We got an invite from a relative for a combined party for three of their kids - high school graduation, middle school graduation, and a birthday party.
We had planned to go to the grad party and give a generous cash gift, and we would ordinarily get a gift for the birthday kid anyway. But we’ve never given a gift for a middle school “graduation” before…is that the norm these days? Does this mean we’re to bring three gifts to the party? I’d hate to leave out one of the kids, but gosh…this seems like a lot. What is a typical grad gift for a middle school graduation anyway?
Maybe a couple of movie passes? I believe I gave something similar when my nephew transitioned from grade school to middle school. We were invited to a celebratory dinner and gave a small cash gift and a hooded sweatshirt, if I recall. Being expected to bring 3 gifts for one party seems like a lot, imho.
Maybe a small gift card to Itunes or Amazon? What are you getting for the HS graduate and for the birthday kid? If you typically would get them something equivalent, I see nothing wrong with getting the MS graduate something smaller scale, but still meaningful to them.
Last year I attended a triple graduation given by a family. It just happened to work out that way.
I ended up giving all of them checks.
The first one graduated from med school.
The second one graduated from college. (undergrad degree)
The youngest graduated from high school.
I have been invited to two family 8th grade graduation ceremonies and celebrations this summer and I too am brainstorming what would be an appropriate gift for such an occasion. My issue is that I need to be consistent in that if I give to one niece/nephew a gift for 8th grade graduation then I need to do the same for the rest of them when they get to that point.
I’d put the 8th grade grad in the same category as a birthday gift - about $15-20. I wouldn’t feel obligated to give it to future grads (the nieces and nephews) unless they also had a party. Seems like this one is just doing the party because of the siblings having a grad party and that the family otherwise wouldn’t have a party for the 8th grad graduation.
I agree with @twoinanddone . I think it’s kind of sweet that the family is including all their kids. It doesn’t sound as if they would have had a party just for the middle school graduation.
How old is the birthday child? I’d be inclined to give the two younger ones each a pair of movie passes so that they could take a friend, and if the theater has the kind of thing where you can get two passes plus a popcorn, I’d do that. If the birthday child is too young, I’d give him or her something else more age appropriate.
Get the middle schooler a super soaker and one for the birthday kid, too. Something interactive and fun to do together. High school grad gets a check. I think the parents are nutty for handling the party like this and are likely to irritate their guests and their eldest child. But, to each their own. If it works for them…no biggie. Wonder what the cake will look like? LOL But yeah…little gifts for the birthday and middle school bs…and the present you’d planned on for the grad.
Being DONE with middle school is gift enough…no reason to make it a cash cow. Thoughtful gifts for middle schoolers…books with questions and answers…stuff they’d never ask but want to…about high school. Books about driver’s education. Amazon gift cards. Visa gift cards. Cash (small amount). Something supportive of a kid’s passion. More adult fashion and accessories. High school has a different dress code than middle school. Backpacks. Portable power supplies for tech…the solar ones are fun. Everyone likes a new beach towel with a bottle of sun screen and a water bottle:)
Since the party is to celebrate all three kids, I’d concur with the consensus here and get a small/token gift for the middle school graduate – a $25 Amazon gift card would always be welcome, perhaps an item of clothing, or if female even an inexpensive piece of jewelry (like and Alex and Ani bracelet or something along those lines).
I love @doschicos’ idea of giving the middle school honoree a check for $20.17. That’s creative and symbolic. For the high school grad, a gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond for dorm room supplies is always welcome. For the birthday kid, a $20 gift card to Amazon. If this adds up to more than you think is appropriate, why not a family gift for all of them, like a badminton set or some type of beach game? Someone once gave my kids a box of water guns and water balloons to share, and they loved it.
