Christmas gifts for teenagers who are impossible to buy for

The biggest risk here is buying for the wrong platform. Before you buy anything, have a quick look at what's plugged into the telly, or ask a younger brother or sister who'll happily tell you for a small fee.

For the one who's on Roblox with their friends every night after school, the Roblox Gift Card goes on Robux for new avatar outfits, game passes and whatever everyone in their class is suddenly into this week. It suits the younger end of the teenage years especially well.

If there's a PlayStation in the house, the PlayStation Gift Card covers a new game, an add-on or that bit of extra content they've been going on about since the summer. If it's an Xbox, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives them a whole library to work through over the Christmas break rather than one game they finish by the 27th.

A lot of gift ideas for teenage boys stop at gaming, which sells a lot of people short. Plenty of girls game every bit as much, and plenty of lads would rather have something else entirely. Match the card to the person and the console, not the stereotype. For a proper side-by-side look, our guide to the best gaming gift cards runs through the options.

Clothes chosen by a parent tend to stay in the wardrobe with the tags on. That's no slight on your taste. It's just how being fifteen works.

So hand over the shop and stay out of it. The Fashion Gift Card lets them pick the fashion brand themselves, which is honestly the whole battle. It also comes as a physical card in packaging, handy when there needs to be something with their name on it under the tree.

If you already know where they shop, go straight there. H&M for the hoodies, joggers and basics they wear every week. Zalando for the one who orders three sizes of the same jeans and sends two back. River Island, in-store only, for something to wear to a Transition Year party or the first proper night out. Penneys, also in-store only, for a new pair of pyjamas, fluffy socks and a spin into town with their friends, which is half the fun.

Christmas gifts for teens work best when they come with a decision to make. That goes for girls just as much as for boys, so ask about the shop and forget about the outfit. You'll find more options among our fashion gift cards.

Not everything they love comes with a screen. These three tend to get used almost straight away.

A gig in the new year. A Ticketmaster Gift Card goes towards tickets for a concert, a comedy show or a match. Something in the diary for February means more to a sixteen-year-old than another thing on a shelf, and they'll be talking about it for weeks.

Friday night with friends. When four of them land in the sitting room after a match, a Just Eat Gift Card covers the pizza, the burgers or a round of spice bags. It goes fast and it goes down well.

New runners. Foot Locker, in-store only, and Adidas cover the trainers they've been sending you links to since September, the ones you'd never pick out yourself because there are four nearly identical colourways.

Gift cards for teenagers do one thing a wrapped box can't: they move the decision to the person who actually has to wear it, play it or eat it. If your son has gone quiet on the subject of Christmas, that's usually the kindest route.

There's one small snag with a digital card. There's nothing to unwrap.

That's easily sorted. The All-in-1 Choice Gift Card runs from €10 to €500 and also comes as a physical card in packaging with your message, so there's a proper moment on Christmas morning. Every other card here is sent by email within minutes, which is exactly what you need if you've left it late. At checkout you choose whether the card comes to you or goes straight to them.

The same cards work for the younger ones in the house too. Keep the amount modest and the shop obvious, and a ten-year-old will know exactly what to do with it. Presents for kids go wrong the same way they do for teenagers: by guessing.

Pick the amount, write a line they'll pretend not to read, and have a look through our Christmas gift cards for the rest of the list!