A very close friend of the family has a daughter graduating with honors with a degree in Engineering. We are all very proud of her and will be celebrating on Saturday. This girl has come over to nanny my kids during the summers for the last few years so we really want to get her a gift that is thoughtful and that the kids will enjoy giving as well. I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what to get her. I am stumped, any creative ideas out there?
Side note: I do not want to spend over $75 and would prefer to stick around $50.
What about something that she can use in her job/job search.
- a leather business card holder
- a nice bracelet
- a nice pair of earrings
- a Visa gift card
- a gift card to a nice clothing/business store
When I was a Sunday School teacher, my "kids" made made a platter plate with all of their painted handprints on it. I guess they went to the local pottery store and made it there. It said that they "loved me" and I was blown away with positive emotion. It still sits on my shelf and makes me happy every time I look at it.
Good Luck!
I would recommend a gift certificate for a spa treatment or a nice restaurant so she can celebrate and enjoy before starting in the "working world". Another creative idea that I received when I graduated was a beautiful wallet to store my new found income. It made me laugh when I opened it, but a nice leather wallet is a splurge for some people and will last a really long time!
I wonder if you could find a beautiful clock? It is something she could use on her desk and will always remember the "time" she spent helping your sons.
Avoid frames.. Our daughter was given a million frames for graduation and has yet to use a lot of them.
I'm graduating with my law degree this month, and while money might not seem like a terribly personal gift, money and personal card are perfect. Money is pretty much all my friends and I can think about (lack of it, how we are going to make it, how much we spent on our educations), and it shows that you are in touch with where she is in her life. If she wants to buy something memorable or do something relaxing with it, then she will. Mostly, knowing it's there will be a small token, with big thanks on her end.
A crisp, brand new, $50 bill.
A pedicure-a really good one with the hot wax treatment and everything.
I think a great college graduation gift is a leather notebook. The kind that just folds in half and holds a lined pad of paper and a pen. Excellent interview tool and something she'll use the rest of her life.
Ever check out the Chinaberry catalog? There's a gorgeous pendant/necklace there for graduates now--it's a silver rectangular stick pendant with a different wish engraved on each side of the rectangle: joy, compassion, integrity, courage. The idea is that these are the things you most wish for your graduate to have. Everything in Chinaberry is beautiful and well-chosen; I've never been disappointed. I think that pendant is around $50.
I do agree with the money suggestions, though. What about spending $10 on her favorite edible treats and putting them in a cute basket to give so your kids have fun, and then enclosing a check, too? Have fun--you are thoughtful.
