I really need some ideas for a Christmas gift for a 15, almost 16, year old boy. This kid was on a team that I helped coach and is friends with my daughter (actually, he has a bit of a crush on her, i think). As I have gotten to know him better I have come to realize just what a horrible life he has had. His father is not really a part of of his life, and he'd be better off if his mother wasn't. She doesn't work, runs around with different men all the time, disappears for days, etc., (we suspect drugs). He has never had a stable home, they live in a place for a few months, then she skips out after not paying rent, he bounces back and forth between living with her, his uncle, grandparents, and friends. He looks like a big tough guy, but in reality he is sweet but has major self-esteem issues and is always looking for attention and affection.

Anyway, I know he will be getting stuff for Christmas from a church and another organization, but I want to give him a small gift from me just so he knows that there are people who care about him. I wouldn't mind spending a lot, but he is very proud and I think anything too much would make him feel uncomfortable. So I want to keep it small for that reason. I'm just not sure what. He doesn't read, his only real interest seems to be sports (mainly football, but he also wrestles and does track). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

If he owns a game system, a gift card to Game Stop would be great. They sell both new and used games so something is bound to be within the price range of the gift card. A gift card for a fast food place would be good, too. If there's no food at home, he can eat that day. If food at home isn't a problem, he could use to take a girl on a date. Movie gift card would work for this, too.

Teen boys have specific tastes, so gift cards are your best bet. You could give it to him with a box of homemade goodies.

Not sure if you have seen the movie "To Save a Life" It is a great movie, and they have a daily devotional and the Audio devotional is great too. http://www.tosavealifemovie.com/index.php .

Cheatize, thanks for the suggestions. No, he doesn't have a game system, or any posessions, really With bouncing aorund from place to place, things get lost or left behind, and anything of any value he has seems to disappear (I'm not certain, but I suspect his mom takes his stuff and sells it for drug money).

I had thought about fast food gift cards, or phone cards for his cell phone service, along with some homemade goodies. But gift cards seem so impersonal....

The only other idea I have is something from his favorite NFL football team. My daughter said he wears the same old school sweatshirt every day, so I'm sure he could use one. I'm just not sure if that would seem like too much. I just don't want to make him feel uncomfortable with too much of a gift, but I do want to give him something so he knows we care about him.

I had also thought of a hat with his favorite team's logo, because he always has a hat on, and that just seems like it would be a more casual gift, along with some goodies. But, my daughter said that group he hangs with only wears one certain brand of hats, and she's not sure he'd wear the NFL one I had picked out.

If you or your daughter can figure out his favorite athlete you could try to find him a nice jersey .. Not sure if you have stores like AJ Wrights or TJ Maxx, but sometimes you can find nice jerseys in those stores for a lot less then what you would pay through a site like nfl dot come Or you could always just order from that site, but you would end up paying more ...