Graduation gifts

[ajwolfe]

Looking for some ideas for graduation gifts that won't completely break the bank. We usually do money but this year we are being hit with several and with it being right around vacation time I'm not sure I want to just hand over a big wad of cash lol

We have college graduations (girls), high school (both a boy and a girl) and an 8th grade graduation (for a boy, do not even get me started on this lol).

 

[BellsFam]

We get "Oh the places you'll go" by dr Seuss book and a gift card of some sort, ITunes, Macy's for interview clothes etc.

 

[happily single]

What field is the college graduate going into? If it involves a desk job maybe something for the desk, a nice frame with the college name and graduation year? I need ideas for high school graduations. I MAY get crafty and do some sort of collage frame for the girls (my dd and her best friend).

 

[bcbmommy]

Honestly? Thank you cards and a book on how to write them. I'm so disgusted by the graduates we gave money to the past 2 years. Not even one of them said, text'd, emailed, or mailed a thank you. My daughter, on the other hand, had all her thank you notes written and mailed within 3 days.

 

[ajwolfe]

Honestly? Thank you cards and a book on how to write them. I'm so disgusted by the graduates we gave money to the past 2 years. Not even one of them said, text'd, emailed, or mailed a thank you. My daughter, on the other hand, had all her thank you notes written and mailed within 3 days.

I'm starting to think the same about baby showers and weddings..Haven't got a Thank you on the last several of those.

What field is the college graduate going into?

Accounting for one and engineering for the other.

 

[Thing 1]

First I would be sure if the grads are siblings or cousins of people you had giving money to in the past, I would try to give the same amount to these kids. It can cause all sorts of issues if one child in the family get 100.00 and the other gets a 10.00 book. Beyond that, I would give nothing to a 8th grade grad unless its your grandchild or maybe a nephew and you are invited to a party. In that case I would give a card with a 10.00-20 gift card for some Summer fun. High School I would give a hoodie to the collage they will be attending and for a collage grad, a polo shirt or some other dressier type clothing item to the collage they just finished. Maybe something that says alumni.

 

[ajwolfe]

Thanks for the thoughts...They are all nieces and nephews so we will be invited to parties for all of them.

I was thinking $15-20 for the 8th grade grad - just doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me but I'm sure it does to him.

 

[afan]

I was in college or just put when my cousins graduated hs so couldn't do money in the amount that would look ok. Got my male cousin a money clip with his initials on it and my female cousin a small detail jewelry box with her name or intials. Something nice and useful.

 

[barkley]

Looking for some ideas for graduation gifts that won't completely break the bank. We usually do money but this year we are being hit with several and with it being right around vacation time I'm not sure I want to just hand over a big wad of cash lol

We have college graduations (girls), high school (both a boy and a girl) and an 8th grade graduation (for a boy, do not even get me started on this lol).

when our ds graduated from 8th grade one of his favorite gifts was a t-shirt we had made up on zazzle for about $20. It read on the front "class of (his class year)... on the back was one of his favorite character's picture with a shocked look on it's face and it was written "...what do you mean there's at least 4 more years????". other than that-most of the 8th graders got gift cards for any variety of denominations (often to movies, gamestop)


given dd's college experiences/expenses-I think an amazon gift card in any denomination is a great gift. we've saved so much renting her textbooks from them vs. anyone else (and w/prime they are here in 2 days, free shipping to us and back to them-soooooooooo easy). heck a $50 gift card could be used after the 6 month free student trial to pay for an entire year's membership (or in the case of our dd-I order hers w/my membership so she doesn't have to join, and $50 would have paid twice for what we rented 2 books for this quarter-less than 1/3rd what rental of just one was at the college).

go with what fits your budget-honestly my kids don't share with each other what monetary gift amounts ($$$ or gift card value) they get so there would be no issue between them if someone got a different amount than another a few years down the road (they know to just be thankful that someone made a gift to them).

 

[ceecee]

We got some nice Graduation Tervis tumblers 24 oz marked way down at Bed Bath and Beyond (no year on them) so I thought it would be cute to fill with $$. I got empty light bulbs and put folded dollars in them last year, you can make it any amount you want. Money Leis are always cute, you can add beads to keep the cost down. DD got 3 "Oh the places you'll go" Dr. Seuss books!!! $$ and gift cards are what they like the best.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I have twins who will be graduating from high school this year and going off to 2 different colleges. Tervis has a glass for DS college, but not DD. I bought one for DS. Gift cards for fast food are always a hit. Cash is great also, especially if the high school grads are going off to college and furnishing a dorm. Bed, Bath & Beyond gift card, because they have a whole line of college dorm stuff. DD college has a Whole Foods on one corner of the campus, so I got her a gift card for Christmas.

 

[DreamIsaWish]

Honestly? Thank you cards and a book on how to write them. I'm so disgusted by the graduates we gave money to the past 2 years. Not even one of them said, text'd, emailed, or mailed a thank you. My daughter, on the other hand, had all her thank you notes written and mailed within 3 days.

If only that worked. One year I gave my niece nice personalized stationary notecards and she used them in craft projects with her dolls. Never have I gotten a thank you from anyone in the family but by golly my kids will write thank yous for Christmas, birthdays, etc. It's a dying art that I will not let die!

 

[happily single]

If only that worked. One year I gave my niece nice personalized stationary notecards and she used them in craft projects with her dolls. Never have I gotten a thank you from anyone in the family but by golly my kids will write thank yous for Christmas, birthdays, etc. It's a dying art that I will not let die!

That sounds like bad parenting!

 

[powellrj]

Our family has only given HS graduation gifts, so we would just send a card for the college ones. I don't know anyone in our family who even had a party for college graduations. My own DS didn't even walk and I am pretty sure my other DS won't walk either. The only one I see walking is my DD.

Be careful with gift cards, make sure they have the stores you are giving in their area. I know we don't have a Bed, Bath and Beyond at home or at any of the schools they attend.

Someone on here sent a check with the year and that is what I have started doing, so you could send everyone a check for $20.16. It wouldn't break and bank and cash is always a welcome gift.

 

[KKB]

High school kids love something with the logo of the school they are going to be attending. (i.e. TCU coffee mug was a big hit at our house)
But truly cash is king. Every $ was appreciated (AND THANKED IN WRITING)--that was our DS's college spending $ (other than his work study job)--he has made that graduation $ last for 3 years; for many students it is really paying the tab. I give $50 to close relatives, $20 to distant relatives/close friends kids.
I imagine new college grads are in desperate need of $ as well, especially in this job market.
Gift cards for Amazon, Target/Walmart, Starbucks (IF they drink coffee!), etc. are 2nd best.
I do love the Dr. Suess book (hey, I'm a librarian!), but really, how often is a student going to read it? Once. Take the $15 and give them cash. Truly, it is what they need more than anything right now.

 

[Kellydelly]

I love the personalized notecard idea. Not too expensive and it shows thought. Of course we all know that everyone just wants money, so you could just write a check for whatever your budge allows.