids, teens AND grown-ups) there's always Guitar Hero.

Books - Surf the Web to find out what's luring teens into the book stores, such as the hot selling Twilight Series or the still-popular Harry Potter gifts franchise. Again, you can't go wrong with an e-gift certificate from Amazon to let them browse virtual shelves by topic on their own.

More tips & advice about gifts for teens around the Web:

20 Gifts Your Teen Will Totally Love - From creative gifts to fashion clothes and sports equipment, these ideas will spark your imagination for gifts that any teen boy or girl will love.