If there are any teens in your life, you know that they can be incredibly difficult when it comes to gift giving. If you know any soon-to-be-grads and find yourself scratching your head over what to give them in congratulations, you’re not alone. Should you get them something practical, like personalized towels or a nifty desk lamp? Would they rather have something decorative, perhaps for a dorm room wall?
On our Facebook page, Jenn asks:
Does anybody have fun graduation gift ideas? I know some high school graduates and some college graduates. I know money is what the kids want, but I want to include something cute and homemade too! Thanks!
What do you think, readers? Do you know any grads this year? What would you make to give as a graduation gift?
(photo by hmm360 @ morguefile.com)
14 Comments
Shannon
How about a homemade quilt for their bed at the dorm?
Amy from Our Dish
This idea would probably work best for high school grads, assuming that college is coming up for them in the fall. I like to put together a little “backpack emergency kit” filled with some trial sizes of tylenol, tissues, bandaids, candy, gum, spare cash, etc. etc. Whatever is handy for school life and studying. You could do the same idea with essentials for a dorm room or first apartment away from home.
jess
Similar to what Amy mentioned, I’ve filled a laundry basket full of laundry supplies, roll of quarters and some school supplies like pens, notebooks, highlighters. All items that get used quite a bit.
For the grad I know this year, I’m thinking about doing a variety of gift cards to local resturants and grocery stores near the college – since he is a guy and loves to eat!
Carrie
You can give a College Care Package/Survival Kit like this one: http://showergiftsandmore.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/hpim1861.jpg
I made this one as a graduation gift, and it includes:
Twin Sheet Set, Redbull, Ramen Noodles, White Out, Pens, Laundry Bag, and Laundry Detergent Samples.
The best part of this gift is you can personalize it to fit your graduate and your budget.
Adrienne
Ask their parents if there’s anything practical that they might use, or if you’re buying towels or a blanket or something, what colors you might buy. No need to waste on something they aren’t going to use.
Shelley Davis
We gave our kids money. One of the kids needed a Mac computer for his new career, so that’s what he got. 5 down and 3 to go. Yes we have 8.
Shelley
Aimee W.
First year college students NEED an ID holder! Their college ID is how they get around, pay for things, get into dorms, everything! So, a nifty ID holder that they won’t want to lose or can pick out in a crowd is very helpful!
Megan
Towels are a great gift. When I got them as a HS grad I thought it was a crummy gift until I was in the dorms and glad I had plenty of towels and didnt have do laundry so often. Neutral colors will work for anyone and you cannot really have too many towels. Sheets are harder because some dorms have XL twins and others have regular twins.
Other dorm or living on your own essestials are great and put the gift in something usefully like a shower bucket/carryall or a laundry bag/basket. One of the cute things I got in one of my gifts was “sunshine pills” which were just M&Ms in a small jelly jar. It had a cute label with a message about taking them when you are having a bad day and repeat as necessary or something like that.
An ID holder is a great idea, also maybe a lanyard for it. My grandma did make me a quilt for my dorm but I think you have to know the grad pretty well to do that.
Marcy
I am giving the grads in my life a hot pot. It’s a cute little thing to warm up water, soup, ramen noodles, etc. and I plan to fill it with pens, colored sharpies, sticky notes, etc.
Lynn
I am making my son a t-shirt quilt from his high school t-shirts.
For graduating girls, I make hand knit wire and bead bracelets in their school colors. I wish I could come up with something similar for the guys. I tried making a key chain, but the wire and beads just aren’t sturdy enough. I would love some ideas for something smallish, but meaningful for the guys.
Tina Lowry
If the grad is going to college, I give them a towel set in their new school colors. I choose a solid school color and then have their initials embroidered in the other school color.
Shelly
My daughter received a gift card for the college she was attending. She was able to use it at the bookstore or snack shops. A little extra spending money for her.
Ashley
When I graduated from high school, one of the most useful gifts I received was a tool box containing a hammer, phillips and flathead screwdrivers, pliers, scissors, nails, screws, hooks, poster hanging tabs, a multi-purpose tool (like a swiss army knife), etc.
I used it to decorate my dorm rooms, my apartments, and now, my first home.
The person who gave me mine put it in a pearlescent craft kit box, and tied some pretty ribbons to the handle, and puff-painted my name with some crystals on the front, to make it pretty and fun.
Emilee
I agree with Ashley, as an HS grad one of the best things I got was my tool box that sounds very similar, although not as cute as hers.
I also got a bucket of school supplies. Pens, pencils, lead, erasers, highlighters, post it notes, post it tabs, mini stapler and tape for my backpack. I am a senior and still haven’t completely run out of those things.
Another thing I suggest is a first aid kit. Either buy a pre-made one, or put together one yourself with bandaids, gauze, a thermometer (college kids almost never think of buying their own), an oral antihistamine, ibuprofen, anti bacterial cream, eye drops, etc…