HS grad gift for son ideas?

[mom2grace]

We had our daughter pick out a ring for her high school graduation. That continues a family tradition.

Our son graduates this year and I’m trying to figure out some thing that might be similar. Some thing that he would have forever. Suggestions?

 

[Mandy Poppins]

We got our son a watch. He graduated from college this month.

 

[mumto3girls]

My daughter is getting the computer she will take away to college. We did the same for oldest DD.

 

[LuvOrlando]

For college we bought our son a watch in his school colors & got our daughter a ring for her school colors, not a class ring but the colors.
For high school we went with memories so DS got a Senior Week trip and DD got Firefly Festival

 

[tcufrog]

What about cuff links and a tie tack? You can sometimes get the backs of watches engraved with a message. That would be a nice gift.

 

[Travel60]

If going to college, maybe something for dorm life....laptop, television. Plus some college bling -sweatshirts, running pants, pajamas.
If not going to college, something for his next step...clothing, tools, small equipment.

 

[happily single]

A trip to Disney?

 

[VandVsmama]

Money

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What about a handmade wooden keepsake box, like this? He could keep some of his favorite mementos in there, and take it with him when he leaves home permanently. For the one in the link, you could include maybe a nice family photo? Or a favorite photo of him? (I like the family photo idea, he can look back on it many years from now with .) We got our son’s at Old Fort Niagara. Etsy has some. Or just google around. I especially love the ones that have compartments. They run $150-300.

Or what about one of those blankets made of old tee shirts? A friend of mine did one for her son for his HS graduation and it was gorgeous. She hung it up for display at his graduation party.

 

[slo]

My parents bought my DD18 a laptop
My in-laws bought her a new iPad
We were going to buy her a TV for her dorm room, but she said that she didn’t want one. She doesn’t wear much jewelry, so that’s not a good gift for her, so we have nothing. I told her we have nothing, and instead of a gift her Dad will take her to a Blackhawks game when she’s home for Christmas break (those tickets are more than a TV ) and she’s perfectly fine with that (she knows she’s not easy to buy for).

 

[slo]

What about a handmade wooden keepsake box, like this? He could keep some of his favorite mementos in there, and take it with him when he leaves home permanently. For the one in the link, you could include maybe a nice family photo? Or a favorite photo of him? (I like the family photo idea, he can look back on it many years from now with .) We got our son’s at Old Fort Niagara. Etsy has some. Or just google around. I especially love the ones that have compartments. They run $150-300.

Or what about one of those blankets made of old tee shirts? A friend of mine did one for her son for his HS graduation and it was gorgeous. She hung it up for display at his graduation party.

Yes….these are awesome!
I’m going to have this done with my DD’s old softball jerseys and tournament shirts for Christmas. I would have liked to do this for graduation, but I have to wait until her HS and travel season is done so I can use shirts from those seasons too.

 

[cvjw]

Money. That is what we gave both boys when they graduated high school and college. Then they can get what they want or need.

 

[Karin1984]

Whenever someone asks here for gift suggestions, my answer is always the same: ask the receiver. I get people want to surprise the other, but I prefer to make sure it is a gift appreciated, actually used and not ends up in a drawer, returned or given to goodwill.

Ask your son what he wants. You can set some rules that is has to be something like your daughter's ring, a gift that will last a long time. Not something frivolous. It has to be similar to your daughter's to make sure she is not going to say 'if it wasn't for this tradition, I would get a computer/money/trip too?'

Let your son weigh in on it. It is his gift. Give something he really wants or needs.

 

[TCRAIG]

We gave out daughter scuba lessons as part of her HS graduation gift…

 

[TwoMisfits]

My kids get their 529 accounts as their HS graduation gift - aka, mom's promise to pay 4 years of instate college tuition (sometimes, that's not there yet at graduation, but I'll find the extra).

For their college graduation gift, I'm planning on matching all of their college earned job money (up to $5K/year) and gifting it to them for their 1st car/housing down payment. So far, my 1st kid won't be bankrupting me on this plan, but we'll see how the others do. And they don't know about it yet - they just know I encouraged them to find jobs by the summer before they start college and to keep at least summer jobs from then on...

 

[NAB]

Whenever someone asks here for gift suggestions, my answer is always the same: ask the receiver. I get people want to surprise the other, but I prefer to make sure it is a gift appreciated, actually used and not ends up in a drawer, returned or given to goodwill.

Ask your son what he wants. You can set some rules that is has to be something like your daughter's ring, a gift that will last a long time. Not something frivolous. It has to be similar to your daughter's to make sure she is not going to say 'if it wasn't for this tradition, I would get a computer/money/trip too?'

Let your son weigh in on it. It is his gift. Give something he really wants or needs.

Yeah we got our daughter an iPad when she graduated high school and she didn’t want it . We returned it and she got her self a very expense purse…..lol

Just graduated from University and we got her a new iPhone her ’s was 8 years old and didn’t do updates anymore. No way she could afford a new one one her own right now.

Thought of getting keep sake but really do they remember what they got years down the road. My husband has no idea but I know it was a watch that has been sitting in the jewelry box for years. He also has a university leather jacket that sits in the closet for the last 40 years .

 

[_19disnA]

Laptop PC is always a good idea for someone going off to college. Be sure to review the recommendations from the college they plan to attend so it has the necessary features and will run any special software required.

 

[2China2009]

My daughter graduated HS. She got Mac Book Pro. She will have it for a long time.

 

[mom2grace]

OP here - thanks everyone.

I’ve worn the ring I picked out at 18 every day for the past 33 years! D is studying engineering & has maybe worn hers twice. She did pick it out. I recognize that I might be the exception/oddball.

We absolutely will let DS choose his gift but I would like for it to be something that will last forever.

We bought him a decent computer in covid & he said it will be fine for college. We are also paying for college. He does work for spending money & he pays for his phone, gas, other expenses. He will not have a car in college or we would have him pay his car insurance.

His sister is doing an imagineering internship this summer so he will get a disney trip thanks to big sis!

I do like the idea of the keepsake box & will share that with him.

I also like the scuba lessons idea. A skill for a lifetime. We’ve talked about scuba certification as a family in the past.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[fly girl]

I really like the watch idea posted above.

Dh received a watch from his parents and he still wears it to this day. Granted, it is a Breitling.