100+ Graduation gift ideas: here’s what to give to the new graduate

Are you looking for graduation gift ideas because you don’t know what to give to the new graduate? 

Then you should look right now at these 100+ gifts, you will surely find what you are looking for without stressing yourself further.

Graduation is undoubtedly a fundamental milestone in the life of every individual, as it is the last step before jumping into the world of work and thus starting a new phase of life.

That’s why it’s very important to celebrate this milestone not only to have a memory, but also to celebrate the commitment and passion of a person who has given all of herself to achieve her goals.

Graduation gifts for her

Here are some graduation gifts that are sure to make a girl happy.

A set of jewels

jewelry set is the kind of gift it is a rather classic gift, which suits every woman perfectly.

Even if at first glance it may seem like a rather common and unoriginal choice, you have to think that every time an important milestone is reached, such as an eighteenth birthday or the reception of a Sacrament, it is customary to give the person a jewel to give importance to the occasion and make it special.

Hence, a woman who is preparing to enter the world of work will be able to show off an innate elegance by wearing matching earrings, necklace and bracelet.

Avoid chinoiserie, as these tend to lose color and can crack as soon as they are picked up.

A designer bag

Opting for the choice of a designer women’s bag is not in itself a choice of great depth, but there is a basic reasoning that will allow you to re-evaluate the choice of this gift.

In fact, if it is easy to consider the bag as an object of common use that can be purchased at any time, the same reasoning does not apply to those designer bags which, however, require a large financial contribution.

You will therefore be able to make the recent graduate happy by informing you about her personal tastes and decide to give her the bag she has always wanted, or a collector’s item made by her favorite stylist, so that it is forever associated with the moment of graduation.

You’ll probably end up eating bread and onions for the next few months, but you’ll surely win over your friend’s heart, who will consider you her biggest hero.

Tablet

New degree, new life … and with it the desire to leave everything behind including books, notebooks, photocopies and notes that have done nothing but fill the PC memory of the poor girl in question.

To best celebrate the new phase towards which the girl is heading, a tablet could be a rather welcome gift, as it will allow her to have a completely new device, very useful when she has to continue with her specialization or dedicate herself to a equally demanding work.

Perhaps opt for something no bigger than her handbag, as otherwise the logistics could be a real headache to sort out.

A beauty treatment

Surely the degree will bring a great sense of relaxation to the girl who obtains it, as she will certainly have had to make sacrifices to devote all her time to her studies.

That’s why it’s very important to give her something that allows her to find herself and remove those heavy dark circles left by intense nights of study.

If you don’t know what she needs and you want to make a good impression, opt for a beauty treatment at a spa, spa or beauty centre, giving away a booklet of discount coupons or free sessions that can regenerate your friend and make her feel healthy again. 25 year old girl instead of a 90 year old lady.

Beauty kit

Still on the principle of regaining lost youth, proposing a beauty kit made up of creams, make-up products and regenerating masks will be of great help to your friend, as she will finally be able to go back to taking care of her appearance and not devote herself to exclusively in the studio.

This choice is always and particularly welcome and all you have to do is investigate the cosmetics most used by the girl, and thoroughly examine her personal tastes in order to create a fabulous combination that will leave her speechless and will allow her to return to feel beautiful and fashionable.

Graduation gifts for him

If, on the other hand, a sweet young man graduates, things change as it will be necessary to direct the gift towards male tastes and objects with proven usefulness.

The choice of gift, in this case, could be more challenging, but don’t panic and go about your business with your head held high.

Here are some little ideas.

Smartwatches

The smartwatch is a highly technological device and is used by men and women without any distinction, even if the former manage to use it more both at work and in their free time, as they tend to wear it without giving much importance to any combinations.

This little aid will allow your friend to take advantage of multiple features including the ability to call and reply to messages via the digital watch, but also monitor physical training and all bodily functions useful for sport, such as heart rate and blood pressure.

It is also an excellent solution for all those forgetful friends who end up forgetting all the commitments they have made, as thanks to the special function, a small alarm will remind your friend of all the things to complete on a given day.

The ticket for the match of the favorite team

In almost all cases, every man has his own favorite team and therefore there is no better occasion to seize the opportunity to take him to the stadium and make him watch the feats of his favorites.

This gift will not only leave him amazed, but will allow him to recover after several months of study and university.

If he doesn’t like football, you can opt for concerts or sporting events of his interest.

Not to mention the opportunity to benefit from this gift firsthand, as you can be the one to accompany him on this adventure.

Of course, cheering on the opposing team isn’t worth it.

A perfume

If you know your friend’s tastes well, a men’s perfume is the most suitable gift to celebrate an occasion such as graduation, as it is an intimate gift but at the same time usable in any context.

In order not to get the fragrance wrong, we advise you to investigate the tastes of the recipient, but to do it with discretion in order to avoid being discovered.

That doesn’t mean you have to put on your tights and sneak into your friend’s bathroom late at night, as the consequences could be pretty nasty.

A new cell phone

An expensive but certainly welcome choice, as a good smartphone never refuses.

If, prey to exam anxiety and the bad mood he takes when it is hard to fix a concept, your friend has accidentally hurled his historic cell phone against the wall, here is a good remedy to allow him to get out of the Paleolithic and get back to communicating with your contacts in a simple and instantaneous way.

In order to avoid possible repercussions, we advise you to combine an unbreakable glass and a very resistant cover with this gift, so that it can survive any future shocks.

A wallet

If your friend is also one of those people who tend to keep their money rolled up in their pockets and when it comes time to pay they seem to take out confetti and receipts from other historical periods, a men’s wallet will allow him to have everything in order and don’t look like a wretch every time it’s time to ask for the bill.

Furthermore, thanks to this present, it will have no more excuses when it comes to offering an aperitif on Saturday evening, as it will be much more difficult to forget the money having to always carry a wallet with you.

Perfect graduation gifts for every person

As we mentioned earlier, there are graduation gifts that are suitable for both boys and girls.

Here are some small alternatives that will save the situation and make you look fantastic, without excessively consuming your neurons.

A gift certificate

This is certainly one of the best and most appreciated choices, as it allows the recipient of the gift to be able to buy what they want without having to spend anything.

In this way we will reduce useless objects that often end up being given away for lack of ideas, and all those junk that do nothing but take up space in our homes.

The alternatives in this sense are truly immeasurable, since you can give away vouchers for specific stores, precisely considering the preferences of whoever receives this gift, or opt for virtual gift cards at specialized sites or stores.

One of the best choices is definitely Amazon, as it is a platform that sells all sorts of products and will certainly have what your friend needs.

A trip

Everyone, at least once in their life, has wanted to get away from what we see every day to take back our lives and regenerate after an intense and demanding journey.

A nice trip, therefore, is what it takes to switch off and recharge your batteries before embarking on a new path in life.

If you choose to give your friend a graduation trip as a gift, you will be able to enjoy this experience in turn by accompanying him to the location of his dreams.

Of course, you can reserve surprises for him by packing his suitcase yourself and not telling him anything until he reaches his chosen destination.

We only advise you to evaluate the climate at the time of departure, as reaching the North Pole in a tank top and boxers is not the best of aspirations.

Personalized graduation plaque

personalized graduation plate is a small thought that will be highly appreciated, as it will not only be traceable to the event, but will be made specifically for your friend, making it highly unlikely to find two identical plates all over the world.

It is a small tribute to his studies and to the path that he diligently managed to complete.

That’s why you can embellish this plaque with everything about him and motivational phrases that will support him even in difficult times.

Pen with name or initials

How many times has it happened that you need a pen and can’t find one even to pay gold doubloons?

Therefore, the personalized graduation pen is a useful and versatile gift which, for the occasion, can be personalized by engraving your friend’s name or his initials.

You can resort to various services that deal with personalizing pens, opting for the model that best suits your friend and for the style that best suits his personality.

If you really want to overdo it and go the extra mile, we advise you to add the words “doctor or doctor” to the name, even if to do so you will have to resort to a rather long pen model, as making this writing fit on the available space it could be quite challenging.

An album with your most important photos

If the graduate in question is an old friend or a person with whom you grew up and with whom you shared every part of your life, give a photo album that contains your most important moments it will be a great choice.

You will therefore be able to relive together the beginnings in kindergarten, the quarrels in elementary school, the first loves of middle school and all the pranks that adolescence has given you during high school.

Obviously we must take into consideration the presence of some embarrassing photos, which will surely get a few laughs from all those who will participate in the party.

If the birthday girl is a girl, try to have her make up with waterproof make-up, as tears could damage the written undertakings on the album to remember these wonderful moments of life for a long time.

Trips

The graduation gift par excellence, everyone’s favourite, is a great trip… a weekend in a European capital, a week in some warm seaside resort, an InterRail for Europe… what really matters is pulling the plug.

Also look at our travel section to find other safe sites where you can find great deals.

If you don’t want to book a holiday, why not give a voucher for the holiday itself or a voucher for the plane ticket? So then the future graduate will be able to choose where to go in complete freedom.

Alternatively, a good trolley or a set of suitcases will surely come in handy.

Experiences

If you don’t know what to give to a degree and you want to make a nice surprise, something that leaves him speechless, give an experience, give emotions. They are among the most popular graduation gifts.

Great experiences like:

  • drive a Ferrari on the track
  • buggy jumping
  • parachuting
  • balloon flight
  • sailing excursions
  • paragliding flight
  • drive a rally car
  • quad biking
  • flyboarding

If he likes to visit a city, why not do it on a Segway?

For those who love nature, a day as a shepherd is ideal.

Do you love to ride a motorbike or would you like to go? Give a safe driving course on motorcycles.

Do you like yourself physically or do you like looking in the mirror? A modeling experience for a day could be the perfect gift.

Do you love to photograph? In addition to the  classic gifts for photographers, you could give away a photography course.

He likes to cook? Why not make him feel like Chef for a day.

If you are undecided, you can always think about making gift boxes , so he will decide calmly.

Or you can go for classic experiences, like two tickets to a concert of your favorite singer, to a musical, to a TV show, to the theatre.

Finally, you could give away a specialized course (for example as an interior designer), a little more knowledge doesn’t hurt.

Relax

A little rest never hurts, especially after the stress he had to endure during his university career. Here are some of the ideal graduation gifts for those who love to relax.

Give a massage, it will be completely regenerated within a few hours.

The couple’s wellness program is also excellent, and why not, even a nice weekend in some SPA with sauna and Turkish bath.

Or comfortable wellness gift boxes , with solutions and prices for all budgets.

Technological

To make no mistake you can bet on something technological.

First of all, the smartphone which is now indispensable in everyday life, and can also replace cameras and camcorders in an excellent way, Samsung Galaxy and iPhone are doing great.

Second gift always very useful, the laptop, available in any price range. Similar but less bulky are the tablet or the iPad. They may or may not like it, it really depends on personal tastes, so always ask before buying.

If he already has a computer, you can think of giving away some accessories, such as a wifi multifunction laser printer or a nice monitor.

Why not focus on a nice LED TV? Perhaps accompanied by the DVD box set of her favorite TV series and a DVD or Blu-ray player.

If he reads a lot, he may also find an eReader interesting, ideal for reading books in digital format.

For designers, web designers or drawing enthusiasts, a graphics tablet could be an excellent idea.

To remember the day of graduation and all the moments spent, it would be nice to give a digital photo frame.

Finally the other two classics, the video camera and the SLR camera, but if he is very sporty, even the GoPro could be the ideal gift.

See more gift ideas for tech lovers.

Others

If you want to do something different, you could give him a tattoo that he will forever associate with all the work he put in to get to graduation.

If you know about wine, you could give away a bottle or several (expensive) vintage bottles.

If you love art, a beautiful painting, a portrait or a canvas print of a photo taken on graduation day with everyone.

You could give away the printing and binding of the thesis with slightly more precious materials, but also organize and pay for his graduation party.

Why not, the first business cards and personalized stamp.

If you travel or will travel by car, the car coffee machine.

Surely, receiving a tailored suit or a tailored shirt with embroidered initials as a gift will come in very handy for future (and now very close) job interviews. Maybe accompany it all with the garment bag for the dress.

A silver photo album to be engraved with the graduation date.

For a little laugh, some joke books or making fun of his college degree.

Finally anything related to his passion, music , sport …

Classics

If you haven’t found anything among the gift ideas for graduation , try the great classics, certainly a nice leather briefcase, a personalized diary or a Mont Blanc fountain pen (also an excellent idea to personalize it with an engraving).

The jewels remain a valid alternative, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, those of swarovski are very beautiful and appreciated, but also watches.

Sunglasses, bags, scarves, but also belts and wallets are always in vogue.

If the birthday boy is a woman, never forget the flowers.

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