A lot of people struggle with what to buy as a graduation gift for their loved ones. The best gifts are ones that are personalised in some way. A gift that can be tied into the graduate's hobbies will be very appreciated. It will also vary depending on whether they are graduating from college or school, as some gifts may be more appropriate than others.This article contains the best ideas for both.
If your son or daughter is graduating high school, and moving to a college far away, then a great gift idea is a contract mobile phone. The necessary warning has to come with this one, because it could get very expensive, depending on how much the graduate likes to chat. Still, it's nice to know not only can you reach them whenever you need to, but that they will also always have a way to get in touch with you. Although, knowing most students, if they do phone you, it's usually to ask for money.
Another really great gift idea for a high school graduate is a grocery store gift card. The graduate probably won't realise just what a great gift this is at first. It's true value will be revealed later, when the only thing they have in their cupboards is powdered milk and a tin of sweetcorn. If you give this as a gift, expect a puzzled thank you at first, and a phone call a few months later filled with gushing praise and explaining how your gift saved their actual lives.
A similar idea to the grocery gift card is cinema vouchers. It's hard to have a social life, or ask the girl you really like on a date, when you're scraping by on $10 a week. Students love cinema vouchers.
E-readers in general didn't make the list because an Ipad is an ereader, and so much more. And every student should have an ereader. All those college books they need (or, at least, most) are available in digital format. In addition, lecturers always provide links to PDF versions of any printed notes, as well as a wealth of other material that college budgets won't allow them to print. Plus it's so much easier to just carry around one small device in place of ten large text books. If you do go for an e-reader instead of an i-pad, make sure it supports the PDF format.
The last of the ideas for a graduation present for a high school graduate is a laptop. Every student needs one.
If the gift is for a college graduate, a really nice set of clothes might be worthwhile. They'll need them for all the job interviews they are going to have to attend, as well as any formal events like weddings.
Another great gift idea, especially for the graduate who has just moved into their first apartment, is a voucher for a home improvement store. It doesn't matter if they need paint or a microwave, they're bound to need something and this way they can choose something they really want.
As a last point, if you decide to give money, try giving it in a unique fashion. Make a gift of their favourite book or DVDand put the notes inside. Write a check that's memorable because it's for this year, $2013, or their date of birth, $1206.95, for example. Make it unique and they'll remember it forever.