10 things to buy your son for his birthday

Buying for your son goes the same way most years: you get to the week before, panic, and buy the safe thing he already has three of.

These ten are here because they either get used weekly or they mark something. UK prices, one pick from our own range, and the card sorted at the end.

10 his birthday gifts for your son

• 1. A print for his room, chosen around whatever he's into this year.
• 2. Kit for the sport, game or instrument he's actually still doing.
• 3. An experience you do together - karting, football, a gig, a match.
• 4. The grown-up upgrade of something he's had since he was small.
• 5. Money towards a bigger goal, handed over in a card, not a transfer.
• 6. Something for his first flat, van or student kitchen.
• 7. A book or comic in a series he's already reading.
• 8. A framed photo from the year, printed rather than posted.
• 9. Something with the year on it - a print, a photo book or a framed ticket from the last twelve months.
• 10. Our pick: the 'Play That Funky Music' print, A5 up to A3 - designed in house and printed in the UK, and it fits any wall he'll allow you near.

How much to spend

• £15 to £30 for younger children, £30 to £80 once they're teens or adults.
• Pooling with siblings or friends on one bigger present beats three separate medium ones.
• A £15 thing used weekly beats a £60 thing kept in a cupboard.
• If money is tight, give time with a date attached instead - it isn't a lesser gift.

What to avoid

• Practical clothing dressed up as a present.
• Anything with a subscription he'll have to cancel.
• Anything that's really a hint.
• Gift sets you'd be embarrassed to receive.

Getting the timing right

• Order a week ahead so the card and gift arrive in one parcel.
• If you've missed it, send a belated card and say so plainly - it lands better than a silent late gift.
• Put next year's date in your phone now, with a reminder two weeks before.

Don't forget the perfect card

• The gift gets opened in a minute. The card sits on the shelf for weeks and in a drawer for years.
• Write something only you could write about your son - one specific thing from this year.
• Sign it properly. A name and a real sentence beats 'love from all of us'.
• Every card we make is designed in house and printed in the UK, and it posts in the same parcel as the gift.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• Specific beats expensive - the best gift is the one only you would think of.
• Order the card with the gift so they arrive together.
• Write the card before you wrap, while you still have something to say.

Where to shop next

• Our pick: 'Play That Funky Music' print (A5 - A3)
• Shop birthday cards
• Shop all cards
• Posters and prints
• 10 things to buy your son for Christmas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• Birthday badges & party pins
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Birthday pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy your son for his birthday?

Something he uses weekly or something with a date attached - a print for a wall, the good version of an everyday item, or an outing already booked. All three beat a gift set bought in a hurry.

How much should I spend on your son?

£15 to £30 for younger children, £30 to £80 once they're teens or adults.

What should I write in the card?

One specific thing from the last year, then how you actually feel about it. That single line is remembered long after the present has been put away.