For High School and College Kids!

A few years ago, two of my daughters were graduating at the same time! One from HS and the other from college! They had a wonderful joint party on the campus of the local college branch that one of them had attended and the other was going to attend that Fall. (Their dad works there, so hello discount!) It was the perfect location and a really cute idea if you have two graduates! They enjoyed doing all the planning for this party and it turned out great.

Whether you have one child (or loved one) or more than one graduating, here are some cute gift ideas! We’ve been very successful with gifts for our daughters over the years. (See my post on gifts your adult children will love.) I always think of what THEY want and need, what they’re into (My oldest is into traveling lately for which there are some awesome presents out there.), and what will make them smile.

High School Graduates

We’ve done either a small gathering at home, or a special fancy dinner out to celebrate. If you’re opting for something at home, there are some really adorable graduation themed desserts and snacks you can serve. We made these graduation cap cookies. They were a big hit.

Laptops/ Electronics. Things may be a little different today, in that high school students may need a decent laptop when they’re still in school. My daughters actually had them on loan from their high school, so there was never a need to purchase them at the time. But in preparation for college, we think there isn’t a better gift than a high quality, high-end laptop, since they’ll be relying on them so much for assignments.

My husband is a lifelong Mac user and the family’s IT expert, which is really helpful when selecting, purchasing and maintaining electronics of all kinds. My daughters loved the laptops, as you can see!

If they already have laptops, think of what other electronics will make it easier for them in school. Maybe an iPad for note taking and meetings? An Apple Watch for getting important notifications, tracking exercising, etc? Some ear buds for listening to music while trekking to class or at the gym? Just some ideas.

Remember if you do get Apple products, always purchase Apple Care for your kids. It is so worth it. I cannot tell you how many times that has come in handy for us, and saved us A LOT of money.

Personalized things. I just love the idea of capturing the occasion with something extra special, that can be personalized with their name, the date, and/or the event. Things that can be kept for many years to remember the momentous day are nice touches.

M&Ms. I love these (see my post on celebrating adult kids’ birthdays) for special occasions, because it’s so much fun to personalize the colors and words on them (you’ll note these have my daughter’s name, and “Way to Go!”). I was thrilled to find them in special graduation containers too!

Christmas ornaments. You probably have several ornaments with your children’s names on them that mean something extra to them- my kids always used to want to hang up any that had their names themselves. My husband and I have some that are personalized for our wedding- ie with the date, or “First Christmas Together”. So I thought it would be cute to do the same for her graduation with a special ornament.

It’s a little replica of her with her HS name and graduation year to keep in perpetuity. When my children are married (one is actually engaged now), I plan to give them all their baby books, scrapbooks, and special ornaments, so they can hang them on their own Christmas trees! (see my post on organizing your children’s keepsakes)

Jewelry. None of us are too into jewelry, although I did give each of the girls a beautiful Tiffany necklace when they were in our wedding a few years back! For something like a graduation, I love bracelets that have quotes or sayings that are inspiring. I want them to dream big, be themselves, work toward their goals, etc. A special piece of jewelry like this is a sweet gift.

A similar message is in this Dr. Seuss book, ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’

I got this book for my daughter when she graduated Kindergarten, but it’s actually appropriate for any occasion marked by ‘moving on’ in life. A graduation, job promotion, relocation to a different city, etc. It’s a sweet and inspirational book, and you can write your own lovely personal message on the front page.

A Frame to Showcase the Diploma.

These frames are a fun way to keep graduation items like diploma, cap tassel, and any special photos, all in one place. Hanging this on your child’s wall is a nice little memory of the day and their accomplishments.

College/University Graduates

Have you been to ceremonies with THIS MANY kids graduating? It’s insane! And this is only the College of Engineering! How exciting to find her name in the program!

I was certainly extra proud when my daughter received her B.S. Such amazing hard work. You can use any of the gift deas above for high school graduates, but I think if you have a college graduate, the gifts can be a bit more young adult-focused.

Special College/University Keepsakes. I found this lamp in a university catalog and thought it was perfect. Very practical, and so useful for home or office when she starts working. It is engraved with her name, class year and degree. I LOVE IT. Anything that grabs your eye in your child’s college bookstore that will be a lasting memory of their time in college (and can preferably be engraved) is so appropriate. If not for graduation, perhaps another holiday. Special drinking glasses, dinner plates or coasters with the college crest or logo are lovely and special, and will be used regularly.

Stocks or other Money Saving Gifts. My husband thought of the idea of getting the girls stock in a company they like (Dunkin, Chipotle, etc). He purchased it then held onto it before transferring it over. You can also do a cute gift certificate for this! Along these lines, maybe opening a savings account or CD. Something where they hopefully won’t need to touch the money for a while and it can accumulate for them, either via an investment or interest. This is really appreciated as they start their financial journeys.

Trips. I always think trips are a great gifts for young people, and there are so many ways you can give them this type of gift in a safe, meaningful, yet fairly inexpensive way (this is outlined in detail in my post, gifts your adult children will love).

When they’ve spent four years (or more) working hard to achieve this well-earned degree, they will want to relax on a little getaway with friends or family. A clever gift certificate with the trip instructions can be packaged up beautifully.

I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with your graduate(s), and that they have lots of fun and success as they navigate their next chapter of life!