Sweet Sixteen Present for niece

My niece will be having an extravagent birthday party held in two weeks at a fancy hall and given the ''works''. Unfortunately, she has the body frame that I had when I was a teen-ager and is about 150 pounds overweight for her small frame and of course it's a very touchy subject and something her folks have forbidden for anyone to discuss and it's not something we choose to discuss anyway as it's not our business, but the men (her six uncles) in the family have expressed to me that they are indecisive as to what to get her and are concerned if they get her clothes that are too big, she'll be insulted, and if it's too small, she'll be hurt. I have suggested gift cards so she can purchase whatever she likes. But I'm, as her only aunt, am concerned because I really don't know what to provide her as she has everything materially imaginable, and I wish I could give her something that would have lots of meaning to her in the long run, but I'm not sure what. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what to provide this young woman, e.g, something that provided special meaning to you as a young woman that you cherish now in middle age? I'm the mother of sons and don't have a clue what to give. Thank you. Auntie

1- A big gorgeous World Atlas
2- JEWELERY a gold heart locket comes to mind....maybe an I
love you note inside from her loving Auntie....
3- make her one of those library/church stands that you can
leave a big referance book open on top of and it is a book case
below? Use nice wood or plywood and paint it her colors....
4- A giant dictionary
5- A gorgeous leather embossed Bible or Koran or some fabulous
copy of something really interesting to her.

Gift for 13-year-old nephew

Our nephew will be turning 13 and we would love to get ideas for an appropriate birthday present. He doesn't live in the bay area (he's in the rural mid-west) and likes things like football and motorcycles. Any ideas? dgr

Model planes are timeless and cool. There's also a *huge* number of games that you have access to that won't be widely available in the rural midwest. You might check out Games of Berkeley on Shattuck for ideas.

At 13, I think anything that's gadget-like or that involves tinkering (or lessons to tinker) is an excellent gift.

If you knit, a sweater is a welcome gift for midwesterners, though admittedly most 13 year olds won't appreciate it as much as their folks. Eric F

Locally, he would love, love, love a gift certificate to Amoeba records, Cody's and Games of Berkeley. Mom to a tween