As graduation is approaching I have been starting to think about a graduation gift for my graduate.
What do parents typically do for their kids who are graduating undergrad. Do you give a gift, give money, do nothing as their education was a gift in itself?
We are hoping to take a nice vacation.
Had some thought for D2 and I to take a vacation together. She was fine with that. As it stands, it seems our “vacation” is going to be buying needed furniture items for her grad school apt! She enjoys and appreciates a comfy home so I’m happy to help her make that happen with some new and some repurposed items. At age 22 I don’t feel she needs to have dorm type stuff for her professional school three year stint.
Will “surprise” her with a new TV as one of her apt items.
Is paying their college tuition not enough?
I guess his Honda Civic was his gift as he got a job but couldn’t get the paperwork over the holiday weekend to be able to get the new grad loan along with the good pricing. Independent son, money not needed, not sentimental so a gift wasn’t crucial.
Not everyone has paid their tuition - partial maybe but we have not had the fortune to foot the entire bill after fin aid.
Our gift to both kids was paying their Direct Loan payments for undergrad. That amount was a drop in the bucket compared to the costs of attendance we paid while they were in undergrad school.
They appreciated this gift, and it gave them $300 a month less bills to pay.
My DD graduates community college in a month and has cost us very little. I think she’s getting a kayak 
and we will retitle the car she drives into her name, at least.
We gave one child an interview suit and the other one we contributed for a trip to Italy.
This varies dramatically. We paid for daughter’s college costs and a few travel opportunities during college. When she graduated she got a nice (but modest) necklace from Tiffany.
Her roommate was expected to pay for part of her education (not insignificant) and when she graduated she got a car.
A friend gave her son a check to cover 2 months of rent at the apartment he was to move into following graduation.
Another gave her daughter a frame… for the diploma.
Like with anything else - it all depends on the family, circumstances, finances, etc.
Shortly after graduation, I took her on a mother-daughter hiking & camping trip for two weeks.
When we got home, we packed her up and moved her into her new apartment in a faraway city.
It was our treat for some things she needed for her apartment.
Yes. I’m aware it’s variable dependent on circumstances.
When I graduated I received a used car with my parents paying payments for 6 months then I took over the payments.
My husband says he got nothing at all.
That’s why I asked the question as we approach my child’s graduation. Was just curious where on the spectrum others are.
We paid toward school but my child does have student loans. I don’t feel comfortable in the nothing camp so just trying to decide what to do.
Love hearing all of the wide range of ideas.
We bought our son a very nice used car. We gave him a dollar amount, but we helped him in the decision process. (Researched reviews, etc.)
We just gave our kids money and accessories (lamps, rugs, kitchen gear, etc.) to help them get started with their new apartments when they started their jobs.
When I graduated, I was given a bouquet of plastic roses, a windup travel alarm clock, and a mesh food cover tent thing (??) to use for a picnic I guess? LOL. I remember being jealous of a girl who was given a nice watch.
A friend gave their kid a trip to Europe and worked it with another family so two girls went together. Sorry editing my original post…
We had a grad party in a fun restaurant for our daughter. Will do the same for our son. My family gave our daughter a college chair as a gift. They want to do the same for our son, but he isn’t sure he wants one because he hasn’t liked his college experience.
What is a college chair???
“We paid toward school but my child does have student loans. I don’t feel comfortable in the nothing camp so just trying to decide what to do.”
My two oldest, who graduated undergrad in 2013 and 2015, have told us multiple times that the best gift we ever gave them was to graduate debt free. They appreciate this more as the years pass and they understand the freedom that having no student loans to repay has given them. They have friends who are shackled by loan repayments; who make major life decisions colored by their loans.
So, my advice would be to give your child something towards repayment of his loans. It isnt sexy, but it will make the biggest impact in his ability to move forward in life.
@abasket. A college chair. Tough to describe. I see them as generally a black Windsor type wooden chair. And on the front, facing towards the seated person on the wider backing slat that goes horizontally across the top , you will see the college seal and Latin phrase in gold or white lettering. You can personalize on the opposite side with a small brass plate. Name and year etc.
Usually seen in deans office, a private library, den or sitting room at home.
When I graduated I had dinner with dad. He gave me 100 bucks for the weekend and a bus ticket home. Lol.
I gave her some money for her to open a Roth IRA. Also we went to Europe for 2 1/2 weeks vacation.