It’s graduation season, so you might know several graduates celebrating their recent accomplishments this month. And for each level of graduation, from kindergarten through a Master’s degree, there are perfect gifts for every new graduate. When you’re shopping for those grads in your life, consider who they are and where they want to go. Here’s a few ideas to get you started, no matter how old your graduate is.
Kindergarten/Elementary School
In the US, we like to start kids off right, celebrating their early accomplishments with a diploma and a cap. It may not seem as big a deal as those college commencements, but to that little kindergartener, this is it. The biggest thing they’ve yet done with their lives. Show them your support with a thoughtful gift. It doesn’t have to be big, but it should show that you believe in them.
Keep it simple with a personalized graduation bear from GiftsForYouNow.com. For $19.95 (on sale), you can give that little grad a present he’ll treasure, especially since his name is on the bear! That’s pretty cool when you’re five years old.
Also adorable, check out the “My 1st Graduation!” photo frames available on Amazon.com. These are only $7.99 (on sale) and are a great way to commemorate your little graduate’s big day for years to come.
High School
The end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood shouldn’t go uncelebrated. And if this graduate is going off to college, she’s going to need some special items to get there!
I love this personalized coffee mug from Personalization Mall. The cartoon graduate is adorable, and it’s simple too, with just the Class year and graduate’s name on the side. This will be a great thing to keep at home as a memento or bring to college for those late night coffee breaks. And it’s only $14.95.
Possibly the most useful gift you can get for a recent high school graduate is a laundry bag. After all, they’re going to need some way to get their laundry to and from Mom’s house, right? You can choose from many plain (but colorful) varieties at Target, or check out the personalized Class of ’10 bags I found at GiftsForYouNow.com, only $19.95 on sale.
For the graduate that isn’t into Class of ’10 or personalized gifts, you can always help to prepare them with some literature. At Amazon.com, there’s a wide selection of life after high school and college survival books. “The Everything College Survival Book” is a good choice, at only $14.95, but there are lots of other choices available, so you can pick the one that’s just right for your grad.
Have a classier high school grad on your hands? If laundry bags and fun reads won’t cut it, check out some of the great graduation gift ideas at RedEnvelope.com. I’m partial to this unique idea—the Year Of Wishes Candles gift set. For $69.95, you get a set of 12 candles (one for every month) and a beautiful glass tray. Each candle measures 3” high and has a burning time of 30 hours. Once the candle has finished burning, retrieve the tiny keepsake charm hidden inside with a pair of tweezers (included) and make a wish! This is thoughtful and clever, and will give your graduate something to wish for all year long!
College/Post-Graduate Degrees
Moving out into the real world after so many years of education can be scary and exciting at the same time. And chances are, this will be the last graduation of his or her lifetime. Go all out and get this grad a special, meaningful gift. Avoid the kitschy, Class Of ’10 gifts and find something more useful that he/she will really want.
To celebrate in style, get a classy gift for the grad like this Tasting & Toasting Wine Gift Basket from GiftBaskets.com. It’s $74.99 and includes wine, crackers, cheese, nuts, cookies and other great mixed foods. It’s wrapped in an elegant gold bow and packaged snuggly in a printed box. It’s a graduation party in a box!
For grads headed out into the work force, give them a way to make their mark. This silver card case and pen set (available at Amazon.com for only $24.95) comes with free engraving and an elegant gift box. As a graduation gift, this set is perfect. It’s something useful that he or she might not spend the money on for themselves. It’s thoughtful, tasteless, and will remind them of you for years to come.
Of course, to get great engraved keepsakes, I always check out Things Remembered. For graduates, they have a huge array of products this year, all with free engraving. I like the Personalized Black Leather Padfolio (on sale from $50 for only $39.99). And you get a free matching pen! Things Remembered will engrave the silver plate on the bottom right corner of the padfolio, so it looks stylish and sleek, but stands out as a personal gift.
But if you must get the college graduate a keepsake that’s mostly decorative, try the personalized 2010 Graduation Water Globe for something truly unique. Inside the globe, you can place your favorite picture of the graduate. On the front, a small plaque is engraved with his or her name and graduation date. Plus, when you wind it up, it plays “Pomp and Circumstance!” The snow globe is also on sale right now at Things Remembered, for $29.99 (marked down from $40).
Celebrate all the graduates, whatever their level of achievement, with these great gifts and others from an assortment of great retailers online. And if you’re at a total loss, you can always buy a great gift certificate for just about anyone! Visit GiftCertificates.com for great deals on gift cards for loads of retailers!
