<p>So, who's parents are anxious to buy school-colored balloons and have a party? Who's parents are inviting the whole forty-member family to graduation? Who's having a party at a hall or in their backyard? Or somewhere else? </p>
<p>My mother has redone the kitchen and major hallway, cabinets and paint and all. </p>
<p>What's the plan for what people are wearing? Is it normal to just wear shorts to your grad party if it is in your backyard? Heck, I was feeling like putting up my basketball net and running round in "active wear" instead of actually looking nice and wearing a dress or something. Dresses and skirts are for the ceremony if you ask me. As for the ceremony, I found this dress that I love but it is really expensive and I don't even wear dresses. This one, I'd make an exception.</p>
<p>I have a friend who has the secret to lots of grad money--invite the rich teachers. What's the record for most money earned from graduating? I've heard upwards of a thousand, less for some of the stickler families. What's the key to getting more? lol...</p>
<p>Hmm...I'm homeschooled, so I'm participating in our countywide homeschool graduation (only 18 seniors, so it's pretty personalized) and will invite 25-30 close friends/family members to that. Since the grandparetns and "older" friends/neighbors will be around and in town that weekend, we'll probably do something small at home the day after graduation. Then the next weekend it's PARTY with a million people! (i.e., everyone I know from church, swim team, CC where I take classes, etc.) I'm a little concerned about the whole gift thing...I mean, the party is more for ME to thank EVERYONE for everything, and I'd feel really weird expecting a lot of people to empty their pockets for me. Then again, it's also sorta awkward to say "No gifts please" on the invitations. Thoughts, anyone?</p>
<p>Well my dad just got us stationed in Germany 2 years ago, so most of my family won't be able to come, but my grandma is flying out. I think the parents of my group of friends are going to all merge together so we can have a big party. Otherwise it'd be too much of a mess trying to have one party for one person, one party for another person, etc. So we're just going to have a huge one.</p>
<p>And then there's always the after-graduation party where there's a huge bonfire and everybody gets wasted and camps out. No parents or teacher at that one ;) haha</p>
<p>If I do a party (or a joint one, renting a place with a few friends), the invitations will say "No gifts please." I've been invited to numerous graduation parties in earlier years and that seems to be the norm. Some people, of course, bring gifts anyway.</p>
<p>I don't expect any money from the extended family - I have one senile and one estranged grandparent left. The aunts/uncles/cousins are too far away to come for graduation and we're not big on gifts. I'll be the second cousin to graduate and I don't think the other got anything from the family.</p>
<p>I probably will not have one, partially because I know no one to have it with. I might just go out, travel to China, and get plastered, since I need to do that eventually.</p>
<p>I don't want cash- I want jewelry instead. </p>
<p>At my school we have the graduation ceremony, then a cocktail party, then dinner and then all the kids go out to a club. It should be awesome. And graduation is one day after we get back from Senior Trip in Greece.</p>