<p>I will probably give my son something to do with travel for the summer after graduation...either as a family, with friends or as part of a college travel program....whatever he prefers. I think that summer before you buckle down for either graduate school or gainful employment is a really good chance to travel and experience parts of the world.</p>
<p>Just an FYI for those of you with multiple kidlets...here is our graduation schedule...HS grad #1 2003, HS grad #2 2006, undergrad grad #1 2007, grad grad #1 2009, undergrad grad #2 2010. We are trying to make our gifts relevant. For #1, we did give $ for undergrad graduation, but we also moved him about 1000 miles away, and paid for the transportation of his belongings, and bought needed items for his apartment (including bed, dresser, desk, bookshelf, dishes, kitchen set, microwave cart, night stand, lamps, rugs). Oh...and we had one of our old cars serviced as well and he has it too.</p>
<p>In 1977 I got a Selectric with correcting ribbon. :) (This is not a hair styling product for you youngsters)</p>
<p>Mine was a Correctronic with the pop-out correcting cassettes, in 1978.</p>
<p>thumper, my family looks like this... #1 HS grad 1997, #2 HS grad 2001, #1 undergrad grad 2001, #1 masters grad 2003, #3 HS grad 2005, #2 undergrad grad 2005, #4(me) HS grad 2007, #3 undergrad grad winter 2008, #5 HS grad 2009, #4 undergrad grad winter 2010, #5 undergrad grad 2013.</p>
<p>It's a good thing for my parents that they aren't paying for college.</p>
<p>For high school, she got college tuition. </p>
<p>Since she just told me this week that she will be moving with one of her friends into their own apartment after graduation, she will get furniture as a graduation present and the expenses paid to attend another friends wedding (airfare, hotel and dress)in Chicago, which is 2 weeks after they graduate.</p>
<p>I thought a good watch would be nice, but I'll offer a trip.</p>
<p>My grandma has made me an extra long twin quilt (hand sewn) that I love that will be my h.s. graduation present. My parents are paying for everything in my and my twins dorm and all of college including books and fees....so I'm not expecting anything. The fact that they are paying for all 4 years of college is enough.</p>
<p>We have given watches, rings, luggage. For graduation from HS--the two oldest received some shares of stock. The youngest, seeing the drop in value of his sibs' stock, requested a nice watch.</p>
<p>For HS grad my kids get a laptop to take to college, they are also gifted the privildege of graduating from university with no loans ;)</p>
<p>For college graduation, they will get the pink slip to the car bought whilst they were in HS, so it is mature, but reliable and eveyr mile put on by our family. When we buy a car while they are in HS, they are told- graduate from college and this will be yours. For us it was a way to have oour daughters driving in the safest (airbags, etc) car without just buying them a car. My DH and I use the cars as our own, but it does seem to be a motivating factor- not that they go to college to get an old car, but that all along the way it means something, it is their car, they take car of it, wash it, appreciate it, and have safe reliable transportation. </p>
<p>Then they put it on their very OWN insurance policy- yay!</p>
<p>I got a calculator for high school (a TI SR-11!), and a watch for college.</p>
<p>WashDadJr received a notebook computer, and TallSon will probably get the same. And school support (which is at 100% for WDJr this year).</p>
<p>With our graduations looking like this - #1 hs '07, #2 hs '08, #3 hs #10, #1 undergrad '11, # 2 undergrad '12, #3 undergrad '14, #1 med school '15, #2 grad school '16, #4 hs '17, #3 grad school '18, #5 hs and #4 undergrad '21, #5 undergrad '25 --- grad/med school for #4 or #5 ??? </p>
<p>We will do our best to get them through undergrad debt free - but by the time we get them all through school we will be in the poor house or the old folks home.</p>
<p>Actually, we have started letting them pick where to have the family graduation party. Last year we took all to a sushi bar to celebrate. A fun memory for all!</p>
<p>Great thread. It looks like laptops win. I can definately handle that. Based on what graduating seniors in our school district got last year my DS will definately be disapointed. However, financially it has always been a struggle for us to "keep up with the Jone's." We moved here to give our kids a great education but it's been tough.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In 1977 I got a Selectric with correcting ribbon. (This is not a hair styling product for you youngsters)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If the Selectric is not a hair appliance ... does it play music? make coffee? provide transportation?</p>
<p>( I actually know ... but I wonder how many of the kids do!)</p>
<p>We still have DH's 1977 h.s grad. gift typewriter in our attic. It may reach antique status soon!</p>
<p>DS received a laptop and the promise of 1 round-trip ticket home each of the 4 years he is in college. (He turned down a full-tuition scholarship at an excellent U within easy driving range). Softy that I am, I am actually paying for at least 2 rt tickets each year for him.</p>
<p>I received an electric typewriter with a manual return. Had to use that chalk-paper correcting thing. But I am OLD.</p>
<p>I also got an electric typewriter (but with power return!) for my HS graduation gift. A few years ago I tried selling it in a garage sale and no one bought it. I ended up putting it out in the trash.</p>
<p>"He turned down a full-tuition scholarship at an excellent U within easy driving range"</p>
<p>Why did your son do that? Are you paying for his tuition at his current University?</p>
<p>Laptop computers for both girls. Plus, we're paying whatever tuition that's left over after scholarships, grants, and work study!</p>
<p>Just please not breast implants. Plastic surgery is becoming a more popular graduation gift and I think it's disgusting</p>