<p>My neighbors are hosting a party for their 17 year old son who was just awarded Eagle Scout. I barely know them but plan to attend. Is a gift customary? If so, please give me a few ideas! I have never been to a party honoring a scout before and do not want to be a klutz! THANKS</p>
<p>When we attended our neighbor’s Eagle Scount ceremonyand reception, I didn’t notice anyone bringing gifts but it could be different practice where you live.</p>
<p>Eagle Scout and Gold Award celebrations don’t require a gift in our area either. I think a nice congratulations card wouldn’t be out of line.</p>
<p>i didn’t get a gift :(</p>
<p>We specified “no gifts” on our son’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor invitations just to ease this uncertainty. I’ve been to a bunch (20?) of Eagle Courts and I’ve never seen a stack of gifts, although it’s not unusual for grandparents or especially close friends to get the new Eagle a little something.</p>
<p>I guess the short answer is, no, it is not customary, at least around here.</p>
<p>A yellow Hummer is always appreciated. ;)</p>
<p>Since you’re a neighbor and the party is at your neighbor’s house, you need to bring something. A small gift like a mug with an eagle on it filled with candy, or a book about eagles (the bird), or a Steve Miller CD (with Fly like an Eagle on it) sound about right.</p>
<p>Alternate:
A plate of brownies you’ve made with a card for the Eagle recipient attached.</p>
<p>Relatives might give checks or giftcards instead of a gift, but since the Eagle award is based on community service and leadership, and you don’t know the boy, that doesn’t seem appropriate in this case. </p>
<p>At the party, ask the boy to tell you about his Eagle service project. They might have his Eagle project notebook out and if so, take a few minutes to flip through it.</p>
<p>No gifts are expected in our area either. My son was very appreciative of those who took a couple of hours out of their Saturday afternoon to honor him. That is a gift.</p>
<p>My son got gifts from about half the people that attended his Eagle ceremony. Most were checks or blockbuster gift cards inside congratulation cards. At the local scout shop they have things like eagle pens, key chains, rings, picture frames. </p>
<p>We have given a key chain, a pen and checks and for one scout a framed picture of when the boys went to their first summer camp as 6th graders and looked all goofy with glasses and braces. I didn’t find that picture until the last friend got his Eagle but it was most fun to give and the friend seemed to really like it too.</p>
<p>a card with a little something inside is a nice way to go.</p>
<p>The above advice is all very good. No gift is required or even expected, but having gone to a few Eagle Ceremonies, I would bring a congratulations card and a small gift (any and all of the above are great ideas). However, if you decide not to bring anything, you will not be the only one who doesn’t, so don’t worry that you’ll feel awkward. Either way, you can’t go wrong, and like A.S.A.P. said, your spending the afternoon to celebrate this event with the family is the true gift that will be cherished.</p>
<p>Both of my sons are Eagle Scouts. I can’t recall them receiving any actual gifts, although there may have been a couple from close friends. Most people brought cards, and about half had a small amount of cash or a gift card inside–$5-$20. It was appreciated, but not expected.</p>
<p>For some reason, both of my sons had their Eagle ceremonies at times when not a lot of their friends and fellow Scouts were able to attend, so we really appreciated those who took the time to come and celebrate with us. Your presence really is the best gift.</p>
<p>Excellent suggestions here. The troop my son was affiliated with is the oldest in our state and very heavy on ceremony and tradition. They only have an Eagle ceremony once each year for all the Scouts who have obtained the rank during the past year. We had a reception afterwards at the church. A few close friends brought small gifts, but as many have already said, the thing most appreciated was that friends and family took time to be there. Since you are going to someone’s home, I do like the idea of a card and something baked that the whole family can enjoy after all the excitement of the event. Gift cards for the honoree are nice also - I don’t know many kids who don’t enjoy downloading songs from iTunes these days and a small gift card for that would probably be appreciated.</p>
<p>I’ve only been to my nephew’s ceremony which was last year spring in MA. Since it was my nephew, I wanted to give him something. I had found this wonderful nutcracker that was in a Scout uniform. Not sure my nephew appreciated it but I know my sister did (hopefully, he will when he’s older). I will say that others had brought gifts also. Perhaps it’s a regional thing.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the comments! Thanks so much. I am thinking that maybe a card of congratulations with a gift card for iTunes or gasoline might be the thing to do!</p>
<p>No expectation of gifts in my area either. My “boys” (husband and son) are very active in Scouts, and we would go broke if we bought “real gifts” for everyone!
Having said that, a card is always appropriate, and if you go to the local Scout Shop or look online, there are a number of small gifts that could be enclosed, like key chains. I would only get a larger gift for a relative, or for a boy that is a very close friend, or who was actively mentored by comeone in the family.</p>
<p>My husband’s nephew got his Eagle in Jan, and it was a very special event that we were not able to attend. DH’s BIL is deployed in Iraq, and they arranged the ceremony for a night during his (the Dad’s) 2 week R&R in the States. As it happened, it was the same date that the BIL (again, the boy’s soldier father) had received his Eagle 20+ years ago. Because of all this, they were given a front page article in their local paper, not a small town, some CC posters might even recognize the story. Anyway, my husband and son did some funny and some respectful poses in their Scout uniforms to honor the new Eagle, and sent these pictures as a gift, they are wonderful.</p>
<p>If the parents are having a reception at their house where they are feeding you etc. I personally wouldn’t come empty handed. I went to an Eagle ceremony recently -most people did bring something. S has been to a few of these too - gift certificates were the common thing.</p>
<p>And for you Eagle moms:</p>
<p>If you want a non-sheetcake for the Eagle reception, substitute several fleur-de-lis bundt cakes. The f-d-l is the BSA symbol. </p>
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