<p>My son received mostly cash, which was very much appreciated. We also purchased his laptop (and everything else he needed!!!) as part of his gift. For his best friend, who now attends Columbia, we gave a DVD of Spiderman 2, and a laundry basket. If you have a video or book that references a college, that might be nice. For example, "A River Runs Through It" was written by a Dartmouth alum, and I think either the book or movie would be nice. There's no way I was buying "Animal House" for him!</p>
<p>My husband gave each of our three children the perfect dad gift right before each left for college. He went to the local hardware store and put together a little toolbox with all the basic tools in it. All three kids got quite a laugh out of it, but all three have commented on how popular that toolbox was on their freshman halls. A practical and wise man.</p>
<p>Your husband's tool kit reminded me--I put together a mini-sewing kit for my eldest, just enough to do quick repairs: 6-7 color threads (dark blue jeans, light blue jeans...), some different sized buttons, a few needles, safety pins, stick pins, little scissors, etc. I have no idea if she's used it, but I'll bet at least someone on her hall has!</p>
<p>This does not really fall into the inexpensive catagory but my daughter uses her Aerobed constantly at Columbia. People from other colleges visit (NYC is a big draw), friends who don't want to walk back to their dorm late at night can crash on her floor and she doesn't have to scramble to find a bed when she hosts high school visitors. Her friends borrow it all of the time. I think that you can still buy them for under $100.</p>
<p>An iHome alarm clock is also a docking station/speakers for the iPod.. run around $100....</p>
<p>A wireless printer is a great gift.....</p>
<p>Really nice down pillows, we gave our guy 2 king size pillows from Cuddledown......</p>
<p>He also used his LL Bean gift certificates to get a watch.....</p>
<p>A nice brass standing coat rack is a great gift that can withstand a lot of abuse, if you are driving the student to the school...... I still have my original one and I love it.......</p>
<p>A rolling duffle bag in school colors...</p>
<p>A travel bag that unzips and hangs on towel bars or door knobs etc... this is also nice if they will be visiting friends on other campuses, Bean's has lots of sizes and choices of colors that are compatible with many schools...</p>
<p>Depending upon the school, eBay has some early (old) books on some of the schools, their campuses.....they are fun gifts.....</p>
<p>Stamped self-addressed post cards....for grandma and grandpa's addresses, younger siblings etc..... makes it easy for them to let loved ones know they are not forgotten by the new student! And vice versa, give a year of cookies, 1 box a month......</p>
<p>George Forman grill (with the removable plates that can be washed in the sink) is great for guys who like to eat after the dining hall closes. </p>
<p>A great desk chair? we got one of the better ones at Ikea after the first few months of using what came with the room..... lots of desk time in college...so a great chair is a wonderful gift, again, requires ability to drive student to new school....</p>
<p>CT Mom, I didn't know how to quilt, but I knitted afghans for my stepdaughters to take to college. I think they still have them. Something to wrap up in while studying or when feeling homesick. A disability prevents me from doing the same for my sons, and it was very hard for me to send older S off to school without the same gift I had made for my sd's.</p>
<p>The ONLY graduation gift I was given from high school that I still have is one of those old-fashioned round wicker and cotton sewing kits. My hs bf's mother gave it to me and at the time I looked at it and said "What's this?!" But I used it to mend things in college and thirty years later when someone needs a needle and thread, they get that sewing kit out of the closet. I suppose you could make a more interesting gift of it by filling it with $$$.</p>
<p>Another way to give gifts that aren't uber-expensive but meaningful is to take something run-of-the-mill, like a robe, or pillow cases or even a tote bag, and have it monogrammed. Monogramming is something a lot of people won't do for themselves and it shows that you put some forethought into your gift choice.</p>
<p>At the other end of the spectrum, if I had a daughter graduating right now, I would give her pearls. Yes, the tuition is obscene, but if there's any way to swing it, I would want to be the one to give her her first pearls. Maybe a bracelet if a necklace is too expensive.</p>
<p>For a boy, hmmm...the ultimate gift...maybe a gold coin to put away in a safe deposit box...a first edition of a favorite book? Boys are harder to shop for, but I like to try to think of gifts that they'll still have years down the road.</p>
<p>For Xmas, I gave my D 4 different kits. One was tool kit including a power screwdriver, hammer, wrench, pliers, measuring tape, level, self adhesive hooks for the walls, glue, etc (everything necc to put furniture together!) One was a kitchen kit - all the small kitchen utensils, chip clips, can opener, jar opener, timer. Most of those were from the kitchen supply wall at a dollar store. A laundry/cleaning kit that included laundry bag, sewing kit, cleaning supplies/dust wipes, small ironing board, iron etc. A first aid kit. She loved them. While alot of stuff came from a dollar store, I sent a little more on good tools/iron. I had so much fun putting the kits together. I had to special order the jar opener - mine is ancient - I don't see them in stores anymore. I paid attention to all the little items that help in day to day life that we tend to forget.
These were all packaged in handy stackable plastic bins. These can be great gifts.
Janie</p>
<p>I like the basket idea...Maybe some pens, pencils, (if your far away from the college phone cards would be good) mixed with snacks (for late-night cramming before a test) or whatever. Also tool kit is a great idea. And monogramming is cute...at PBTeen, you can monogram towels, robes, pillows. If you forget your towel in the bathroom no one will steal it 'cuz it has ur initials on it.</p>
<p>gift certificates to fast food places would be good as well.... one year my mom filled my stocking with gift cards to arbys, bk, and wendys ;)</p>
<p>friends of ours gave our guy a gift certificate to a bakery near campus so that was fun to have in his wallet.....</p>
<p>For any of you wanting to do a tshirt quilt yourself, these are easy instructions from online instructions. My own way is in CAPS.</p>
<p>Directions:
Select 30 T-shirts. Using a 14" square piece of glass (available at a lumbar yard) as a template, cut the fronts from the T-shirts using a rotary cutter. The glass is heavy enough to hold the shirt while cutting and transparent so you can see if the shirt is centered. Cut a 14" square of light-weight muslin and stitch to the back of each block to stabilize it.
I USE A CLEAR OMNIGRID 15 X 15 QUILTING RULER INSTEAD OF GLASS. I USE GRIDDED (MARKED IN 1 INCH SQUARES) FUSIBLE INTERFACING INSTEAD OF STITCHING LIGHTWEIGHT MUSLIN. IT STABILIZES THE STRETCHY T-SHIRT FABRIC BETTER. BE CAREFUL WHEN IRONING! SOMETIMES THE DESIGN MIGHT MELT IF IT'S NOT SILKSCREENED. </p>
<p>Sew T-shirt blocks together, matching corners. Or, for a different look, sew a strip on each side of the square, then sew the strips together. Alberta first used a 3 ½" wide black strip, taking ½" seams. On another, she accented the black strip with a 3 ½" gold square at the corners using Missouri school colors.
DITTO</p>
<p>To finish the top, lay the quilt and backing on the floor, right sides together. Pin, then stitch all around, leaving a 24" opening in one of the long sides. Return the quilt to the floor. Cut the batting to the exact size and lay it on top of the quilt. (Alberta used extra loft.) With a friend, roll the quilt backing and batting from corners as tightly as possible rolling toward the opening. Stretch the opening over the huge roll of cotton and fabric and turn your quilt right side out. Unroll it carefully, working out any bumps or wrinkles. Stitch closed.
I SAFETY-PIN THE QUILT SANDWICH (BACKING, BATTING, TOP) TOGETHER, QUILT IT AND BIND IT RATHER THAN MAKING A QUILT PILLOW. IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET ALL THE WRINKLES OUT FROM THE TURN-RIGHTSIDE-OUT METHOD</p>
<p>For tying you can use yarn, all six strands of embroidery floss, pearl cotton, or heavy crochet thread. The quilt should be tied about every four inches in a square or surgeon's knot. Alberta tied her quilts on the wrong side, but says that tying on either side would work.
I MACHINE QUILT IT.</p>
<p>cheapuranus</p>
<p>LL Bean tote bags are great gifts - a lot of college students don't need to haul their books to class, so the small and medium ones work well. They're cheap, last forever, and come in a variety of colours.</p>
<p>Sheets, blankets, and pillows are great. If the student has the space (do remember, these kids have to get their stuff to college!), a husband pillow is fantastic. </p>
<p>If you can swing it, find gift certificates to the local stores near their campus - not the local Starbucks, but the stores in the area. (My family gave me an online gift certificate for the local chocolate place.)</p>
<p>I would recommend a real screwdriver - get one of the six-in-one pieces. They are much easier to use for assembly of a desk chair or whatever than a Leatherman.</p>
<p>On the practical side: Dustbusters: a set of dining ware (plates, bowls, mugs - all microwaveable and small enough to fit into the microwaves at college); folding bookcase (found at Staples); alarm clock with battery back-up; monogrammed towels/bathrobe (love the idea, needs repeating); shower kit (the plastic buckets, flip flops, and you can include a gift certificate to CVS for the toiletries); throw blankets.</p>
<p>I think a lot of campus bookstores take Barnes and Noble gift cards; I got ones from all of my relatives (my dad has eight brothers and sisters, and my mom has four), so I didn't have to spend my own money on books all of freshman year which was awesome. It's going to hurt next year when it's my own money. A college sweatshirt is probably the best unless he/she already has one. My college sweatshirt is my favorite, I wear it all the time (even though my parents bought it for Christmas before I'd gotten in, so it was a bit of a gamble). A good picture of the family? I don't have one, but I would have really liked one at the beginning of freshman year.</p>
<p>There's a Target close to where my D will be going to school. She has requested Target gift cards. She says she can use them for everything from toothpaste to a lamp for her desk. I raised a practical child.</p>
<p>maineparent brings up a fantastic idea that i want to drive home to the parents here: give coupons for homemade/local food. id definitely couple it with something else (its not that exciting at the time), but being able to call your mom whenever you want and request two dozen of her chocolate chip cookies? theres NOTHING better (and nothing more popular with hallmates).</p>
<p>maineparent, I tried to PM you, but your box is full. Would you mind clearing it?</p>
<p>Love this thread..keep it going.</p>
<p>A gift I gave my kids' friends when they turned 16 was a Mapsco. If your child's friends are taking a car somewhere like LA, St. Louis, or Atlanta, a Mapsco might be nice for them to have. Just in case they get lost and don't have Mapquest available.</p>
<p>Not necessarily inexpensive, but I just got my S two tickets to Dave Matthews concert on campus in September. Should be a totally unexpected graduation gift.</p>