Time for Grad Gift ideas please...

[rascalmom]

Any suggestions for unique and special graduation gifts? My best friends daughter is graduating this year and I want to find something special for her. She used to babysit my dd's and has really been a role model for them over the past few years. Any great gift ideas???

 

[mommytotwo]

I say money is always the best gift for a grad. so they can use it to furthur their education or do as they please.
You could get something like a picture frame with her name and year that she graduated engraved so that she can remember her special day.

 

[stinkerbelle]

hmmm...I know this really isn't "special"...but I tell ya...my parents gave me luggage at my High School graduation...and I still to this day use them! Heavy duty stuff from LL Bean monogrammed with my, now, maiden initials.

These 2 pieces of luggage have gotten me through 5 different dorm rooms, to disney and back 3 times, through 2 apartments and 2 houses...and are still in great condition.

never under-estimate the power of a good set of luggage!

 

[rascalmom]

Money is always a good idea, but this young lady has earned a full academic scholarship to her chosen university. Books, room & board - everything!

Not that money isn't still useful, but I am looking for something a little more personal - more of a remembrance idea. The picture frame could work & I'm going to try to find out if she has luggage.

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Hillbeans]

Maybe she has a favorite charity or cause? You could make a donation in her name? Maybe if she has a favorite restaurant you could take her and your girls out for a "ladies only meal"??

 

[mommytotwo]

How about something that she will be able to use in her dorm room? I know that when I moved into my dorm room, I needed to buy a microwave, a small refrigerator, and my roommate had a VCR and a T.V. Oh I also brought my radio. I'm sure that if she doesn't have those things and is thinking of buying it, it would be a well used item.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

my favorite gift last year was a pillow...sounds weird, but my best friends mom made it for me..she said it was for all the times i helped him out in school and went to baseball games..its gorgeous and she wrote on it....
i also got a college survival kit...it had screwdrivers, food, candles, air freshener, flast light..pens, pencils, hangers....everything

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

I second the idea for a dorm type gift. When my nieces and nephews graduated HS I made dorm baskets. Sheets, towels,
a phone card, some snacks, and little gadgets. You could add a nice framed picture of her with your kids. You can spend as much or as little as you like. And always use a laundry basket as the "basket". You can add laundry soap and dryer sheets jus use your imagination.

If she is not going off to college, a gift certificate would be nice.

 

[kadaten]

There's a company that will take all your old t-shirts and turn them into a quilt...very cool for school memorabilia!! Perhaps her mom could help you get some of her t-shirts and you could send them in to be done for her? I'm a sewer myself, so I'm going to do the same thing for my college ones Made a friend's years ago, but never got around to my own....

Shirt Quilts

For my HS graduation, I got a book of quotes called Leaves of Gold and some savings bonds. Graduation presents weren't real big in our family....wish they were!! From college, my parents gave me nothing again but my Dfiance's parents gave me a breakfast table and chairs to help furnish our new home together!!

Other ideas....a silver charm bracelet with charms from your hometown or ones that are special between her and your family (like a wagon if she always takes the kids for wagon walks, cat or dog if she pet sits for you, etc.) . They always have year charms out around graduation time. A charm bracelet she can add to forever, but will always remember who started it for her

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I love this one. There is a gentleman from our church who gives his neices and nephews each a bible for their graduation gift. He tucks a nice sized check into the page of the bible. He says in all of the years that he has done that, only one of the checks has been cashed!!

 

[debster812]

I always give a graduate a copy of Dr. Suess' "Oh the Places You'll Go", and a nice check or Gift Cheque.

 

[phorsenuf]

Is she going to college? If so find out where and then get local gift certificates for food or take out and such. How many college kids would have killed for a late night pizza but not had the funds????

My SIL called my son's school and put money into his "cafe" card.
This was a little cafe place on campus that was seperate from the cafeteria where they could also eat at. The card was a debit like card that could be used there.



I just happened to think too, maybe gas cards or a buss/subway pass if she will have public transportation available.

 

[caitycaity]

two of the things that i got as graduation gifts that i really liked(besides $$$) were jewelry and luggage. i'm also using the same luggage that i got as a hs graduation gift.

 

[aynt79]

I second "Oh, the places you'll go" by Dr. Suess. I always wanted to get that for either my high school or college graduation, but nobody ever bought it for me.

 

[nativetxn]

One of my husband's favorite HS graduation gifts was a frozen block of change. A friend of the family took a container and threw the change in their pocket in the container and put in just enough water to cover it and put it into the freezer. The next night they did the same thing and the next night, etc., etc. It was a pretty tall container.

He enjoyed defrosting it and counting the change I think that they said that they put their change in the container every night for about 4 months.

Folding money is fun, too

 

[SoonerKate]

Phorsenuf knows what she's talking about!

My favorite graduation gift was from some friends of my parents. Their son had graduated the year before, and I have a feeling they quizzed him on what to give me. Anyhow, I got a HUGE laundry bag with my initials on it, folded up around gift cards from Barnes and Noble, Chili's, Starbucks, and some local restaurants, too.

The gift cards are gone (though they were fantastic, especially when I was sick of dorm food!), but I still use that laundry bag 4 years later!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I like the idea of the Suess book along with luggage.

 

[Lisa AF]

A friend of mine did this. She had friends and relatives write a memory of the graduate or why the graduate was special to them and return them to her by mail or email. She then made a beautiful scrapbook out of them. This gift was definately a keeper!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

speaking of grad gifts...my brother is graduating this year..hes going to be 18..im 19...were close, but dont want to get him anything to emotional sappy type thing...he would laugh!!any ideas?? He LOVES baseball!

 

[rascalmom]

Thanks everybody for all of your ideas - there are some great one's here! I think I may get her a piece of luggage & fill it with some of the smaller things mentioned. I can't believe I didn't think of luggage - that's what my now in-laws got me for my college graduation and dh and I used it for many years. And the Dr. Seuss book is one of my favorites - I'll be sure to include a copy. This will be fun!