My 17 year old son who just finished his junior year of HS has been dating a girl for the past 6 months or so. She graduated this weekend and her party is on Sunday. I don't know her real well. I've talked to her parents several times but only as it relates to our children going to prom, etc. She's headed to a University about 4 hours away this fall while my son will still be in high school.
I'm looking for great ideas of what to give her as a graduation gift. Any ideas??
Thanks Mamas! Lots of great ideas. We haven't picked the final idea yet but I'm leaning towards the laundry basket idea or something with her University logo on it, like a sweatshirt, etc.
Thanks for your help!
If you know what University she is going to, you could get her a gift card to the campus store, or some campus appearal - college t-shirt, sweatshirt, boxers, coffee mug, pencils, etc.
Awesome! I was the senior girl graduating with a junior boyfriend, heading to college 4 hours away. I'm now married to that boyfriend, and I get along very well with my mother in law.
My mother in law bought me a small porcelain jewelry box, with my graduation date engraved on it. It was perfect, I still have it today, and cherish it as a personal, sentimental piece from a woman who has always treated me like her own daughter.
Skip the cash and go for the heart. This girl might be around for a long time :)
I'd say either cash, or (my fav. graduation gift, believe it or not) someone had gone to the dollar store, bought a laundry basket, and filled it with 'practical stuff' that I would need for that first year away, like dish and laundry soap, pasta, utensils, plates, cups, linen napkins, candles, bubble bath, kitcheny stuff (strainer, spatulas, oven mitts), etc... SAVED MY LIFE, I swear, and the whole thing probably cost about $25! I will always give this as a graduation give from now until forever, knowing how much it helped me!
Laundry basket with a roll of quarters, detergent, and dryer sheets. I'm 33 and I still remember this as my best graduation gift.
Last year i had a couple of friends with high school graduates. I gave them laundry bags, a bottle of detergent and a roll of quarters! they both loved them and parents too cuz it was useful!
I loved the "gift packs" when I graduated. a hot pot- that I am sure they don't use anymore, or a basket with shower toiletry stuff that she can carry to the showers, I suppose dorms are now more self contained, but still. One family got me a Mug with my graduation year on it filled with pens, pencils, scissors, ruler, compass. Another family got me an arm chair pillow. Personalized stuff seems appropriate as well. I got an etched glass thing with my name and graduation date on it- was very cool- I graduated in 1986, so I figure they must have been good gifts or I wouldn't remember them.
I had a similar situation - my oldest daughter was in her first year of college when her boyfriend graduated from high school :) (I didn't know him very well at the time, either). I made a "kit" for him out of a shoulder bag/laptop bag. In it, I put a book, hygiene products (razors, shaving cream, cologne, etc), a T-shirt, a small gift card, a webcam so he and my daughter could see each other since he was going to a different college than her (now most computers have them built-in), and a Greyhound discount pass that was good for a year so they could visit each other (got my daughter one as well). The gift was from the whole family except my daughter, who did her own thing. Normally, I am all about giving cash to grads, but I wanted something more personal because I thought "what if they are still together in 5 years - I would wish I had done something a little more personal." Voila' - 5 years later they ARE still together :) I did take my daughter with to help with the T-shirt, etc.
Good luck!
Lots of colleges have shared bathrooms, so a bathroom tote with a few extras is usually a good idea. Otherwise you can go with the laundry basket and soap with maybe a roll of quarters. Kids going into college will take about anything. You can also do the towels and soap route. These are all necessary, but not too expensive and thoughtful. I hope that helps.
Hi D.,
Don't know what happened to my other response, so if you got it twice, sorry.
Just sent one off to college last year. Wow! Some of her favorite gifts were, like below the laundry basket with soap, fabric softener, etc. A Brita Water pitcher with filters, a coffee cup warmer to heat up scented candles because they cannot have any open flames. An Aquis Microfiber Towel, I find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, for the shower. Dries your body and hair VERY quickly, and it dries up quickly too! Coffee, kitchen utensils, cups, stuff we use every day.
My daughter also asked for stationery and postge. I know it's old fashioned in this electronic world, but she and her friends, guys too, like to actually write each other. They all have real mailboxes and it's fun to get something in the mail.
Good luck to your son. Long distance relationships can be taxing!
College is expensive and money is always appreciated. I have been giving a nice card and a check for $20.10 as a gift from the family. However, your son may want to give a more personal gift from himself.
Will it be from you or from him? If it's from you, I'd give her a nice card and some money. All grads LOVE money! My graduation money got me through my first semester of college.
If it's from him, let him pick out something for her.
I would say if you are going that you should get your own gift from the family and your son should get his own personal gift for her. I think a survival basket actually sounds like a cute idea. You could also get her towels or anything else she can use her first year of college. A bathroom kit/bag because sometimes they have a community bath and not one in there room. $ is always good.
Maybe a gift card for something like Bed Bath and Beyond so she can stock up her room at the university?
