Help Needed - Graduation Gift Ideas

Debora

It's that time of year again! I have a niece and two nephews graduating from high school next month. I usually send a check to be used toward college expenses, but would also like to include a gift with a personal touch.

When my daughter graduated high school, we gave all her closest friends engraved purse mirrors such as these:
http://gifts.redenvelope.com/h.....Hribbonlad
I'm at a loss as to what to give a young man.

What are your favorite gift ideas for young graduates? Any suggestions for both men and women would be greatly appreciated!

15 years ago

General

20 replies

Latest reply was from karymk

FiestyWife

Active Member

An engraved money clip would be nice. Nothing too fancy but something a little more grown up for a "college man."
http://gifts.redenvelope.com/h.....Hribbonlad

Anything relating to their college
http://www.thingsremembered.co.....ionId=_1_~|~|Graduation|~|~|~

And everyone needs a usb drive
http://www.thingsremembered.co.....ionId=_1_~|~|Graduation|~|~|~

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

oh, I like that idea.
or an engraved mechanical pencil or pen.

15 years ago

Kristine

Veteran

I'm a fan of experiences or consumable items over mementos. If something is not to their taste it can become a source of guilt if they don't want to hang on to it. Men are less sentimental on the whole. Plus with college and eventually a career coming up they'll be moving around a lot. So maybe two tickets for an amusement park, a pro baseball game, round of golf or concert to let them blow off some steam!

15 years ago

Vani

Veteran

Ooh, I like the idea of an engraved USB drive! The geek in me is gasping at $30 for a mere 2GB, but the silver plating and personalization obviously cost a bit.

15 years ago

PalmFronds

Active Member

Like the idea of the engraved USB. The money clip may seem a bit mature for someone just starting college but I think he would use it alot actually, and they are really nice thin ones. In my experience the engraved pens are fab to look at and receive but don't get alot of use. A nice watch is another thing that guys tend to like and use, but if he is in the generation that looks at their phones for the time it may not be quite right either

15 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

What about a picture frame for the graduation photo or a keychain?

15 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

I agree with Christine in that keepsakes are tough unless you know the student very well. Tastes change so much in college. Pens get borrowed and lost. USB drives are passed around to all the members of a project group. I'd also avoid anything organizational since everyone has their own system.

I'm a big fan of Target gift cards as Target has trendy, quality items for dorms and apartments.

Also, if there's a Viking store, meal prep business, or casual cooking school in your area, a gift of an easy cooking class (for students in apartments with kitchens) or some prepared meals (for dorm students) is a very useful gift.

I like the idea of sports tickets as well. Professional teams are great, but if you are able to purchase advance tickets for their school's sporting events that's a great way to go.

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

haha- never in a million years would I have thought you could even buy an engraved usb drive. I think that's the best idea yet.

15 years ago

Steph

Veteran

My favorite high school graduation gift was a plastic trunk someone bought me, filled with towels. Going to college, those were really important things that I needed, and it was nice not having to spend money on them. So I would probably go that route: a nice bath towel, a set of extra long twin sheets (assuming they are going away to school and staying in dorms, extra long twin is what most beds are, which means you have to buy all new bedding), or a shower caddy with his/her favorite soap, shampoo, conditioner, would all be gifts I would have appreciated.

15 years ago

casey

Active Member

A giftcard to their university's bookstore, usually available online. It can be used to buy a sweatshirt or some other piece of branded college gear or books/school supplies. Nearly as versatile as a Target card, but so much more exciting/personal for a recent grad.

15 years ago

Debora

Veteran

Some great ideas here!

Feisty, Kim, Khris,Vani, and PF - Love the money clip, USB drive, key chain, and mechanical pencil ideas for guys.

Kristine -I also like the idea of giving tickets for a memorable experience. My husband and I do this a lot and give memories as gifts. We'll spend the night at a B&B, visit an art museum, or go to a show, for example. The memories are priceless.

Dresslover- great ideas! Target is great for college shopping. What's a Viking store?

Steph - Your comment jogged my memory! I remember a friend giving my daughter monogrammed towels for her graduation. I actually think it was her favorite gift of them all.

Casey - Love this idea!!!

15 years ago

oviamy

(website)

Member

An article about Top 3 Graduation Gift Ideas to you:
http://www.ppt-to-dvd.com/arti.....s.html#240

@n.n@
Good luck!

15 years ago

Louise

Veteran

Do the girls have charm bracelets? We are getting my brother's girlfriend one of these when she graduates university this year x http://www.perfectcharm.co.uk/.....php?id=355

15 years ago

Debora

Veteran

Thanks Oviamy! All great ideas! I especially like the DVD one.

Louise - I love the idea of a graduation charm!!! Thanks!

15 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

Debora, I'm a little late but Viking is a culinary-oriented store like Sur la Table or Williams and Sonoma. Viking also makes ranges and other appliances. They usually have a small culinary institute in house where they teach cooking classes with different themes. They usually have a quick meals and/or college cooking class.

15 years ago

Debora

Veteran

DressLover, I LOVE the idea of cooking lessons for the new grad!!! We have a little cookbook for college students that my husband was given when he went off to college. He then passed it down to his younger sister, and his sister gave it back to our daughter when she went off to college. That little cookbook saw a lot of use and is being held together with masking tape. It must be almost 40 years old now!

15 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

I love that story and that's awesome that cookbook gets so much use across multiple generations. Cooking in college is quickly becoming a lost art, well cooking in general!

I hope you can find some nice lessons for grads in your area.

15 years ago

pil

Veteran

We often go the college bookstore gift card route. Also, one of the LL Bean canvas bags. Good for schlepping things back and forth.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....g-open-top

12 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

A good quality backpack.

12 years ago

karymk

Veteran

Are the boys outdoorsy or "fixit" types? perhaps a pocket knive engraved with their initials...including a beer cap remover of course...My son received a gift of four handcarved wooden shot glasses in a soft leather pouch from Norway (where his cousins are). he loved that and treasures that it is handmade from the country of his heritage.

The purse mirror idea is really nice. Anything engraved is really nice for these kids I think.

Hardcover photo book on a subject they are interested in
A nice Thesaurus (am assuming they are going on to uni)
small jewelry keeper or box.

12 years ago

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