If not, can we share some ideas? Need to get my creative juices flowing. Also, did you do a grad party? And if so was it small/just family or a big blowout? This is for college undergrad. She will likely go to grad school but if so that will be funded
HS or college?
For HS we did a picnic but it was at the beginning of august as sort of a farewell party as friends were leaving for college shortly thereafter. Our gift to our kids…paying for college…and getting the things they needed for their dorm rooms.
For undergrad…no party, no announcements. Our gift was paying off the Direct Loans they took for college.
For grad school. We bought a diploma frame for one kid, and gave the other one a shopping trip for needed clothes for first job. No party.
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We did a small backyard grad party - family who lived nearby, the bf and bff - around 15 people total. Nothing fancy but a lot of fun. Music, outdoor games, good food, and a 45 minute grad video I made, which everyone enjoyed.
As for gifts, the big gift was a trip to the destination of her choice. She changed destinations 3x but ultimately settled on a Safari and beach trip to Kenya. Other gifts were a few more items from her college including an alumni license plate holder, a vegan tote bag for work, an iPad, and a few other items that I though a new grad and young professional would get a lot of use out of. The fun gift was a homemade gift basket of throwback movies and tv series and movie snacks.
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For our Daughter:
High School: dinner after graduation ceremony at a nice Italian restaurant with family. Gift from us was a printer and bedding for her dorm room. Her grandparents gave her a laptop.
Undergrad: dinner in her college town after the ceremony. Gift from us was a new I-Phone. A few days later we had an open-house party at home, for extended family and friends. We got sandwich platters and cookies.
D didn’t go to grad school.
S is in college right now, so we haven’t done college graduation. But for his high school graduation we did dinner with family at a nice restaurant like we did with his sister. His gift from us was a laptop for college. When he graduates from college, I assume we’ll do the same thing we did with his sister: dinner after the ceremony and maybe a party a few days later. I don’t know if he’ll go to grad school, so I guess we’ll see when the time comes.
Most people we know who went to grad school didn’t have a party to celebrate. D’s friend got her masters and she just had a dinner with family afterwards. I have a co-worker who threw her daughter a party when she got her masters, but I don’t think she had a party for undergrad or high school.
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As if paying for college wasn’t enough 
?
Seriously, she’s going on a trip with her girlfriends.
Edit: high school grad…
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Undergrad next week! Eeeek!
A framed print of a campus landmark in a style he’ll enjoy.
Some budget for furniture for his first apartment.
He won’t be home at all and so we’re headed to him and will celebrate with a nice meal with he, his roommates and their immediate families.
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