<p>Sniner posted a question about grad gifts in another forum, and it seemed like a good idea for a Parent Cafe post! Does anyone have ideas for grad gifts? My S is graduating from high school. I’d prefer to get him something that he can keep a while, rather than electronics which will quickly become obsolete. We got older S a guitar, but next S already has one. In fact, he has worked and spent since he was 15, so I think he already has one of everything! How 'bout some parent brainstorming on grad gifts? Here is my list, although these won’t work for my S: guitar, IPad, laptop, sports pass for his college, bike, luggage. Help!</p>
<p>A suggestion that’s mentioned here a lot that I really like is gift cards to restaurants, theaters, shops, etc in the college town your child will be living in. My roommate got a book of cards like this and it was a lot of fun exploring the town together… made it a bit easier to decide where to start, and got us out and about right away.</p>
<p>Money is always a good thought. I did however get a handmade afgan from my neighbor when i graduated. I thought that was nice.</p>
<p>I made a photo album to tell the story of life through senior year. Very much appreciated, even by a relatively non-sentimental kid. One could simplify this by just gathering more recent photos or focusing on high school only. I have this fantasy that I make a largish album for each kid and ditch most of the rest of the photo excess. </p>
<p>I really love that idea about local gift cards as both practical and motivation for fun, emaheevul07.</p>
<p>I am in the process of making a CD of my daughter’s senior year. She will be able to download on her computer for college. In addition, we are getting her an iPone 4s. She has a simple phone and she will be able to use the 4s in college. Complete with gps, reminders, calendar, etc. Then I am making her a tie blanket to take to college in the colors of her school for her bed.</p>
<p>I give a gift card/certificate to their new college bookstore.</p>
<p>travelnut - thanks for the reminder! I did exactly what your first sentence describes for S two years ago. Crud, I completely forgot - luckily there’s still time to get D’s together before she graduates in May.</p>
<p>Boring here–laptops for the new grads in our house.</p>
<p>I helped to fund trips.
Towards end of senior year, oldest went on an environmental trip to Costa Rica where she also did a home stay.
Her school also had a tradition of a challenging backpacking trip for juniors who were traveling in the same area as a more reflective trip or seniors.
She hadn’t wanted to go as a jr., but she went on the senior trip through the Mazatzal mts & the Canyonlands.</p>
<p>What about a road trip?</p>
<p>My annual message – please do not give the Dr. Suess book “Oh, the places you go”. I volunteer in our local library and every year we have 10-12 copies of this book donated for the book sale – most of them are inscribed to a graduate.</p>
<p>Hooded college sweatshirt with gift cards in the pockets for nephews. I haven’t really figured out what to buy D. I’d go with jewelry, but she doesn’t really wear it.</p>
<p>When S1 graduated from h.s. we paid his airfare for a trip to Mexico with a friend’s family.
We originally planned to give him money but when he was invited on the trip, we figured that would be a better gift than money for him to blow on random stuff.</p>
<p>When S2 graduated we bought him a really nice stereo system for his truck. He took his truck to college as a freshman. It’s a four hour trip. Figured the stereo would get used a lot. He’ll graduate from college next month…still listening to that stereo.</p>
<p>We also bought each of them a new laptop before heading off to college.</p>
<p>How about a nice watch. I know, I know kids “don’t” wear watches. But most MEN do, still, and it’s something that says ‘you’re an adult.’</p>
<p>I gave my non-watch-wearing son a swiss army watch (I admit, a bit out of desperation because he’s really hard to shop for.) I was surprised and pleased to see how impressed he was by the gift, and how often he wears it. </p>
<p>BTW, a good swiss army knife is also a good idea. I recommend going with Amazon, where they sell some former demo knives for much, much less.</p>
<p>If you give them a Swiss Army knife…just remind them NOT to carry it on a plane!</p>
<p>We gave our son an instrument for HS graduation. DD got a new computer.</p>
<p>As a soon-to-be college graduate (only 23 days, but who’s counting? ;)), I really like the idea of the college sweatshirt with gift cards. </p>
<p>Some of the cool stuff I got for HS grad: my sister gave me a laundry hamper filled with dorm and school supplies; toiletries, some basic medications, hair rubber bands (we both have a TON of hair and go through them like crazy), paper, pens and pencils (of my favorite kind…again, we’re both picky about these things), markers, colored pencils, Febreeze, etc. It was a really thoughtful and original gift that I still think about to this day. Also, it was less stuff I had to buy before moving out.</p>
<p>A friend of mine’s mother gave out little postcards that said something to the effect of “I need cookies!” We could check which kind we wanted, send them to her, and a week or so later would get a box of homemade cookies/brownies. It was nice to get that taste of home (most of us cashed them in during midterms/finals).</p>
<p>HisGraceFillsMe, I love the idea of the postcards! I will definitely do that for my son’s best friends’ graduation gifts!</p>
<p>lololu, I LOVE that book. We used it for guests to sign at my oldest son’s graduation party, so I hope he will keep it and not donate it to your library! We told guests to write on any page, and it was cute to see how people tied their comments to the words or pictures on the pages.</p>
<p>HisGraceFillsMe–the postcard idea is wonderful. I hope I can remember that for next year!!</p>
<p>My traditional HS graduation gift to my nieces is a birthstone pendant and to my nephews is a nice watch. I also send a check with the gift as well. Any great ideas for a gift for a medical school graduation? We are attending one in June and I am at a loss for a gift idea for a future doctor. He is male, single, 27 and going to be in a residency program for at least 3 years.</p>
<p>We gave both our kids a college education at their dream U with no debt. Not sure what else we may provide for their graduation gift, but think that’s a pretty good one.</p>
<p>When S graduated from HS, I made him a kit with all the stuff he uses without thinking from my desk & around the house that I thought would be useful for him. It was the 1st thing he opened when we moved into this dorm–we needed tape & scissors. 
When D graduated HS to start CC, we gave her $$$. When S graduated from college, we gave him a Skagel watch from Costco that he returned because it was too large for him. Not sure what we’ll buy D–she graduates from college in less than a month.</p>