I can't figure out the best place to put this thread, but with high school and college graduation period starting, I was wondering if anyone had any graduation present ideas to share? I will be giving a straight financial gift to one person graduating, as she will be working her way through college, but the other doesn't really need financial help, so I'm trying to think of something else that would be meaningful.

Anyway, I thought maybe given the season, other people would be interested in a brainstorming thread on good graduation gifts. I've gotten a lot of ideas for other gifts from some of the creative people here!

(But this may belong in another forum category.)

I made my daughter a photo collauge of all family members and put it in a big frame. It came out really nice!! In the middle I printed the quote "It all starts and ends with family". She really loves it.

My mom bought one of those small 4x6 or 5x7 photo albums with the picture slot on the cover, and cut up the invitation so it would fit in there, along with the name plate and money (not always) and then took photos for that person at the graduation and gave them to them later.

I'm going to make a grocery tote and fill it with my cousin's favorite snacks and gift card to walmart.

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~Wendy~Rock-n-roll Hippie~Mom to Bob and Jamie~Wife to Kevin~

"The glass is neither half full nor half empty rather; it is twice as big as it needs to be."~Ngan Nghiem

Living the Simple Life...one day at a time.

I'm a big fan of the cookbook, "A Man, A Can, and a Plan" for boys and they do have several other that work a bit more for girls.

You know, reading this post, makes me realize that I don't think I have to buy any gifts this year! That is like a first in the past seven years!

Maria Shriver's new book "Just Who Will You Be" seems like a good gift for the grad!

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All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother- Abraham Lincoln

I give stocks (oneshare.com) or savings bonds. If I don't know the person well, I give photo albums or photo frames.

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"Poor people work for their money. Rich people make their money work for them."

We typically give money...it really depends on the relationship with the person.

In our circles, the expected gift is money.
If you know the graduate is going to college, maybe you could fill a small laundry basket with dorm supplies like shampoo, soap, etc. from your stockpile.
Gift certificates to places like Bed Bath and Beyond are handy, too.

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~Jeweled

I've given money, bathroom supplies, cooking supplies and this year we're giving our nephew the book "101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles" and a case of ramen noodles. Every college student relies on those for a time, don't they?