Should I ask for the Nikon 1 as my christmas present?

I don't have a camera, and I thought that maybe I should get one since I just started high school and will have a lot of memories to cherish? But is the Nikon 1 a good camera?

Sure.

I'm sure you will love it.

Did your parents buy you a Porsche when you got your drivelicensece too?

Just kidding.

The Nikon 1 is a new, high-end compact digital camera with interchangeable lenses. Its appeal seems to be to those who own yachts, sports cars, private aircraft and a string of polo ponies, at least so far.

In Asia, we prefer Canon or Kodak. Since you are a teenager, you should find yourself an anti-water (for freaky experiments, go to the beach, underwater filming… Bla bla bla… ) or an ultra zoom camera (shooting the moon, taking a shot of your girl from distance, shooting some hotties on the beach… ). Trust me, there's a hell of a lot of fun things to do! >.

Nikon 1 cameras are a bit expensive. Good camera, nonetheless. I would suggest a Nikon point-and-shoot camera. I have a Nikon Coolpix L120 and I LOVE it. It's high zoom, takes great quality pictures, and is easy to use. But it's larger, so you might want to look for something a little smaller if you're wanting to take it to wild high school parties =D

Here's a link to Nikon's point-and-shoot cameras:
http://www.nikonusa.com/...index.page

And the Nikon Coolpix L120:
http://www.nikonusa.com/...-L120.html

I don't share fhotoace's view of who owns mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. There are DSLR owners who want to travel lighter and still get better quality (and can tolerate more bulk than) compact cameras. I already have an Olympus E-PL2. If I didn't, I might be considering a Nikon 1, although I'm not certain I would choose the Nikon.
I think it is a bit much for a beginner. With the 10-30mm lens it will still be too bulky for a belt pouch, much less a pocket. Something like a Canon SX 230 IS could fit in a Lowepro Rezo 50 pouch, and it can help you grow into using manual controls. High school is not too early. On my 8th grade class trip to D. C. I brought a Kodak Retina II, a 35mm rangefinder camera.