Graduation Gift

My favorite gift to give for a girl's graduation is one of those after-shower towel wraps you get a Bed, Bath & Beyond. Have it monogramed with her name. They are great for college dorms, sorority houses, etc. Better than a robe... J.

I would suggest Tupperware. We have some really neat things for the college dorm room. Small containers to store food in a small refridgerator and containers of all kind. just let me know and I'll send you a catalog.Thanks,
F.

My Mom gave me a timeless jewelry set. It was a gold(but I don't like gold as much as silver)braided necklace It's still beautiful and I'm 34.

Gift certificates and money are always popular. A great and unusual gift certificate idea, is a gas card. With the price of gas I don't know how teens can afford to go anywhere! I love that you are making each day special by doing something different for both events. It does matter even if it's small it is the gesture that counts. I celebrate my birthday and Mother's day in the same week. I graduated with in days of my birthday. Most of the time people lump everything together. It's nice to get to celebrate these events separately like everyone else does. One of my daughters has a December birthday and she has often felt left out by family members who notice only her birthday or Christmas. The gift doesn't need to be expensive by any means it's the time and energy given into recognizing the event that is appreciated!
Have a great trip!
R.

The laptop for grad day and a small piece of jewelry for the birthday, say a watch? or small diamond earrings?

How about a scrapbooking for her senior year. This seems to be the year they enjoy and cherish the most. If you are interested, call me, V. Godsey ###-###-####. I am a custome designer of scrapbooks and I am sure I could help you come up with something breathtaking and memorable for her.
Hope to heae from you,
V. Godsey
Notedmemories.com

What I treasure most from my high graduation in 1983...
1. the fact that my dad came (he lived somewhere else)
2. he gave me $200.00 bucks
3. a picture of just the two of us in my cap and gown.

Back then, 200.00 was great just to have and spend my own way. My dad died 11 years later. Now I really treasure the picture and I remember just how happy I was that day.

I would suggest giving her something she will treasure as she grows older...a piece of jewerly, a photo of her and her dad, maybe from when she was younger, a letter or notecard detailing how special she is.

You sound like a great stepmom. :-)

One gift I got for graduation was a suite case, at the time I didnt think it was a really good gift as I was not going off to college but in the long run, It was a GREAT gift. It was a small suite case with a handle and wheels and i still use that same suite case 14 years later. This was just a thought, hope it helps!!

My ideas lean to the very practical:
-- a tool kit -- hammer, screwdrivers, nails, picture hangers, utility knife, wrench, etc. -- you can buy them readymade or put together pieces. Include a nice box to keep them in and I promise she will use them for years to come!
-- a rechargeable flashlight
-- a laundry basket filled with all the detergents, bleach, fabric softener, and a stain removal guide
-- assortment of extension cords -- what dorm room ever has enough plugs?

A spa day is always a great present for Graduation, especially if it's given on the day of Graduation, so the Graduate can be extra pretty for the ceremony, but for any after parties she may be attending. Hope this helps!

M.,

I agree with the jewelry thing my Dad and step-mom gave me a diamond tennis bracelet (not a expensive one) I graduated from high school 15 years ago-and every I look a that bracelet it is still something special to me!

I think the most memorable gift is a piece of jewelry engraved with her grad date or something like that. The other ideas of things to take with her to college are things everyone else will get her but a gift from you and her dad needs to be way more personalized!

The graduation present I remember best (it was university) was an exquisite gold small ID bracelet with the school and date engraved on the back.....but as has been said, any jewelry is a good 'memory' present.........

If you know what college she is going to attend, a beautiful throw in the color of the school with her name in the color of the school is always nice to cuddle up with when you are away from home. Also, if you did want to give money, I always make it more fun by taping the bills together end on end and rolling them up and putting them in a gift box. It's fun to keep unrolling and unrolling. If she is into jewelry, a Juicy Couture bracelet with a good luck charm is great. My daughter and her friends all wore them in college and it makes it easy to add charms for special occasions in their life or holidays. Enjoy this special event. We just returned from our daughters College graduation and the years go fast.

Hi,

I think putting a picture of a laptop in a card and saying Happy Graduation and Early Birthday is fine, then take her out for a nice lunch or dinner after graduation. (It doesn't have to be over-the-top extravagant.) Maybe give her a corsage or something to wear to the dinner. She can keep the card and pressed flower corsage in a scrapbook for her memories.

Later, over the summer give her the budget you can spend on the laptop and let her research the best deal and specs she wants for her laptop. It's a good lesson in money management and hopefully she will learn the value of her gift and take care of it well.

When her birthday comes along, again a nice dinner and a birthday cake should be fine. If she isn't used to laptops let her have the laptop early enough for her to really learn how to use it or at least get used to it, so she is not learning about her computer at the same time she is writing the college assignments and papers.

I do love that compass idea and the thought of a moral compass for graduation as a special keepsake. Maybe you could do that and just cookout at home. Whatever you do, let her know around graduation time about the combined gift that is coming. Don't fall prey to the advertising to go overboard. One of the best gifts you can give your child is modeling and teaching good money management. We have family members that give us gifts they can't afford, and we know someday we will probably have to bail them out financially in their old age because they haven't made good choices now. It's no gift to us, believe me. I think I got on my soapbox! Sorry! Your gift is very very generous. I would have loved something like that!

Best Wishes,
Holly

I would get her a nice bag to carry her new laptop.

My aunt gave her daughter a compass necklace so she would "never lose her way" and gave her a poem about a moral compass. There are some very pretty ones on amazon that don't cost more than $50. Here's a link to one I think is pretty.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Sterling-Silver-Compass-Loc...

A month (or two) of subscription to Napster(Napster.com)-a music website where you can download and listen to all kinds of music.
There is a free trial that you can try as well.

You can design a personalized keytag, wrist hugger, door plate....lots of stuff all in the ballpark of around 35 or less. You design, pay online, and can ship directly to her. If I can help you let me know.
http://J..yoursmh.com

Something that will last forever! Jewelry! It doesn't have to be majorly expensive. Just a nice piece that will mean something to her. Necklace, ring, bracelet etc. My husband always buys some little piece of jewelry for really special occasions. My daughter can look back and say "Oh, that one... Daddy bought me that for my ______!" She will treasure it!!!

The laptop is a great idea, but honestly...a great greeting card (which she will certainly treasure) and money. Money money money. There's not a graduating senior who doesn't have 'money' on the top of their list.

I create a high school photo-ready scrapbook that comes with a disposal graduation decorated camera for $25. If that is within your price range, give me a call: ###-###-####. I created one of these for my son, who also graduates this year...and its a great way for the graduate to have a great memory book!
D. Ricks

I found a great friend photo frame for my niece. It has about 6 slots for pictures of her friends. My niece will be able to take this memory with her to college. I also bought her a hat and tasel charm for her bracelet. Good luck and happy shopping.

Hi M. -

I'm a Mary Kay Director, so may I suggest our terrific make-up brush set? It retails for $48 and the fold-out bag the brushes come have pockets that are ample enough to store her color cosmetics. Will be great for living in a dorm room.

I package grad gifts in cute and appropriately theme gift packages, so it'll make a great presentation as well as a life-long gift. (MK brushes are very high quality!) You can view and order the brush set online at www.marykay.com/paulette3. No extra charge for packaging.

Hope this helps!

P.

How about getting her an album for her graduation pictures or for her upcoming college pictures? You could also make one using Stampin' Up or Creative Memories supplies. Let me know if you need a source for supplies. This would be a great way to preserve her memories and create something special from you. My e-mail is ____@____.com

My parents gave me a nice watch and I still wear it 11 years later. Maybe have her name and graduation date engraved on the back or Love, Dad and M. with the date. My watch wasn't very expensive, maybe $50.

I just saw you said you were going to see her out of town. but if its workable, My company makes "gift Cakes" taken from the diaper cake idea and we took it a step furthur.

I do a great graduation "cake" wity towels, sheets, gift card to target or wal mart... and bathroom stuff and snacks everything a new college student needs.

I can do any type of GIFT CAKE. go to my web site and see the gift cake section for more ideas and if you have your own ideas I can come up with something great to work.

GL
A. J
www.celebritypartyfavors.com

Hey M.,
I don't know if this will help, but we have been houseparents and foster parents for years, so we have had a lot of graduates. One of the things we have done that the kids enjoyed is a laundry basket full of goodies. We found out the favorite color and added towels (I embroidered their names on them). We also added laundry soap, wash cloths, ramen noodles, dryer sheets, bed sheets, etc... All that college stuff that we could thing of that sometimes gets over looked. The kids seemed to love it. We even added can openers, and other little things for the dorm that you might not think you need. It's been fun for us to pick things out and for them to go through all the stuff! I hope this helps. You can go as cheap or expensive as you want with this one. Blessings,
C., Mom to 2 bio kids and 5 foster kids (two graduating this year myself!)

There is a cute little book by Dr. Suess called "Oh the Places You'll Go." It is a fun story about going off into the world and the possibilities. I gave that to a friend's son to use as a guest book at his graduation party. Everyone there found a page and wrote something to him and signed their name. It is more or less a keepsake whenever people sign it. They sell it at the big bookstores (and often in the graduation section).

My daughter graduated a couple years ago & her favorite gift was a charm bracelet. She loves James Avery & they have great charms that are resonable. You could get her the bracelet & a graduation charm that has the year on it.

a scrap book you've made
a watch with a note reminding her how time flies and your favorite memories
a charm bracelet to continue to mark her milestone with

Give her a heart locket for graduation. You can get those for about $50 or so. Or if she does not have a cross necklace... Or if she does not like necklaces or bracelets or jewelry for that matter, get her a nice comforter/sheet set or items for her new college dwellings.

M.,
Make a photo book. www.mypublisher.com
It makes a great present

The best present idea I have ever heard for a grad who is going to college: A couple rolls of quarters, laundry hamper, and laundry soap etc...

They probably won't realize the significance of it right away, but when they finally have to pay for and be responsible for their own laundry... it will be a lifesaver for them!

My mom gave me jewelry for each milestone: graduation, marriage, first baby, etc. I don't think she ever spent too much on the gifts (always simple earings or necklace) but I always liked the gift because it was thoughtful (she picked it out herself) and it reminded me of my accomplishment.

M.,
First of all HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

If your step-daughter likes bath & body, Spa products & cosmetics, Arbonne has some wonderful ones! I would be happy to help you create a gift basket with products tailored to her and within your budget! I'd be happy to help! I am even offering a 20% discount thru tomorrow in honor of Mother's Day! If you are interested in learning more, please contact me at ____@____.com or ###-###-#### cell.

We are in Park Glen so close to you in Keller!
I hope this has been helpful!
D. :)

My friend put together a scrapbook from birth to grad day. It was a wonderful memory to take w/her. On the last page you could put a small envelope and put a $100 bill or check in it if you would also like to give her some money.

P. S

Ask her what she wants and what she needs because those are two different things. She might want new clothes from her fave store before starting college but she may needs linens and storage help for her dorm room. You could help her with both if you like. A gift card for The Container Store would be good because she will need storage help but won't really know what she wants till she goes and gets set up in her room. And of course, you can never go wrong with clothes...or shoes..........at any rate, ask her. Give her some suggestions. Tell her you need this years Christmas wish list early and go off of that.