High School Graduation Gift Ideas? - Honolulu,HI

Last year I had several seniors I was close to graduating, and there was no way I could afford $ for all of them. I went to Borders and got them address books to fit their personality (around $12 each) and then put my address and information in it. I gave them to the graduates on the last day of school (I teach in a high school) and at all of their graduation parties they had them out so their friends and family could put in their information. There were so many compliments on the ideas from parents and friends, and several of the students wrote me thank you cards talking about how much the appreciated a gift that they could use forever.

$20 is practical and awesome.

Don't get things like books, trinkets, or other 'sentimental things'. Right now the kids have to outfit an entire dorm room with a whole bunch of stuff and money is very important. $20 will go a long way in getting supplies or shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond!

If you feel like you need to give a gift, notecards and a book of stamps, a roll of quarters with a laundry basket and soap, a shower caddy with shower flip flops and some bath and body works stuff, or a small hot pot with packs of ramen noodles would all be good 'college' gifts.

How about giving them a check for $20.11?

I second the check for $20.11 I think thats an awesome idea!

I agree that $20 does not sound cheap. Actually it's my preference, because it's easy, a single bill!

Are the girls going to college? What about a small first aid kit? My son got one and I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of it before, even as a nurse!

But cash is always good, and welcome.

The one gift that I remember most from my high school graduation was $20. That is only because it was a really creative way the gift was given. The gift giver got the $20. all in ones, then rolled each one of the ones like little diplomas and tied each individual one with ribbon in my school colors. Then put them all together in a box and wrapped the box. It was just a creative and cool gift. It has been a long time since my graduation but obviously I remember it vividly.

I didn't read all the responses below but I recommend Expressionery.com. They have beautiful cards and note pads that you can personalize and they usually have great discounts. My son had 2 teachers last year and I got 2 sets of note cards that would have cost $50 for about $15 because they were running a clearance on certain items. His teachers loved them. They have great promotions and I've given these to coworkers, my aunt, my mother and mother in law. Hope this helps!

Hello, Imagine if 20 people gave each of them $20. That would be $400. It is a perfect gift as far as I'm concerned. Each gift adds up.
Good luck.
K. K.

When you're that age $20 can go a long way. I managed to pay for large meals with friends and family at restaurants with that much money. Not to mention renting a calculator that pretty much saved my butt in my senior year of high school. A ton of the DVDs, books and games I've bought for myself were only $20 and they get a lot of usage. Giving money is pretty much the best thing ever for gifts.

how about something pratical. my grandmother got me an electric skillet since she knew I would be moving out on my own. I loved it and used it till it fell apart! my little sis is graduating this year and I am buying her an electric griddle, and a vaccum for christmas.

http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/Bracelets/Charm,...

Charm Bracelets are a good, inexpensive gift. There are several on this page for under $20. ANd they can add charms for differant milestones in life. You can get 2 differant styles so as to match the girls personalities.

Do you know if they are going to college and if so, which one?? For a few kids of friends, I went on-line to the college and purchased a gift card ($20 is fine). The recipients thought it was great asthe kids could use it many places on campus.

$20 value is what I do for my friends' kids who are graduating. Are the girls going to college? One of my favorite gifts given to my daugher was a "dorm starter kit" -- a small tote with small or trial size laundry soap, dryer sheets, woolite, liquid hand soap, bath wash, shampoo, lotion, wash cloth, etc., etc. It was creative, inexpensive and useful.

Nah $20.00 sounds about right. Everyone in my family gave me about that much and at the end of the day I had like 300.00!! It adds up fast, but it also helped that my 18th birthday was the day before graduation.

There's a book called "Where's Mom now that I Need Her?" (surviving away from home) by Betty Rae Frandsen that is a great gift for a kid going away to college.

if you have $20 you could spend on each grad, what about asking the mom to give you a disk of digital pics of the girls throughout their lives or highschool. You can then use the pics to make them each a photobook on Shuttefly, Walgreens, Costco, Snapfish, mixbook.com etc... They will have a small memory book to take with them to college or when they leave the house. Your time is part of the gift and you only have to make 1 book but have it printed twice!

I disagree about buying the kids stuff for their dorms- college kids like to pick out their own stuff and if they have a positive relationship with their parents, they will likely help them out getting set up for living. It has been quite a few years since I was in college but I lived at Target then and I still do now with my 2 kids :) A Target gift card would be good because they can use for dorm stuff, going out with friends clothes, food items, school supplies etc...

are they going away to college?

How about a roll of quarters? or a laundry basket and detergent? they'll need it. or a fantastic frame. just a twenty does look cheap-o. but, 20 bucks spent thoughtfully would be better.

A $20 gift card to anywhere useful for a grad is fine. My daughter graduated last year - and went away to college - so gift cards to Bed, Bath & Beyond as well as Target were great.

For 2010 graduates - I gave $30 cash - a $20 and $10 - get it? 20 10
You could do a $20 and 10 $1 = 20 11

I didn't get much for my high school graduation, the memorable gift that I loved wasca bottle of perfume. You can buy a nice bottle at Ross or marshals or even give them a lotion and body spray set from bath and body works. They have sets under 20$. I always loved that Kind of stuff when I was younger.

What about a card with $20 worth of lottery tickets? It's a gesture and it's wishing them good luck for their future.

$20 is awesome... I think I probably got zero graduation gifts.

I got one graduation gift from a friend. it was a tiny travel iron. i used it for YEARS. totally awesome gift and I'm sure it was $10 max. $20 does not come off as being cheap =)