<p>Not doing any announcements. People who are close to DD know she is graduating. The tickets for the actual event are limited and it is in a usually hot football stadium. Whenever I receive an announcement, I almost always view it as a pitch for a gift.</p>
<p>I get that ebeeeee, and am not sure if that perception is at all wrong. At my age, I am starting to get lots of such announcements and frankly, I enjoy them; I get them from my college friends and old neighbors and family friends. Sometimes I send a gift, sometimes not, but I enjoy receiving them. Probably because I get so little US Mail that is personal!</p>
<p>I just want to share the news of the milestone!</p>
<p>LindaCarmichael - I am with you. I know announcements might be perceived as a request for a gift, but my feeling is that our far-flung family and friends will want to know about her graduation and future plans, and they will want to see pictures. I know some of them will want to send a gift and I did toy with the idea of “no gifts please” or something about donating to a charity in her honor, but even that seems problematic so I will leave it alone.</p>
<p>Re: timing. I’m planning to send them after graduation for 2 reasons: one, I can include an actual graduation (i.e. cap and gown) picture, and two, it is one less thing to try to get done between now and the big day ;)</p>
<p>Re: grad parties.</p>
<p>Wondered if anyone was planning one that included local family/families of son’s friends/a few of parents’ close friends who knew son growing up?</p>
<p>I was thinking I’d be more inclusive, since people have already asked, “when’s the party?”
They (esp family) seem to want to help celebrate. And, the actual tix to graduation are limited to only a few per family. </p>
<p>Son, however, wants a party ‘just’ w/his friends (don’t think we are doing that; can’t afford 2 parties).</p>
<p>Curious if others were doing the ‘combo’ party (adults/teens) & if you thought actual invites were necessary? (or just, word of mouth?). </p>
<p>Can’t believe we are so close…</p>
<p>D2 did a combo party–we invited her friends and a few parents of friends with whom she was really close. My husband’s family (his sisters and their husbands and kids) came from the midwest and they were at the party as well. We live in a small town (D2’s class had about 100 kids and most of them had gone to school together since first grade). It’s fairly typical for kids in our town to have joint parties that included both kids and adults. We invited a few teachers as well (other kids did the same and the teachers all attended–didn’t stay too long). We also invited a few neighbors who had used D2 as a baby sitter for their kids. D2’s party was great fun. We hooked up an I-pod to a speaker system (borrowed from a friend of D2’s who has a band) and another friend of D2’s served as a DJ (he did this for school dances). Some of the parents decided to dance and pretty soon almost every adult was dancing. I think everyone (adults and kids) had a great time. Two moms who were at the party are in my book group and they still talk about having a great time at that party (it was two years ago). D1 decided that the perfect time for the party was the afternoon/evening before graduation. She was the only kid having a party that night, so I think almost everyone showed up.</p>