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The son of dear friends of ours from 20-30 years ago just graduated from high school and will be having his graduation party in a couple of weeks. Great kid, good student.
Although we haven't seen him in over twelve years, we want to get him something really special. He'll be majoring in Business in Minneapolis/St. Paul near where they live, so he won't need dorm room stuff.
My first instinct was something techie/geekie — iPod, iPhone or whatever — but, unfortunately, we have no idea of what he might already have.
We thought of a real nice top-of-the-line leather briefcase, but — MBA goal or not — that seems kinda old fogie-ish. Money or gift cards are nice, but we owe this family something a bit more clever and thoughtful.
Ideas? TIA! —Ted E.
Posts: 1342 | Location: Glen Ellyn, IL USA | Registered: March 21, 2003
A kindle would be great but probably too expensive.
An ergonomic desk chair???? They do spend a LOT of time at the computer.
If he were going away, I'd suggest a "gift box of the month" certificate where you promise to send him a care package every month and send him yummy homemade goodies along with some basic things he can probably use like highlighters, post-its, etc....
Does that help or give you other ideas???
Posts: 2251 | Location: Glen Ellyn, IL | Registered: April 04, 2003
If he's a videogame fan, a subscription to Gamefly might be nice; if he likes movies, how about a year's subscription to NetFlix?
Both my boys, when they graduated, received necessary/special techno gifts from their uncles - one got a laptop; the other a video camera (he's a film buff who likes to make his own movies). They also each received a special "Get Out of Jail Free" card from one uncle, guaranteeing that if they were in a real jam and didn't want Mom/Dad to know, they had a number to call. This was actually the gift that went over the best (and I supposed I'll never really know if either has had to use it).
Are there any music festivals in Minneapolis similar to Lollapalooza? I know both my sons would love to receive a ticket to Lolla as a gift; on their own, they can only afford one day instead of all three. So a ticket to something like that, if it's applicable, would be appreciated by most high school grads.
I was going to get my niece a netbook. After talking with parents -sister in law-she stated cash would be better. (parents -what do they know) so I may give to her for her birthday instead. Find on sale, use coupons, get online, whatever. The one you guys recommended to me months back -Asus is really working out well for us and it was cheap.
How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old ground. What have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here.
If he doesn't already have a laptop, I've gotta say that's the way to go....either that or something like unlimited (reloadable gift cards)Caribou coffee or something. That's a HUGE study place. Or, since he's a business major, maybe even a WSJ subscription, or something like Crain's for Minneapolis....
That get out of jail free car is a really good idea, Scribbler!
Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements....even if it leads nowhere - Adele
They also each received a special "Get Out of Jail Free" card from one uncle, guaranteeing that if they were in a real jam and didn't want Mom/Dad to know, they had a number to call. This was actually the gift that went over the best (and I supposed I'll never really know if either has had to use it).
Uh, no. Why? Don't be so literal. It's not like I'm expecting my sons actually to go to jail, you know. But I think young people can benefit from having adults they can turn to, and who are not their parents, in their lives when they're first trying out the adult world. This was just a nice way of my brother saying to each of my sons, "Dude, I'm there for you, and you get one pass of me not ratting on you to your parents. But after that, all bets are off."
I still think it's very sweet. And not a free pass for unlimited criminal behavior.
Somehow, I don't think Graham and I would ever find much to talk about at a cocktail party. This isn't the first time he has taken me way too literally. Shrug.
We were thinking about buying him Amazon.com, but it was a bit over our budget.
But seriously, folk... he as a Facebook page, so for a moment we thought of buying him a FirstnameLastname.com vanity domain and “pointing” it at his Facebook address and his “real” email address... but that seemed too easy.
Plenty of good ideas here, though — thanks, everybody! (Oh... it turns out he will be living in an on-campus dorm, and that Freshmen can't have cars.)
He has a MacBook and a new iPhone already. The plot thickens...
Posts: 1342 | Location: Glen Ellyn, IL USA | Registered: March 21, 2003
I hate to say it but money might be the best gift...at least according to my 2 college-aged kids! You could make things more interesting, though by combining something personal with a nice big check!
Come to think of it, one of the most useful gifts that my son really appreciated and has gotten a lot of use out of was a set of 2 humungous bath sheets/towels that the gift giver had embroidered with his initials in his new college's colors. Something like that plus $ might work!
Agnes, that's a really good idea with the towels! No one else could steal them with his name or initials on them....
Well, since he IS living in a dorm....how about a gift basket of gift cards....(i.e. $50 Starbucks, $50 Olive Garden, $50 campus book store, etc.). Those kinds of things are REALLY helpful. As I hear it, cafeteria food at the dorms is NOT that great, and having those gift cards to rely on when he's out of cash and wants real food would probably be really appreciated.
OR give him a "receipt" for a shopping spree at Ikea or Bed, Bath, & Beyond or something. To sort of outfit his dorm room with awesome stuff....that way, he'll think of you guys everytime he's in there, plus he'll have one of the coolest rooms in the building 'cuz he got to design it himself....AND there's the benefit of the time spent on the shopping spree. I usually do little ones for my nieces at Christmas, then we get to hang out at the mall together for a few hours and they get stuff (though not much), but I know the memories of the time spent together means more than anything they might go home with.
Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements....even if it leads nowhere - Adele
The best thing I got as a freshman to take with me for dorm living was gift cards (especially walgreens) and even more so, a complete compact-ish tool kit. It came in handy more times than I can count.
too bad this is not a girl...I just got a friends daughter a tiffanys necklace for graduation...She was sooooo excited to get that little blue box with a white ribbon
Posts: 581 | Location: glen ellyn Illinois usa | Registered: April 05, 2003
sure thing... my girls are graduating next year and in 2014....they would also like one of those boxes filled with a pretty.... you can get a basic silver necklace with a small charm for $150. If you look at juicy costume jewelry it can cost you that much for a trinket and it is not going to be as timeless as that tiffany necklace
Posts: 581 | Location: glen ellyn Illinois usa | Registered: April 05, 2003
