<p>DS will be graduating with a BS in engineering in May. When he graduated from high school, his gift was a laptop (up to $1,000) to use in college. My husband and I were discussing what our gift for his college graduation should be. My husband basically said nothing…that our contribution (books/room/board) for the last 4 years was his gift already. I feel we should give him something meaningful. It could be sentimental or monetary (we do have 2 others in college so the gift can’t be too costly.) Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Last year my Ds boyfriend graduated from college and his parents gave him money to go on a trip & to taje D along.
So this year thats what I am going to do for her graduation.</p>
<p>Because I travel for business, I have lots and lots and lots of AA miles. When my niece graduated from college I gave her 300,000 miles, which she could use however she wanted. Being able to tap into that resource was a great boon for me because I could not have afforded anything so extravagant if I was coming up with cash instead of using miles that I had been accumulating but not using. </p>
<p>We gave S a watch (sadly it was too large for his wrist, so had to return). Also took him, D and us on a road trip and train ride so we could enjoy national parks on West Coast as a family. We all enjoyed it. When D graduated, her ‘road trip’ was delayed until we convinced her to join us on a trip we were on–to Chicago and then to visit her brother (as well as one of her college room mates) in DC. It was fun. We also funded their tuition, room, board & expenses, but really enjoyed these trips with our kids. Didn’t give either kid a ‘significant’ gift that was sentimental, nor did H or my folks. I also went on a road trip after I graduated from college to see national parks with a friend. H went on a road trip around the continental US with friends after he graduated from college with a friend. I guess road trips are our tradition for college graduations.</p>
<p>We went on a cruise (it was a combination graduation present and parents’ anniversary present… first real vacation we’ve ever taken!) </p>
<p>But honestly, the better gift I received from my parents was a very heartfelt card that they gave me just telling me how proud they were of me. I cried for a good solid 30 minutes straight from it and it is leaps and bounds more special to me than the trip.
Just a thought :)</p>
<p>When D graduated, we gave her nice luggage and cash. We had already given her jewelry for other special occasions. When she graduated from med school, we gave her cash. She bought a dog. S will graduate this year. I think a nice watch would be great, but I don’t know if he’d actually wear it. (He uses his cell phone for a watch.) I’ll be reading responses here for some more ideas. Thanks in advance. </p>
<p>Romani your parents must be more articulate than I am. I have difficulty saying all the things I admire and respect about my kids, but I needed the reminder that it is worth the effort.</p>
<p>We gave our kids repayment of their Direct Loans. It is a drop in the bucket compared to their tuition/room/board costs we paid while they were in college.</p>
<p>DD’s real “gift” was a cross country train ticket, CA to MA in a sleepette. </p>
<p>DS was taken on a “shopping spree” for clothes for his job.</p>
<p>It sounds like the OP doesn’t want to spend that much money. What about a nice diploma frame from the college? </p>
<p>My parents threw me a small barbecue party when I graduated for a handful of my friends and a couple of relatives. It was what I wanted. </p>
<p>I was able to talk DS into opening a Roth IRA for 2013 since he was eligible after making good money at a summer internship. What I am leaning toward is making a contribution to that account for 2014 tax year as his graduation gift. I am hoping this would reinforce planning for retirement and building the nest egg. I just don’t want to buy another material gift.</p>