<p>I need ideas!</p>
<p>My best friend’s D will be Valedictorian of her graduating class – and is going to an Ivy next year. I am abso-bloomin-mutely THRILLED for both mother and daughter. It’s an incredible accomplishment, made all the more poignant by the loss of her father in December 2005 a 2 year illness.</p>
<p>I cannot be at her graduation party which is 1000 miles away. I want to send something wonderful. Graduation is this week – party is Saturday.</p>
<p>Ideas?</p>
<p>How about a heartfelt letter, expressing what you have touched on in your post? It would be treasured, I think. And maybe an extravagant arrangement of flowers, delivered to the party?</p>
<p>My D was also the Val. My best friend (from HS 25 years ago!) gave her a really cool highly recommended ipod accessory that was high on her wish list. her godmother (a best friend made in adulthood the year before D was born) gave her a year of Netflix.</p>
<p>Of course you need to check with your friend, but if the D. doesn’t have a digital camera, that might be appreciated.</p>
<p>go with a check. You may think its impersonal, but the girl can use it on whatever she wants, making it that much more appreciated.</p>
<p>If you go with a check, you should probably accompany it with Moominmama’s idea – the gift would be practical and personal.</p>
<p>Thanks for your suggestions. I’ll probably go with flowers – </p>
<p>Can’t add anything to their lives in terms of electronics, books, or even cash. </p>
<p>If I had a token from her dad’s high school graduation – we had been friends for 40+ years and I introduced him to my best friend from college – that would work, but I don’t have anything like that since he and I went to different schools.</p>
<p>Hmm. Do you have any photos of her dad from around his HS graduation years – even his childhood or young-man-hood? It could be neat to send her a picture she hasn’t seen before, along with the letter putting it all in context.</p>
<p>When my s. graduated from high school, I made a simple quilt (my first, 3 1/2 inch squares) from the fabrics of shirts my h. wore to work. The fabrics were beautiful cottons, appropriately ‘manly’ for a guy’s room, and the joke was that his dad gave him the shirt off his back. H. wore those shirts to the job that is paying s.'s tuition - and don’t you forget it. </p>
<p>I don’t know how I feel about doing something like that for a deceased parent (if the fabrics would even be available still). I have heard of people making teddy bears from the sweaters of deceased loved ones. Again, I’m not quite there and it seems a little morbid to me but others obviously feel differently.</p>
<p>Don’t purchase “dust collectors”; if I were you, I would purchase GIFT CERTIFICATES such as those for food or restaurants. Your friend would appreciate a gift such as this far superior to a digital camera. Buy something practical.</p>
<p>Give her something like a digital camera or high-quality computer speakers. Lots of people I know have found those items to be very useful in college…</p>
<p>Nice computer speakers or digital cameras are both great things for college if she doesn’t have them.</p>
<p>Also, you could check out restaurants in the neighborhood of her college and see if any of them sell gift certificates. Tell her you wish you could take her out to dinner to help her settle in during her first semester, but she can use the card to take herself and her friends out instead!</p>
<p>Kids tend to have all their music on their laptops these days, which is why I recommended nice computer speakers. Laptops have terrible speakers and when you can turn your lappy into a stereo, it’s pretty cool. I highly recommend these:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4148283&type=product&id=1051384267922[/url]”>http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4148283&type=product&id=1051384267922</a></p>
<p>After seeing mine this year, several suitemates went out and bought similar ones.</p>
<p>Personally I think electronics seem a little impersonal unless she’s been dyyying for a certain something or doesn’t have access to that kind of thing on her own. </p>
<p>I think the photo idea is great, like any sort of compilation of photos of her dad, perhaps with photos of her at at the same age for example, I don’t know. If you like the idea of using photos I’m sure you’ll think of something creative with what you have. </p>
<p>You could also arrange to take her to do something with you (city excursion, play, whatever) or for her to do something like that with her mom. I’ve had some nice gifts like that…memories are more valuable than possessions, really, and it doesn’t have to be super expensive either if you work it out well. </p>
<p>If you send the flowers, I’d say that the note will be the really special thing that makes it personal, and that’s ok too.</p>
<p>I wouldn.t do flowers… a gift card at Bed Bath and Beyond or the like…she can pick out what she wants…while not as personal, much more useful…suggest she get her linens with it</p>
<p>Another thought—I am still wearing some earrings I received from my grandparents for graduation. What about a piece of classic, timeless jewelry? I would just stay away from anything very trendy. Perhaps something in her birthstone or a piece with no gems but in silver or white gold which the girls seem to prefer now.</p>
<p>A nice watch…I got my neice one that was silver and gold, so would go with anything…she wears it all the time</p>
<p>Extra long sheets for her dorm room bed…wait, that’s another thread!</p>