For context, I will be graduating this Friday and will be attending like 15 grad parties on Saturday for all my friends. I know it’s last minute, but i’m just starting to think about gifts for them now. My grad party is on sunday, so I can’t just copy what others would be doing.
What would you say the average dollar amount from other students is typically? Or is it generally a different type of gift or nothing at all? I have a personalized card for each of them also by the way. TIA
My D24 bought gifts for about a dozen close friends and received gifts from about the same number. Common gifts she received were lots of monogrammed stuff…makeup bags, stationary, trinket boxes, frames. Other non-monogrammed gifts she received included clear (stadium approved) bags with school logo, smathers and Branson keychain with school logo. She gave some gifts later than others so if it takes you a week or two to get it together that’s totally fine - just need to deliver gifts individually if it’s post grad party.
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My son and his friends did not exchange gifts
My daughter did and it was small college branded gifts. Some Gator stuff she found on ETSY and some Miami stuff as well
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It sounds like your daughter put some thought into her gifts, which is always nice to see. College-branded items like Gator and Miami merchandise can be great, especially if they have a personal connection to the recipients. Your son and his friends might have different traditions or preferences when it comes to gift-giving, which is completely okay too. It’s interesting to see how different groups approach these things!
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My daughter framed some pictures for the friend group as small gifts.
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My kids had “no gift” parties for just the reason you gave…there were way too many of them to buy gifts for all. And their friends also had “no gift” graduation parties.
I like the suggestion of a group picture, but how would you do that and include everyone?
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Given the very tight timeframe an Amazon gift card could work.
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My kids did not give gifts to their own classmates when they graduated and generally their classmates did not give gifts to them. It’s just too much- either you’re all trading dollar bills with each other or inexpensive trinkets that aren’t really needed. But, if as underclassmen they were running around to a bunch of receptions for older kids, I’d send them with a batch of cards and a small stack of $5 bills to essentially “cover their plate” lol.
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My son and his friends (Class of 23, college) gave no gifts to one another. A few of them gave him a card. Just a card.
15 grad parties is a lot of money for a high schooler to shell out if you’re buying stuff for everyone. I guess if the Parents’ Bank is funding it, maybe up to $20 a person. But honestly, it’s a bit ridiculous if everyone is gifting everyone else. I personally think a token gift is best. Take a photo from your phone and have it make into a pic, as suggested above. More meaningful than a $20 bill.
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D ‘s friend group took a big group photo at graduation. She bought frames in bulk and printed out the photo at home. Easy peasy and not expensive.
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I’d say no gifts or do a photo frame with you and the other grad, or a big group event. If you take a picture at the grad parties, it is the perfect excuse to give the gifts a week later.
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For my daughter’s closest friends, we gave UGGs slippers (+ money) to wear in the dorm. They seemed to love them!
For other friends, we gave $50 - $100 if I (the parent) was also invited. If my daughter went herself and was giving the gift herself, she usually gave $20.
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She gave the Gator stuff to her friends going to University of Florida with her and the Miami stuff to friends going there.
The Boys were just not into giving grad gifts to each other They are all rising seniors and are still close
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Thank you all for the tips. I just got some $15 dollar amazon cards to include in cards I wrote for each of them. Hopefully they like it!
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