It’s the annual quandary: what should you, as a parent, give your kids for the holidays?

Even if you ask your kids what they want, you probably will not get a good or clear answer.  They will probably say, “I don’t know.” So, I am here to help you out with a few gift suggestions and share a few reasons why these are good buys for the rugrats during the gift-giving season.

First is the sporty gift. Whatever sport your son or daughter plays (hopefully you know), try and find a gift for them that they can use in their upcoming season. The sporty gift will encourage your child to follow their passion. It will also show that you care about the sport he or she is partaking in. Sports gifts are easily found online and at local sports stores. One etiquette question about the sporty gift might be, “Is used sports equipment acceptable as a gift?” Yes! Recycling is good for everyone and if you happen to buy the hockey skates or cross-country skis that formerly belonged to an Aspen High superstar, you will be giving your kid good mojo too.

Second is the classic: video games. Now, this gift is almost exclusively for sons. However, if you know your daughter has that “gamer” personality, go ahead and shop for electronics for them, too.  The down side of the video game gift is that it no doubt encourages laziness and more time on the couch. The upside is your kid will have an unbroken, unrequited love for it.  The perfect gift for a gamer is the new Playstation 4 or the Xbox One. If your kid already has one of these consoles, or even an older console, then a satisfying gift will be the new Call of Duty video game. Or, if you don’t want your kid shooting up other gamers on the Internet, give him/her a sports game like FIFA 15 or NHL 15.

The easiest present is a gift card. In my opinion, the best gift cards for Aspen kids are from The Big Wrap, Matsuhisa, Radio, King Yoga and iTunes. Believe me, every kid loves gift cards. It screams independence, which is good for both kids and parents. In a way, gift cards are for the parent who doesn’t mind or even prefers turning a blind eye to their child’s questionable wardrobe. Not all parents love the new era of super-short shorts and slim-fitting jeans so instead of buying your kid a pair of baggy Levi Strauss jeans, the kind that were popular in the 1970s, close your eyes and hand them a gift card to a clothing store they love, either in town or online. It’s always best to let your kids make their own choices, even if it is from Hot Topic.

Finally, there is the homemade gift.  People think that homemade gifts like hand-knit sweaters show more love, but anything homemade is also very risky.  If your art or knitting skills are inadequate, your kid might feel like he got coal for a gift.  Kids don’t always recognize the effort and love that have gone into something. The truth is, kids don’t necessarily want something that shows love. They want the newest video games and the best hockey sticks. Sorry, parents. – See more at: https://skierscribbler.com/2057/opinion/gifts-to-get-the-rugrats/#sthash.mQCm4HzM.dpuf