Gifts for Graduates

When a young adult is embarking on the next stage of life, the easiest gift is cash. And it's certainly appreciated! Bonus points if the graduate's next step is in another country and you can get some foreign bills at a bank--check ahead of time, it might take a week or more for those bills to be available. If you feel the need to give a more personalized touch, here are some ideas:

GIFT CARDS

Not very different from cash, gift cards can feel more personal because they can be tailored to specific interests and needs. Is the new graduate moving to another city for college, trade school, or work? Gift cards for restaurants, grocery stores, and home furnishing and appliance stores in their new cities can help set up a new apartment. If you're looking for a more fun gift card, consider movie theaters, live theaters, gaming centers, museums, zoos, and other entertainment in the area. Out-of-town stores can often send gift cards through the mail via their websites or over the phone (you might need to offer another dollar or so to cover a stamp and an envelope for small stores). Graduates staying close to home will also appreciate a grown-up or fun reward to celebrate their hard work

If the new graduate is studying or working in a specific field that will require certain supplies, you can give a gift card to a store that sells them: art supply store for the art student, dry cleaning or tailoring vouchers for uniformed service members like police officers or military members, certificates for tools for someone apprenticed to a carpenter, contributions to the university bookstore for people majoring in fields that have lots of expensive books like law and medicine. Giving a gift card rather than the specific item allows the graduate to not worry about duplicate gifts and getting the exact item needed.

MEMENTOS

Especially if they're leaving behind a lot of good memories and friends, many graduates will appreciate a memento of home. If the graduate is moving, be mindful of how much might need to be packed and transported, and how far, before giving a large gift.

Mementos don't have to be huge. A photo collage or scrap book, maybe even signed by the people in the pictures, is a nice way to remember friends embarking on their own paths. A card signed by everyone can also be touching--when my brother graduated high school and moved a few states away for college, I was able to get a lot of his friends to sign a birthday card to send him. He really loved reading all their thoughtful comments a few months into his first significant time away from where he'd always lived.

You can make other mementos, like sewn, knitted, or crocheted blankets or throw pillows in the graduate's high school or college colors, or with designs relating to the graduate's field of study or work (for example, anchors for someone joining the navy). Maybe a pair of earrings or cufflinks with the same themes would be appreciated, or a wall hanging or other decor. Depending on your talents and time, you can make these sorts of things yourself or look to online craft shops like Etsy.

CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT

Regardless of what the graduate's plans for the future are, finishing high school or college is a lot of work. (Some people mark smaller graduations, from preschool or middle school, for example, but in my experience the biggest gift "expected" for those is a treat on the way home from school that day. If you feel compelled to give something larger, you'll obviously want to gear that towards the child's age.)

The new graduate might be heading to work right away. Gifts that allow a person to indulge a bit have special meaning if there are financial pressures. Think about what the graduate enjoys and see if you can facilitate that. If the financial pressures are great, think about gifts that can help with essentials too. And even if the graduate is simply eager to join the workforce, a gift that helps someone feel "allowed" to relax is very nice.

Is the graduate planning a fun trip? Contributions for gasoline, road atlases (not everywhere has wifi signals), or brochures about where they're traveling can be useful. You can often contact a city or county's tourism office and get information mailed to you for free. Maybe a photo album to commemorate the trip, or offering to pay to have one made--Facebook has an option to print photo books from the pictures stored on a person's profile.

Is there a party to celebrate the graduate's achievement? Maybe you can help make some food for it, or help set up or clean up the party. Even just attending and saying congratulations can mean a lot. If you can't make it, write a letter and mail it. People appreciate knowing that they matter to others.

SETTING UP FOR ADULT LIFE

Gifts geared toward new adult responsibilities are especially helpful for those moving out on their own or who will be expected to contribute to the household more. Cash and gift cards are probably more useful for those not moving out of their childhood homes yet or those who will be moving right into dorms or military barracks where many essentials are provided, but are certainly also good for those living on their own or with roommates for the first time (and easy to mail). 

Someone setting up in a new home will definitely appreciate a "gift basket" of cleaning supplies, kitchen staples, yard tools (if they have a yard), or toiletries. Think about what you use every day (like pots, pans, utensils, mops, brooms, towels, etc) and what you don't often need to buy because it's already at your home in bulk (spices, toilet paper, etc). When I graduated high school, one of my aunts gave me a tool kit. I lent it many people in the dorm, and still have it today, more than a decade after I finished college.

A graduate entering the workforce would likely benefit from help setting up a proper work wardrobe, whether the need is specific uniforms or durable suits. Depending on the job, a sturdy portfolio, quality pen, briefcase, laptop case, messenger bag, or other similar item might be necessary. If the job requires travel, consider suitcases, travel drink cups, AAA membership, options for entertainment during travel like iTunes or Netflix gift cards, books, and other such items.

If none of these ideas jump out at you, think about what you might have received or wanted as a gift when you entered the adult world. What was helpful or meaningful for you?

If You Can Bake, Cook, or Brew, You Can Make...

Food is a great gift if you know your recipient's dietary restrictions. Whether it's a little treat or a full meal, food is a great way to show people that they're appreciated and cared for.

Sweets and small food gifts are great for holidays, birthdays, and saying thanks, congratulations, or welcome. Cookies, candy, brownies, fudge, jam, seasonings and rubs, infused vinegar or oils, vanilla extract, syrups (either for dessert toppings or in drinks), homemade beverages and beverage mixes, bread and pastries; even food grown in your garden. It's always nice to have a little treat.

Providing a home-cooked meal is a great way to help out busy people, like new parents or people who have just moved or who are busy planning events. Not having to worry about what to make for dinner can help people cope with difficult times like drawn-out medical issues or relax and enjoy happy occasions.

You might able to make something extra-special to eat. Old family recipes are great for this: my mom's side of the family always loves getting my great-great-aunt's secret recipe cookies, and my dad's side appreciates the nostalgia of getting a loaf of the bread my great-great-grandmother made for Sunday dinners. If you know someone's favorite food, see if it can be used in a new sort of recipe or given another kind of twist. My sister-in-law likes rhubarb, so rhubarb cake and strawberry rhubarb pie are obvious choices, but rhubarb syrup that can be poured over pancakes or ice cream is a more fun gift to give. Use fun cookie cutters and colored icing to make a delicious bouquet of flowers or special molds to make shaped candies or cupcakes. You can find themed recipes, like a batch of Italian Wedding Soup for an anniversary present.

Regardless of what kind of food you're giving, make it easier on your recipient by giving it in a container that you don't need back. This can be as simple as wrapping a lasagna in heavy foil or as intricate as packing everything in a picnic basket, utensils included. As with any food gift, take into consideration allergies and intolerances, religious and health restrictions, and how long the food will be refrigerated.