Graduations announcements and gifts...?

[shortbun]

Having received four announcements and party invitations with another two coming, I realize this has the potential of getting mega expensive. Of the six, three girls are special to us and I know how I will gift them. I'd like input and opinions on how to handle the others. We will not attend their parties as we have real conflicts but would like to acknowledge them in some small but nice way. Their accomplishments are many and we have known them since they were little but lost track of them AND their families. I'm thinking, send a check but how much is too little? $25? $50? They are all headed off to college; should I buy them one set of towels matching their school colors? Ideas and opinions welcomed. Thanks in advance!

 

[aprilgail2]

I can't imagine that at 17 I would be thrilled to get a gift of towels, but to each their own. Cash is always good, if you can afford 25.00 then I would say send that to the ones you are close to. But as far as people that send announcement that I have not heard from in years..they will get a congrats card and that would be it. I really don't like graduation announcements, they just seem like a card saying "hey send me gifts" to me.

 

[Mercy]

I think that if you are not that close with the graduates or their families at this time, $25 would be fine. I would personally send cash/check as opposed to towels or something like that.

 

[Pam]

$25.00 is more than generous.

 

[Coloradomom]

Instead of a check,you might consider a $25 gift card to someplace they can use.....Bookstore, Starbucks, Bed, Bath Beyond etc. Makes it a little more fun for them, but still practical.

 

[daisyduck123]

If I had no intention of going to the graduation/party, had not seen them in years, & lost touch with them they would get a nice card - that's it. No need to send a gift.

Announcements to people you've lost touch with are just a way of asking for a gift. If it's someone you're close to, then you already know that he/she is graduating anyway.

 

[powellrj]

for someone you haven't heard from in years, I would think a card would be enough. For everyone else, even $10 would be fine, that way you could send a little extra to the people you are close too.

 

[CPM]

I would say a gift card to Barnes and Noble or Target. My DD is graduating this month and I know she'll fly through that cash if she had it. I'm hoping her gifts will be in the form of gift cards she can use for college.

 

[barkley]

when we were in this situation a few years ago i purchased long distance calling cards as gifts. i figure that if they are going away to school or on a vacation they always come in hand.

 

[shortbun]

Gift cards HAD crossed my mind. Interesting that some of you think a greeting card to those not in touch is ok. I hadn't dared go there but it helps to know so many feel that way and reigns me in a bit on the gift thing.(I'm an overtipper too! lol!) Yes, I know that an announcement is an 'invitation' for a gift. I also know that these kids got our address from their parents with whom I was and will always consider myself to be friends, regardless of lack of recent contact. That's just how my friendships go. I'm feelin' safe to make a $25 gift card the gift in those cases now with a card saying "how did you get so old and successful already-congratulations!!!" The others will get more and we'll go to their parties as we still see them. Thanks for the input. As usual, the DIS can be counted on as a barometer for most things!!! My husband is NO help, he just says, "whatever!" and would literally go along with whatever I chose to do.

 

[Claudia1]

We also get a lot of graduation & other such announcements from children of parents that we have known for years. We moved quite a bit in our early years of marriage and have dozens of friends that I only communicate with at Christmas and other special times of the year but never see anymore because we live in another state. That is a fact of life in our mobile society.

However, the ones that I rarely hear from except when a gift is excepted, don't always receive a gift, either!

Gift cards are always my first choice. They are practical and show that you have taken a few minutes to shop for them.

 

[poohandwendy]

I'm feelin' safe to make a $25 gift card the gift in those cases now with a card saying "how did you get so old and successful already-congratulations!!!" The others will get more and we'll go to their parties as we still see them.

That sounds totally appropriate and generous.

As far as announcements, we didn't send them out because I felt the same way most people do, that it is a thinly veiled quest for gifts. But, OTOH, I wish there was a way to get the message across that you are really only sending them to say "Hey, haven't seen you in a while, I just wanted to spread the news that Junior graduated without your feeling obligated to send a gift or attend a function (graduation party)"

It's just a shame that an announcement isn't seen as just that. KWIM?

 

[jenks0718]

That sounds totally appropriate and generous.

As far as announcements, we didn't send them out because I felt the same way most people do, that it is a thinly veiled quest for gifts. But, OTOH, I wish there was a way to get the message across that you are really only sending them to say "Hey, haven't seen you in a while, I just wanted to spread the news that Junior graduated without your feeling obligated to send a gift or attend a function (graduation party)"

It's just a shame that an announcement isn't seen as just that. KWIM?

It is a shame it isnt seem as an announcement. I work with a woman who's daughter is graduating from college in May and she is in the process of mailing them out now. She was excited to let people know that her little girl is all grown up and graduating from college! Its an exciting time! She said that two people asked her what they should send her dd and she told them nothing. She just wanted to let everyone know, but she indicated she still received cards and cash anyway.

 

[CPM]

So, are these invitations or announcements? I jsut never thought of them as a "I want a gift" kind of thing. I think it is important to let people know your child had graduated. Even if they are good friends you haven't seen in a while.
I sent invitations out to my DD's graduation party. It was worded as an announcement, then the details of her party. I did send them to a few friends that I know can't come but I think they should know. It's also that "darned if you do, darned if you don't" kind of thing.