How to Select the Best Gifts for Grads

(StatePoint) Graduation celebrates one of life’s major accomplishments. It also celebrates independence, which is often eagerly anticipated — albeit a bit scary. As a result, most people are tempted to give gift cards to recent graduates to alleviate fears over upcoming expenses both after high school and college. But there are many practical and meaningful gifts you can get your grads that they’ll both appreciate and remember for years to come.

“For many people, graduating will be an accomplishment they’ll reference as one of their greatest achievements,” says Christopher Warnack, vice president of marketing and visual at Things Remembered, a leading retailer of personalized gifts. “Take the time to hand-pick a gift that says how proud you are.”

These ideas can help you make meaningful selections:

High School Graduates
They’re college-bound and they need great items to outfit their new dorm room. Consider gifts for high school graduates that are functional, decorative and let them put their personal flair on their new space. For example, a sweatshirt blanket in their new school’s color, customized with collegiate letters, is both practical and a great way to show college pride, and colorful monogrammed wall art makes for great dorm room decor.

For parents, encourage them to come home once in a while with a monogrammed duffle bag, perfect for a weekend trip back to the homestead to get a great meal and some clean clothes.

Don’t forget friends. Whether separated by campuses or majors, reminders of friendship like specially created playlists or framed pictures of the two of you will remind them of good times with good friends.

Customized subscription boxes can help you create fun, monthly care packages of beauty supplies, candy, snacks or books. Both practical and eagerly anticipated, monthly subscriptions make truly thoughtful gifts for students on a budget.

College Graduates
The right gifts for college graduates will start them off in style, and help them survive the sometimes intimidating world of “adulting.”

“It’s a sad reality in today’s workplace,” says Warnack, “but some of your colleagues can’t be trusted with your stapler or your lunch bag.” Anyone who’s seen the classic comedy “Office Space” can relate.

Embroidered lunch totes, personalized portfolios and monogrammed desk accessories will help new college grads navigate the corporate world in style, while maintaining dibs on their stuff.

If their future professional life involves a lot of travel, consider sophisticated gifts like personalized luggage tags and passport covers.

A host of gift-giving ideas that mark the importance of graduation can be found at ThingsRemembered.com.

Remember, a new graduate deserves both sentiment and support when moving on to the next big thing. With a little thought, your gift can offer both.