HurricaneMom

My SIL informed me that it's "tacky" to send out college graduation announcements. I didn't send them out when I graduated, but I graduated as an adult in my mid-to-late twenties. Honestly, I've not ever received one either, but not many in my family attended or finished college. (My SIL had one child who should have graduated last year and one who should have graduated this year, but both kids dropped out of college.)

We (as a family) weren't sending them out far-and-wide, and S only purchased 25. But has anyone else been told these announcements are tacky? We are driving to S's graduation (800 miles away) and we are hosting a brunch at the hotel the day of his graduation for the people who are attending. We aren't expecting gifts to be sent to him (which my SIL said the announcements would reek of a "money grab") but we are very proud that he is graduating. About half of them are going to S's close friends and half to family.

I'd like to hear other parents' thoughts and experiences with college graduation announcements. She has me spooked to send them out.

oldfort

We didn´t send it out. People we were close with knew D1 was graduating. People we didn´t know well, we told them next time we saw them. Yes, if someone were to send me an announcement, I would feel like I need to send a present. I think other people would read it as such.

thumper1

Both of our kids' colleges provided a very small number of graduation announcements free of charge. Anything beyond that had to be ordered for a cost. The grandparents wanted to have them...so we sent them to the grandparents. We also kept one for each of the kids (they really have NO interest in them....they have their diplomas).

We didn't send them to anyone else.

ingerp

There have been other threads about hs graduation announcements. (In our house one kid did not send them but one kid did--the one who got them for free.) I agree that close family, particularly grandparents, probably appreciate them. We have our first college graduation coming up in May (fingers crossed), and will send a few out. (DS will also be the first grandchild on either side to graduate from college.)

I wouldn't stress it too much. Also--I made sure that the kid who sent out the hs announcements understood he'd be doing all the envelope addressing/stuffing/. . . That might cut down the list a bit.

Marian

I agree with the person who thinks they're tacky.

To me, they look like solicitations for gifts.

thumper1

Or another veiled brag.

Sikorsky

I would stop short of tacky, but I don't much care for them. I didn't send them when I finished high school or college or graduate school, and I didn't mind at all when my daughter had no interest in sending any when she finished high school.

somemom

Hmmm, we were so harassed by one set of grandparents that we ordered 25 and sent them to the grandparents, aunts & uncles, and to some old teachers from HS or even elementary school with a personal note. Maybe I should rethink them and create one page on my computer to send to the grandparents for the next round of graduations!

tx5athome

We are going to have a party at the house the weekend after graduation. So I was thinking that instead of the stuffy school announcements I would make some sort of picture invitation for the party.

shellfell

I've only had one friend send announcements for their kids' graduations. It did feel like a solicitation for gifts. I haven't done it for my own kids..

roshke

For the most part, I have to agree with your SIL. Anyone who is is close enough to get an announcement knows that your son is graduating or will know it the next time you speak to them. That said, past threads seem to indicate that this is somewhat regional thing - more common down south than it is in the mid Atlantic or northeast, for example. Of course, there's nothing wrong with giving an announcement as a keepsake to a grandparent or very close family member who wants one.

Consolation

I agree with your SIL. A keepsake for the grandparents is fine. Anything else reeks of either bragging or trolling for a gift.

I've never received a graduation announcement, for HS or college, nor have I sent one. Perhaps it is regional, as suggested above. The only announcements I've ever sent or received were birth announcements.

moonchild

My DDs college provided 10 free announcements. One went to my mom, one to MIL, and one to SIL who would be traveling to attend the ceremony. We later got a message from my MIL that the elderly aunt on DH's side really wanted one, so we sent it with a little note about DD's plans.
I've always felt that I needed to send something when an announcement came, so I only sent them to the closest family who would give a gift anyway.

My son sheepishly handed me 10 graduation announcements when he cleaned out his room as he was heading up north for his Fellowship the fall after he graduated, "Do you want these?" They must have been buried in a suitcase or something and he obviously had no intention of sending them out.

PackMom

We sent out h.s. grad. announcements (maybe 15 total) but not did not do college ones for S1 nor will we do them for S2 who graduates this year. I too feel like it's a "send me a gift" announcement.

My niece (or my SIL) sent out college grad. announcements. I sent a card with a nice note inside. I was really surprised when two years later we also received her Grad. school announcements. I didn't send anything for that one because her sister's h.s grad. announcement arrived in the mail box the same day!

faithfirst2226

Agree with the people that think they are tacky and most people already know, and if they don't know, they most likely don't care that much or will percieve it as bragging. My daughter said it is an obnoxious idea, ha.