Thoughtful and budget-friendly ideas for high school graduation gifts

Graduating from high school is a pretty big educational milestone in a child’s life. Going to school for 13+ years is no easy feat, so it requires celebration and gifting! This article contains thoughtful and budget-friendly ideas for high school graduation gifts.

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The importance of this milestone was not lost on my family this year as we celebrated three high school graduates. It was pretty cool to see the accomplishments of each graduate and to learn about their future plans.

So what do you get someone who is graduating from high school? I guess it kind of depends on your relationship with the graduate. If you’re the parent, you might be expected to get your child something expensive, like a laptop or maybe a car.

If you’re a relative or a friend of the family, a very traditional gift is simply a card with cash. If you’re wondering how much cash you should gift to a high school graduate, here is a great guide to monetary gifting for graduations.

I didn’t want to gift cash to any of our high school graduates this year. It was important for me to figure out a gift to suit their individual tastes that would also be thoughtful and budget-friendly.

Here are some great ideas for high school graduation gifts.

1. Gift card

ideas for high school graduation gifts

I know a gift card is almost like cash, but it does add more of a personal touch to a gift. It’ll tell your high school graduate that you thought about them in choosing an appropriate gift card.

For your college-bound graduate, gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, or Target will definitely be useful. Decorating and buying things for a dorm room or an apartment can get pricey.

2. Yeti Water Bottle

Everyone needs to drink water, right? Also, who doesn’t want to own a super nice water bottle that will keep your water chilled for hours?

If you’re unsure what to get your high school graduate, the Yeti Water Bottle is a great gift for teens. They come in a variety of colors and different sizes to suit your budget.

3. Backpack

Whether your high school graduate is heading off to a college campus or even commuting to a local community college, they will most likely need a backpack.

Make sure the backpack is comfortable and sturdy enough to fit a laptop and textbooks.

4. Camping gear

One of my graduating cousins received camping gear at her graduation party. Although she’s not a ‘camper’ per se, it was a fun gift that inspires adventure and new undertakings.

Since a graduation means new beginnings, why not gift your graduate with something new and exciting to try.

5. Headphones

Headphones are a must for any college-bound high school graduate. From studying in a library to working out, most headphones are pretty versatile.

With headphones, you’ll find a range of prices for your budget. If you want to splurge for your graduate, consider Sony’s noise-canceling headphones, which offer a voice assistant, personal noise canceling, and up to 30 hours of battery life.

If you’re on a budget, consider the Zihnic foldable wireless and Bluetooth headphones, which feature a seamless Bluetooth connection, an ergonomic design, and up to 14 hours of music battery life. It also has 40,000 reviews on Amazon.

6. Luggage

With this milestone comes the possibility of new adventures, travel, and moving out of the family home. Any high school graduate would appreciate new luggage to be able to carry on with their new adventures.

There are some really nice, budget-friendly weekender and duffel bag options on Amazon that are perfect for trips home or travel with friends. Any high school graduate is going to enjoy new luggage.

This is one of the best ideas for high school graduation gifts.

7. Echo Dot

ideas for high school graduation gifts

Echo Dots are amazing gifts for any age and would be perfect for a high school graduate. Each new Echo Dot generation offers more features and capabilities.

The Echo Dot with a clock and Alexa is the perfect complement for a college dorm room. Not only does it have a sleek design, but it also offers many benefits for a college student, including alarms, timers, hands-free calling, and balanced bass.

This is one of the best electronic ideas for high school graduation gifts.

8. Portable Charger

College and life after high school can get pretty busy and hectic. With a portable charger, your high school grad never has to worry about losing their phone battery charge on the go.

This is a gift your high school graduate will probably not expect, but will definitely use all the time. They’re easy to store in a backpack and can be pulled out when needed.

9. Jewelry

Personalized graduation jewelry is a great gift for high school graduates. Etsy is the perfect place to find customized jewelry at a fraction of the cost from national jewelry retailers.

Many of the jewelers on Etsy are pretty talented and can create amazing designs.

10. Journal

When you’re graduating from high school and heading on to new adventures, journaling might not be on your priority list. But it is the perfect time for your high school graduate to self-reflect and journal as they go through this transition in life.

Journaling is never a bad thing. Promptly Journals has every type of journal you can think of in a variety of colors and styles.

Shop Promptly Journals for all Your Holiday Gifts!

Ideas for high school graduation gifts

ideas for high school graduation gifts

High school graduation is a really exciting time for the graduates and people who know them. I have very fond memories of my graduation ceremony and reception. It was a very important transition in my life.

At this age, electronics are pretty important, so any gift in that realm would be very appreciated. Travel is also inevitable, so gifts like nice water bottles, backpacks, or pieces of luggage are very thoughtful as well.

I hope this article gave you plenty of non-monetary ideas for high school graduation gifts.

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