• If you ask a boy what he wants for Christmas, chances are good he will repeat whatever he has seen on this week's TV commercials. Yes, he enjoys video games, the latest blockbuster DVDs and this week's cell-phone must-have; but if you want to give him something exceptional, something he'll remember for years, you must go beyond the popular and think about the characteristics of the recipient himself.
  
  

Cooking Gear

• Even boys who think that "cooks are girls" know that men can be chefs. Start with a chef's coat (ever so much cooler than an apron) and add a toque (the white, poofy "chef's hat") for added flair. There are cookbooks for every age and interest--perhaps he'd like sauce recipes and a set of BBQ tongs, or a book specializing in cookies with an air-bake cookie sheet and a silicon oven mitt. Maybe he'd rather have a blender, a smoothie cookbook and a pack of paper umbrellas. Even a very young boy would appreciate a tray for freezing ice pops and an assortment of juices.
  
  

Office Supplies

• If play is how children prepare to become adults, then office supplies are a must-have for any boy's desk. The budding entrepreneur will love in-boxes, pencil cups and drawer organizers--especially if they include paper clips, tape, correction fluid and a stapler already organized. You can find business-card blanks at stationary and office-supply stores; make him his own "business" cards using your PC's desktop publishing program. If you want to splurge, give him a typewriter-- word processors haven't made them any less cool. It's still possible to find them in thrift stores and attics, or bid for one online.
  
  

Something "Real"

• One thing that helps a boy feel that he is becoming a man is to give him a gift that's not a toy. Show him you take him seriously and listen to his hopes and dreams by giving him a gift that requires some responsibility to handle appropriately. Considering his interests, think digital camera, artist's easel and tubes of acrylic paint, pocket knife, wristwatch, musical instrument or chemistry set.
  
  

Experiences

• Time spent with you is the best gift of all, and there are some things that are too big to be wrapped. Take him to see his favorite band in concert or his favorite team play a game. Call around and see if you can get him a non-emergency ride in a police car, fire truck or ambulance. Give him a pole and go fishing, give him a sleeping bag and go camping, give him a compass and take him on a hike. Making great memories together is the best Christmas gift you can give a boy.