15 Gift Ideas for Grads

It’s graduation time again.  It’s hard to believe that this time last year, Monkey Boy was graduating–and now here we are a whole year later, a lot more sane than anticipated 🙂  What a whirlwind, though!

Graduation gifts are a tough one, because what they really want is money or something usable in their new lives, but knowing their taste, or giving money with style is a little trickier.  

So, I decided to put together my top 15 graduation gift ideas.  Most of them came from things The Girl either received, or I’ve seen friends and neighbors receive over the years.  They are the ones that were a HUGE hit with the graduate.  So, here goes:

1. Money Leis.  This makes giving money kind of fun.  And seriously, who doesn’t love getting cold hard cash?  No one, that’s who.
2. Water bottle filled with quarters.  They get a water bottle to take to class and quarters to do laundry.  Everything they need, nothing they don’t.
3. The book Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Suess.  If you really want to get sentimental, have important people in your graduate’s life put a bit of advice in the front and back cover.  If you don’t, slide some money is there as a book mark.
4. Subscription to Netflix or Amazon Prime.  A year’s subscription to Netflix or Amazon Prime basically provides a little time for chilling out in front of their laptop.
5. Gift cards to local restaurants in their destination town.  If your graduate is going away to school, try gift cards that allow them to grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant in their new town.
6. Sewing kit.  I know this one is as FUN, but I got one when I graduated–it had small spools of every color of thread you could imagine, needles, pins, a thimble, and a measuring tape {I think it had stitch whitchery too} and I ended up using that thing all.of.the.time!
7. A huge pack of Command Hooks and poster stickers.  If you are looking for a smaller gift, say for your graduate’s friends, these are awesome.  They can decorate their dorm rooms to their heart’s content, and no one fill nail holes at the end of the year.  The hooks provide tons of extra storage in cramped quarters.
8. A toaster that does more than just toast bread.  Did you know there are toasters that will also cook eggs AND brew a cup of coffee?  I didn’t, until I saw one.  They are like a tiny little kitchen for one.
9. A world atlas, complete with arrow stickies.  Encourage them to explore the world.  If  you live in an area where it’s possible, tuck some money or a gift card for a train ticket in the atlas.  This is the time for them to have adventures.
10. An everything you need to do {fill in the blank} basket.  Fill a laundry basket with detergent, fabric softener, and a roll of quarters.  Or, fill a caddy with shampoo, soap, flip flops, etc.
11. Make a study pack loaded with goodies.  Items like microwave popcorn, kind bars, and bottled juice {don’t forget to throw in some chocolate for good measure}.
12. Make a DIY emergency car kit.  It’s not glamorous, but it is totally practical.  You may have to wait for your sincere thank-you until they actually have to pull out the jumper cables, but it’ll come.
13. Make a DIY first aid kit.  I like the DIY kits better than the pre-made because I think you can stock it with more usable items.  Again, this one isn’t glamorous, but I guarantee it’ll get used.
14. Give the gift of an experience.  Give them tickets to Shakespeare in the Park, tennis lessons, sky-diving…whatever.  You can tailor it to the individual and the memory will probably outlast any physical gift.
15. Finally, if your budget allows, give them some DIY ruby red slippers with a gift card for an airline ticket slipped inside.  Write a little note that says, “There’s no place like home,” and attach it to the shoes.  Then, they know that they can always come home if they need to {should homesickness strike–and if it doesn’t strike, they can at least come home for Christmas and do laundry for free :)}.

That’s basically all of my favorites I’ve seen over the years.  How about YOU, do you have a go-to graduation gift?

~Mavis