<p>I am having a “tea” for my daughter, a handful of her friends, and their mothers. All the daughters are seniors, and this is a graduation celebration for them. I am calling it a tea to indicate that it is a ladies only thing, that there will be food but not seven courses, and that we should dress up a bit. I don’t know if we’ll actually drink tea!</p>
<p>I am doing the food - mostly store bought stuff, and decor and all. But I want also to have a special “gift” for each girl, without spending too much. I have decided to give them each a “bag of wishes.” Attached to each item I buy will be a corresponding wish. So far I have bought them:</p>
<p>Dream catchers
Super Glue (The wish will be something along the lines of not coming unglued, or that things hold together, or something – haven’t thought it all out yet)
$100 Grand candy bars (self explanatory)
Picture frames (The wish will be something like remembering the family and friends who stand behind you all the way)
Bubbles (Wishing you times when life bubbles over)
Disney Princess Lollypops (A wish that everyone will remember that you’re a princess!)</p>
<p>I will probably buy some pretty candles - to wish them light along their paths.</p>
<p>I need more ideas. The girls are from different high schools, and going to different colleges. I have asked the moms to write a letter to their daughter, which I will include. I’d like to include some useful things for college - stationary supplies, etc. Food items are fine, too. Or fun items. I am hoping the creative folks on this board can help me with some suggestions.</p>
<p>And if anybody has any creative suggestions for what else we might do during the party, please share.</p>
<p>All I can say is that it’s at times like this that I really think it would be different having daughters instead of sons! I think this is such a wonderful idea, but there is NO WAY that this could be done with boys. Have a wonderful, sentimental, joyous tea!</p>
<p>I love these types of gifts…here’s some ideas for desk supplies, practical things I’ve used in college</p>
<p>post-it notes (wish that they stick to their morals / friends / family ties)
highlighter (wish that they find the important things in life)
whiteout / big eraser (wish that they can fix their mistakes)
binder clips (wish that they can hold everything in their lives)
permanent marker (wish that they leave a lasting mark on the world)
mini stapler (not sure of a good wish, but definitely could fit in somehow)
50 cents (wish that they remember their family/friends are only a phone call away…that is how much a pay phone costs now right? )
carabiner or maybe Altoids (wish that they remember that something small can be so strong)
bandaid (wish that their boo-boos remain small)</p>
<p>Joining with mootmom and blackeyedsusan in celebrating (mourning?) the differences between boys and girls. No way could I ever do anything remotely similar for DS and his friends. But, hey, we can live vicariously here on cc!</p>
<p>Moms of sons: there is <em>some</em> hope. When DS graduated, I did a slide show, set to music, for him and his two cousins going off to college the same year. They had spent summers together since age 0 and I had slides of their paths through life from then til hs graduation. DS was spied tearing up when I played it at the Off to College! party.</p>
<p>Great idea! blackeyedsusan, I am with you on this one. </p>
<p>Okay, the road map with the home address circled, got me choked up. I would definitely put that one in. As far as Carpe diem, I know someone who says this to his D everyday when he drops her off at school! </p>
<p>This is so thoughtful, binx. I would serve the tea too! You could even just put out a wooden box with an assortment of different individually wrapped tea bags to pick from (it can be passed around, just like what you may have seen in various restaurants-kinda looks like a wooden large cigar box, but I am sure a basket would work too).</p>
<p>BTW, the tour guide at the one of the colleges we toured was a senior. He told those taking the tour that his dad took his 10 best friends out for a graduation dinner. He could not stop talking about it, so guys might appreciate some sort of celebration too.</p>
<p>I think that the permanent marker, with “lasting mark on the world” is a great idea! So is the highlighter with “finding the important things in life”! Oh, those are excellent!</p>
<p>Prepaid phone call - so you can always call a friend to chat
Starbucks card - for caffeine to pull you through an all-nighter</p>
<p>Okay, so you can tell I’m the practical sort…</p>
<p>How about a CD of music that they have shared? (maybe the boys can help you come up with this one.) – for example, last summer, when my daughter was off to California for 5 weeks, I made one with the theme song from the OC, a Jamariqaa (or however you spell it) song about flying away, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks, folks! These are wonderful. Please keep them coming. I also very much appreciate the comments that this is a good idea. Here is the back story: I’ve had two boys already graduate from high school. S1 was the first grandchild on both sides. Grandparents were younger. Cousins were younger. Heck, everybody was younger! So people came from far and near to celebrate. We had a house full, and a huge party. It was a big deal.</p>
<p>Fast forward 3 years, and S2 graduates. S2 is our own personal Family American Idol, whom everyone adores. Instead of a party, he did a senior recital. Probably double or more the people that showed up with S1. (We flew home from Germany, and some of those people also came in order to see us, I think.) It was also a big deal.</p>
<p>Fast forward 3 more years. One grandfather is dead. The other is scheduled for his radioactive seeds to be implanted on graduation day so that couple won’t be traveling. Cousins and aunts and uncles aren’t coming for various reasons. D is aware of the reasons, but also aware that “nobody’s coming.” Actually my mom, and S2 are coming. And her dad and I will be here. </p>
<p>So I had to come up with something just for her - something the boys didn’t have, and couldn’t have. I’m glad you think it’s a good idea - that makes me feel better. She knows we’re having the tea. She doesn’t know about the bags, and the mom letters, and the fact that I’ve asked each mom to sneak a few favorite mementos of childhood to me ahead of time to use in creating a big, fun centerpiece.</p>
<p>binx, this is such a lovely idea. i too join those with boys and am so jealous. Though I do have two girls, though they’re not biological children of mine, they’re the daughters of my heart and I may use the wish bags for them both this year as they head off to college. Thank you for sharing! </p>
<p>For my son, I’d wanted to hire a limo and spend an afternoon driving around and visiting all the schools he attended from preschool through high school. But we were so busy we never found the time. But maybe this year when he comes home after his freshman year of college and before we leave Oakland, we’ll do a tour as part of our saying goodbye to Oakland.</p>
<p>Take a photo of each mom and daughter as they arrive (in our case it was a farewell party- a guest and my daughter were in each photo.) If you are using a digital camera, while the party is going on, one of your menfolk can make prints to take home.</p>
<p>I am stealing this idea, but am using it for a different purpose</p>
<p>My younger D is one of several girls who are having an older siblinh leave for college and will be home alone with the parents, and they will miss them</p>
<p>So, I was going to have a “tea” for the mom’s and the Ds to have some fun, reconnect, meet each other (the girls go to different schools), and this play stuff sounds perfect</p>
<p>Oh, CGM, great idea. My D has complained that the worst part of having siblings leave is all the focused attention directed solely on her. Nobody to spread the wealth with.</p>
<p>Binx…your idea sound absolutely wonderful and is sure to be a very memorable occasion. The wish bags are very unique. Your ideas for filling them are terrific and so are the many suggestions of what to add!</p>
<p>binx, you are being so very thoughtful about each graduation.</p>
<p>It sounds like your daughter’s graduation will be different than that of her sibs, but just as meaningful. Smaller celebrations can be more intimate than larger ones.</p>
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