Giving Great Graduation Gifts
What the grad will really love
By Monique Nelson
High school graduates are usually between 16 and 19 - the hardest ages to by presents for. Graduation is an enormous accomplishment; a time of excitement, relief and often a tinge of fear for the graduate. Parents, grand-parents, siblings and friends often share in the tension around this time due to gift-buying anxiety. There are the obvious desires: a new car, a new computer, somewhere to live that is not with the parents. For most families, unfortunately, gifts of this caliber are simply not an option. There are lower cost solutions that are perfect for every graduate.
A Thoughtful Gift
Some things to consider before buying a gift are: who are you in relation to the graduate, and who is the graduate. By this, I mean that you want to make sure you buy a gift that your almost-20 year old recipient is going to want, and that you buy a gift appropriate for your relationship to them.
Parent and grandparents often are responsible for the more extravagant gift; that does not have to cost a fortune though. There are many gifts that will sincerely help your student in the future that are reasonably priced. Consider first the graduates plans: are they going to college? Are they heading straight into the workforce? Will they be traveling?
Lots of Options
For someone going away to college or traveling, having a good camera is a must! If they already have a camera, consider a photo printer or camcorder. Someone going straight to work is going to need down-time and may appreciate a membership to a spa, gym or perhaps season's tickets to a sports team that they love. Remember to stay within your budget: if you can afford seasons tickets, buy tickets for the last game only.
Everyone appreciates a new cell phone and, if you really want to splurge, computers are always in demand. Maybe the graduate simply needs a new flat screen monitor to save space in their new dwelling.
For friends and family that cannot afford to splurge, consider putting together a scrapbook for them. Scrapbooks are wonderful, but they take a lot of time and devotion. Call their best friends and compile stories and photos so that they will have those memories close whenever they get homesick. Make sure to include a section for family too!
Graduates often want to start out with a new image after high school. Decide what your budget it and get a gift card for the mall with the best stores. Don't pick a store, but a mall, just in case your favorite store is different from your graduates. To make the gift more personal, make sure that you arrange a date to go shopping together, and offer to buy lunch while you're out.
If your graduate it very athletic, maybe you want to get them that new hockey stick they've had their eye on, or the basketball shoes that they couldn't bring themselves to buy.
Offering to buy the college-bound student's first semesters books will be much appreciated, even if it isn't extremely fun. Beware though; university and college books can be very expensive! A cheaper idea may be to get them a subscription to their favorite magazine.
If the graduate is moving away from home for the first time, home decor items are always a great idea. Try to stay neutral; your taste may not be theirs. Try for glass photo frames and candle holders, poster frames (maybe with a gift card to a store that sells their favorite posters), anything that can be incorporated into their individual style.
The most important thing is not the price of the gift, but the personalization. Adapt these ideas to suit the interests and needs of your graduate. And don't forget to congratulate them profusely!