How to Pick a High School Graduation Gift

If you are attending a high school graduation, you may want to choose a gift that reflects the path the new graduate is undertaking. With so many things to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide what type of item makes the best present. The good news is that gifts for high school graduates abound, and no matter what your budget is, you can find something to commemorate the occasion.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Think about the future when you are trying to pick a high school graduation gift. If the receiver is going to college, choose something she can use there. This could be as simple as a gift basket filled with items such as notebooks, pens and other practical supplies, or it could be a piece of luggage (to carry things off to college) or even a coffee maker for her dorm room.
2. Pick something sentimental if you are close to the receiver. Students finishing high school are going away for a long period of time and often miss home, family and friends. Give the graduate a set of photo frames with his favorite photos, or compile a photo album to help him remember his best times with loved ones.
3. Choose an inspirational book or journal to help the receiver in her new life. Gift books written especially for high school graduates can be found in gift shops and bookstores, or you can choose a selection from a favorite author or a classic book.
4. Pick a personalized item if you can afford the waiting time. Anything from a mug to a memento box can be turned into a great graduation gift by adding the name of the receiver, the graduation date or a special message.
5. Give the high school graduate a gift that he may use for months to come. Companies offering gourmet food delivery, monthly fruit baskets or even college-survival kits (complete with everything from instructions on how to do the laundry to pizza certificates) abound, and can be greatly appreciated by students going away from home.
6. Pick an electronic that can be carried off to college without problems. A small toaster oven or microwave (if they are allowed in dorms), a portable radio or CD player or even an alarm clock or reading light can be extremely helpful to a young adult on her own for the first time.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are choosing a gift that you hope the graduate will take along when she leaves for college, choose something small and light. College-bound students are often over-packed.