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Now that graduation season is almost upon us, it’s time to find the right gifts for those hardworking students that you know and love. Help them commemorate the transition to adulthood with meaningful graduation gifts. Whether you want a sentimental or practical gift, there are a ton of great ideas out there for you to use.
On a side note, if you are a recent grad and no longer have any use for your textbooks, a great way to earn a little bit of extra cash is to sell your textbooks online at Textbook.com!
A Gift Basket
Nothing feels better than when you get a huge gift basket full of all your favorite snacks and foods! That’s why, if you want to make your grad feel special, you should check out Harry & David. Browse their baked goods and themed gift baskets to find the one perfect to show a new graduate how proud you are of them!
A Well Selected Card
Regardless of which gift is right for your graduate, a sincere card will top it off. One of our favorite places to get cards is Lovepop, they offer an awesome selection of unique graduation cards online! Many people find that standard graduation cards don’t cut it, which is what makes Lovepop’s selection of pop-up grad cards so intriguing! Each of these cards will surely add some pizazz to your gift. Also worth looking into are their graduation bundles and paper flower bouquets. They offer a variety of themes for grad cards, including tropical, champagne, or space, each will add a unique twist to your gift!
If you’re also looking for cards for another occasion, such as Father’s Day or a birthday, check out their larger selection of cards here!
Another really great option are meaningful messages from NoteCube. NoteCube keepsake boxes are filled with beautiful, personalized notes that everyone will enjoy. They make it easy to send thoughtful notes to friends, family, and colleagues for any occasion. Notecube will help you personalize messages for that special someone by allowing you to choose up to 20 qualities about the person and they will generate a bunch of messages for you to choose from. These motivational notes are so meaningful and will be the greatest gift to lift their spirits up when they are having a tough day.
Money as a Traditional Gift
One of the most traditional and popular graduation gifts to give is money. It’s a versatile gift because it can be put toward anything the recipient wants: college tuition, vacation funds, first month’s rent whenever they move out, or anything else.
If there’s something in particular you have in mind when giving them money (like buying university textbooks or paying off student loans, for example), just let them know by telling them or by writing it in a card. If you can’t think of any other kind of gift a recent grad would want or need, you can’t go wrong by gifting them cash.
Luggage for Fun Travels
Not every young adult is going to make a beeline for university once they’re done high school. In fact, a lot of students are taking gap years in order to travel before they settle down for more learning. If the grad in your life is planning on seeing some sights, luggage is a great gift idea. It’s a practical item that they can use more than once. Choose this Hardside 20″ Carry On Spinner Case for additional durability throughout the years.
Memorable Engraved Watch
This is another gift that follows traditions. Time flies by so quickly (particularly when you’re young), so giving them a watch will serve as a reminder to live every minute of every day to the max. There’s not a lot of room on the back of a watch for engraving, so keep your message short and sweet. A simple “Congratulations!” or “All the best!” will do the trick just fine.
Custom Jewelry Pieces
A sweet personalized jewelry piece is a great grad gift to remind the new grad you are proud of them. Mint & Lily has all the dainty pieces from necklaces, to bracelets, to rings. Personalized gifts are the most thoughtful and this one will sure put a smile on the new grad’s face.
Convenience of Instant Pots
After high school’s over, it’s typically not long before students move out on their own. A huge part of living on your own (or with roommates) is cooking for yourself. Instant pots make great graduation gifts not only because they’re easy to use, but also because you can cook enough for several meals in one go.
What’s more, they make the act of cooking on a tight schedule a lot simpler. They’re available in two, four, or six-quart volumes, and most come with all the bells and whistles. We tried it ourselves and made amazing Buffalo wings, check the video!
A Good Night’s Sleep
We will never forget all the late nights and all-nighters we’ve pulled during college. The greatest gift for your new grad is a new mattress or mattress topper. Most dorm rooms have beds available already, so a mattress topper is an affordable option to provide your new college student a great slumber. Sleepyhead mattress toppers are a great choice because of the unconventional mattress sizes that dorms may have. You can find sizes ranging from Twin, Twin XL, to Full XL!
Tickets for a Vacation
If you’re tremendously proud of the young man or woman who’s graduating and want to give them a gift out of this world, why not surprise them with tickets to a destination you know they’ve wanted to visit? You don’t have to send them on a six month tour of Europe – a weekend trip to Disneyland or Disneyworld can be just as exciting and memorable. Check here the best destinations in 2018
A Functional Laptop or Laptop Accessories
These days, one of the most efficient ways of taking notes and doing your homework in college or university is with a laptop. A laptop is a generous gift and one that can be used during downtime in school, too. You can throw in some accessories like a laptop backpack, laptop tray, and portable mouse to make it a complete package.
Whether you are continuing on to further your education or will be developing your career now, your workspace setup at home will be very important. Check out Multitasky for all your home office setup equipment and accessories. They have awesome laptop stands, book organizers, and tech accessories to increase comfort and productivity.
Family Photos or Scrapbook for Homesickness
Plenty of people get homesick the first time they leave home, so it helps to have a reminder of their friends and family back home. Family photos make wonderful graduation gifts. You can put them in an album, some frames, or assemble them all together in a fun collage.
If you’re the creative type, take some time to make a scrapbook full of pictures, cards, notes, and other miscellaneous tidbits to remind them of the good times they had in high school.
Portable Tool Kit
When they’re living on their own and something breaks, it’s up to them to fix it, which is why a portable tool kit makes another smart graduation gift idea. Complete with hammer, scissors, pliers, tape measure, and screwdriver, this kit makes it easy to do some minor fixes around the apartment or dorm.
Gift Cards
Gift cards are perfect for that person who is difficult to please. There are gift cards for nearly every type of store imaginable: electronics, grocery, book, clothing, hardware, restaurants, and video games, just to name a few. Buy a gift card or two (or more) for the stores you think they’ll want to shop at the most.
Cookie Delivery
One of the best ways to congratulate a new graduate is to send them celebratory treats! After their senior year, they’re going to need all the treats and comfort they can get. Cheryl’s Cookies is the perfect graduation gift that you can have delivered straight to the graduate!
The Thought That Counts
Life after high school is full of change and surprises. Your graduation gift can give them the opportunity to have a little fun or help make life as an adult more manageable.
Have you ever received a memorable gift from someone close to your heart? Share it with our readers below!
