10 Unique Gift Ideas for Graduates


10 Unique Gift Ideas for Graduates
Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

11/20/2018

Graduation is an important milestone in anyone’s life. Whether someone has been in school for two, four, six or more years, there’s no doubt that it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice to pass the exams and finally graduate. Therefore, it is only right that you congratulate your graduating loved ones with a befitting gift.

There are many items you can gift someone who’s graduating. However, if you want your gift to truly leave a mark on your loved one, make sure it is thoughtful, personalized and unique to him or her.

Here are 10 unique graduation gift ideas that will surprise your loved ones and make them think; “This was very thoughtful of you”.

Personalized Stationery

Perhaps the cheapest but most touching graduation gift you can give a loved one is personalized stationery. Pencils, notebooks, sticky notes, and other stationeries can be customized to be unique and eye-catchy.

However, just because the gifts are cheap does not mean they won’t leave a mark. Be creative with the stationery to make them stand out and help your loved ones find meaning in life every time they look at them.

For example, you can engrave life quotes on the stationery that will give your loved ones hope every time they are using the stationery. Painting the stationery with funky colors is also a good way of personalizing them.

Custom Diploma Frame

A custom diploma frame to hang that diploma that your loved one has worked very hard to achieve will make for a great graduation gift. The diploma frame can be customized in different shapes and colors to express the person’s personality.

University Frames offers a wide range of custom diploma frames that are unique and will be memorable to your loved one. Your frame can be personalized with different quotes and patterns to make it unique.

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Gift Cards for Local Services

A treat to the local restaurant or spa is a quick gift you cannot go wrong with. A gift card gives your loved one freedom to decide what they would like to have at the business you have chosen. For example, with a spa gift card, the loved one can choose from a wide range of services, including facials, massage, pedicure, and more.

Here are some local services that may offer gift cards that your loved one may want: restaurants, spas, salons, window cleaning companies, auto body shops, taxi-hailing services, gyms, music instrument stores, among others.

Just make sure the gift card will be valid for a reasonable time so that your loved one does not feel pressured to use it quickly.

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A DIY Travel Kit

Everyone loves to travel but when they do, the last thing they want is to be bogged down with a huge load of luggage. In such a case, a DIY travel kit will come to the rescue.

DIY travel kits can be personalized to hold all the essentials your loved one will need when on the road. The kits can be as complicated or as simple as you wish. You can make travel kits with cloth or leather, include different compartments for holding the essentials, and personalize them with messages or colors that resonate well with the person you are gifting.

A Nice, Personalized Watch

Another great graduation gift you can give a loved one is a personalized watch. Choose a watch that has a great interface and then get its hand customized with unique colors, message, or prints that will strike a chord with your loved one.

Ultimately, you have to know your loved one’s personality before customizing the watch. The more customized the watch is, the more meaningful it will be. On craft sites like Etsy, you can find hundreds of unique personalized graduation watches for your loved one.

Instant Coffee Maker

There is nothing as good as an instant cup of hot steaming coffee any time of the day. However, making great coffee is not just a matter of pouring hot water on roasted beans. Great taste comes from choosing the right beans, roasting them for the required time, and sweetening appropriately. This is more of an art.

Make it easy for your loved one to enjoy a tasty cup of coffee anytime by getting them an instant coffee maker. There are dozens of great coffee makers on Amazon. Ideally, you want a coffee maker that is portable and just the right size for making a few cups of coffee.

Must-Read Books for Under 30

Graduation is a major milestone in anyone’s life. However, it is also one of the first steps to really finding out about the world. After college, your loved one may be confused on what to do with his or her life. Some graduates may not have received job offers at the time and this may make them feel frustrated that life isn’t turning out as they had hoped.

At this time, it’s important for them to know that life serves everyone differently. One of the best ways you can let them know this is by giving them a must-read book as they start their new chapter in life. We recommend a book such as Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue.

Personalized Graduation Photo Collage

A personalized photo collage will also make a great graduation gift. The best thing with the collage photo is that is can be used to create a fun story or show the highlights of your loved one’s years in school.

You will need lots of pictures to make the photo collage. So, make sure you prepare well in advance. Try to incorporate memorable pictures of meaningful events in the life of your loved one in the photo collage.

Customized Phone Case

Get your loved one a customized phone case that depicts their personality or a specific event they can relate to. For example, the case can be engraved with a quote that they love or something they are used to saying.

If you are best friends with the person, how about getting a photo of the two of you printed on the phone case?

Read Also: Time: The Most Precious Mother's Day Gift for Your Mom

Transcribing Journals

There are many moments in life that are meaningful but can easily be forgotten when they are not recorded. Most people record such moments on their phones because of the ways they make them feel. If your loved one has captured moments of his life on phone, offer to get them transcribed into a journal.

Journal transcribing with the help of Transcription services can create a story that your loved one will remember and the audio or video clips can be added to complement the content.

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Cofounder & President of GMR Transcription Services, Inc., a California-based company that has been providing accurate and fast transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed nearly ten years of success at GMR, playing a pivotal role in the company's growth. Under Beth's leadership, GMR Transcription doubled its sales within two years, earning recognition as one of the OC Business Journal's fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids.