<p>I would love to hear what other parents do for their child for graduation gifts? </p>
<p>We are at a loss for what to get our child. Being that it is a very meaningful day we want to do something nice, however, we also know college is going to be very taxing on our family so don’t want to go overboard.</p>
<p>One thing that every college kids is going to need is stationary and/or blank cards. I know it sounds dumb, but these were SO useful when I was in college and they can often last you the whole four years. For writing thank you notes for your other graduation gifts, for writing thank you notes to professors while you’re in school, for quick cards for friends’ birthdays, for writing back to your parents, for a million uses, a box of nice-looking (non-embarassing prints on the front cover) multi-purpose blank cards. </p>
<p>Also if they don’t have one already, a good hoodie with their college logo/name on it. Zip up might be better than pull over, unless you have a son who doesn’t wear zip ups. </p>
<p>If their college still uses quarter laundry, then quarters for laundry. If they have favorite home recipes and will be able to cook at school, then some of those packaged into a box. </p>
<p>A great/creative photo display with family photos in it (those hanging photo mobiles are kind of fun). You can make photo calendars pretty easily and cheaply now (you can do it within iPhoto if you have a Mac or at almost any photo store and within many PC programs), they might really like that. You can put different family photos or photos from home in it, and then it’s something useful they can use right away (nice August - August wall calendars are hard to find). You can even write funny things in for the holidays or put photos of family members or friends on their birthdays as reminders. </p>
<p>Target gift cards (if there’s a target around his school).</p>
<p>We bought Son a laptop, but later in the summer, so it wasn’t an official grad gift.</p>
<p>For graduation we bought:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>a Lifetime membership to the Eagle Scout association</p></li>
<li><p>tickets to several concerts/events he wanted to attend over the summer.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>A shiny new car.</p>
<p>Kidding…relax</p>
<p>SmithieandProud - thanks for all those awesome ideas. My kids aren’t graduating yet, but I have some announcements I want to send a token gift for.</p>
<p>I usually give them a CD of a new band. Something they may not be familiar with but same genre as they listen to.</p>
<p>My son’s getting a bible. We’re not regular church-goers and he was never confirmed. But, I think he’s spiritual enough to appreciate it. </p>
<p>Other items:
A folding camp chair for the dorm. Must have “cup” holder.
Flip video camera (not the Mino. that’s what I have and it takes too long to download.)</p>
<p>When Son is invited to friends’ parties he’ll be giving a $20 bill with a dime taped to it. $20.10. ;)</p>
<p>Will be putting together 2 scrapbooks (I promise, I’m not real crafty so these will be simple 
) - one will include many photos from high school sports/ activities/ friends. The other (I got the scrapbook at Kohls - cheap) is kind of like a box that when you open it up has large photo pages, but different than a scrapbook. I’m going to take all his individual sports pictures and team sports pictures that are generally large starting with t-ball in Kindergarten and create a sports scrapbook - he has SO many memories from sports I think it will be really cool to have out at his grad party/open house.</p>
<p>In addition, will likely give one “gift” - perhaps concert tickets, perhaps an updated Ipod - something that is a little bit of a splurge and will make him smile. :)</p>
<p>I gave up guessing and asked my D and she really wants a smartphone, something I never would have thought of.</p>
<p>Walked our daughters into the Apple store the day before graduation for new laptops. Not creative but needed and appreciated.
I did make each of the kids a scrapbook of old photos: "Your life, Vol. I " I had a lot of fun doing it and we enjoyed looking at them with the extended family over graduation weekend. They all took them to school, but I don’t have a clue if they were ever opened.</p>
<p>smart phones are a great idea if you pay for you kid’s cell/are willing to at least buy them the phone. Super useful to be able to check your email on the fly while at school, and a good way to keep track of appointments/assignments if you’re not a paper assignment person.</p>
<p>A gift I’ve given frequently to other graduates is a set of monogrammed towels, especially face and bath size, if they will be sharing communal bathrooms. It’s kind of corny, but I’ve heard lots of feedback that the kids love them, because their towels never get “borrowed” and not returned! Even one initial works, and Lands End has a nice variety of price points.</p>
<p>After all of the grind of college applications and acceptances, I decided she needed something frivolous. I gave my daughter a “makeover” at the salon featured on “What Not To Wear”, which is one of our shared secret passions. Makeover included a new haircut with a stylist they said was very “teen friendly” and a makeup lesson. Not as expensive as I feared. She went just before graduation…looked great in the pictures. So, new life and new look.</p>
<p>D loved a set of Tommy Hilfiger sheets (dorm bed sized) and comforter for grad gift. I gave each of her friends a tool kit from Ikea, good for the dorm. I tried to give things for their new life at college!</p>
<p>For a niece’s graduation last year, I got her 4 tickets to a sports team she’s a real fan of. Sports tickets are expensive!</p>
<p>One thing we are considering is a shopping trip to the container store to pick out her new room supplies and accessories. Between there and target we should be able to outfit it pretty well.</p>
<p>I know my D will miss her pets immensly, so I plan to send a photo pillow with a nice photo of the dogs on it sometime after she gets there–it will be one of her first care packages.</p>
<p>Love many of the other ideas on here too!</p>
<p>A DVD video of photos of important things in her life set to music you choose. I do this for clients frequently (I’m a photographer). There are also internet companies who offer the service, however expect to pay a premium and have little options.
If you are computer savvy there is software by a company Photodex (Proshow Gold), that will do the job quite nicely. You can even drop in video clips that have been converted to WMV format. You can have your older photos digitized onto CD’s at Ritz camera for $50 a shoebox. Given the ‘shelf-life’ of photos, it’s a good idea to get this done anyway. Even the CD will degrade with time so it’s best to move them on to a portable hard drive and keep it out of the house. If the unthinkable happens and your house goes up in flames, your photos are always safe.<br>
It’s a very nice, unique keepsake. I have done this for all of my family members, making copies for parents & grandparents as well.</p>
<p>You can go to one of the shops on-line and make a combo photo/quote album. You can just share your favorites or you can ask family/friends to contribute as well. We’ve all got favorite words of wisdom, why not pass them on? </p>
<p>I think graduation is also a good time to start making gifts in your child’s name. It’s good to learn early on that a celebration shared is made even more meaningful.</p>
<p>What we have been doing for neices and nephews is getting them a gift card to their intended college bookstore. It might not be a good gift from parents, if you are going to be paying for all your childs charges to the bookstore anyway. Or as someone mentioned sports, if they are going to a big sports school (and your child likes sports) a seasons tickets to the colleges football games, or maybe a pro game if they happen to be going to college in a big city.</p>
<p>For years we have given graduating friend’s kids small tool kits. Sounds silly but try adjusting the furniture the day after move in day (when all parents are gone) without a wrench. They’re available for around $25 at most stores.</p>
<p>Ditto on the tool kit and also getting gift cards/certificates to local popular eateries or coffee bars where the student is going to school. The latter was suggested by a group of current students where I work.</p>