This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareMemories #CollectiveBias. Here I’ll share 10 great gift ideas for graduates.

We have a wonderful graduate in our lives this year – she’s responsible, considerate and kind – she’s also our favorite babysitter.  This year we’re helping our beloved babysitter, close friend, and neighbor, Claire, celebrate her graduation.

When we moved into our current home a few years ago, our eldest was only a year old. We did not know a soul in the neighborhood and we’d taken on a fixer-upper of a home. The busyness of home remodeling and having baby #2 meant little time to meet the neighbors or get any time out of my new mommy shell. Fortunately for our family, one snowy night we ventured out to a neighborhood Christmas party and made some new friends.

Get to Know your Neighbors

One of the neighbors has three lovely children and almost all of them have acted as babysitters for our family on various occasions. Our primary babysitter, Claire, has been a complete angel.  The boys absolutely love her and she is sweet and kind, and the perfect solution for child care on mornings when I host a mom’s group in our home.

I know it can seem intimidating to make new friends, but it’s so completely worth it. Claire is almost like another member of the family and we’re so thankful to have her in our lives.

A surprise Graduation Gift

Following some of Claire’s graduation activities, the boys and I gave Claire some surprise graduation gifts.  My eldest loved the stuffed graduation bear that comes with a pen to have Claire’s classmates sign it as a memento for their years together at school.

10 Great Gift Ideas for Graduates

Now gift giving is always best if you can personalize it. Claire loves horses and I would’ve loved to have given her something related to horses, but since I don’t know much about them, I decided to stick to practical things that can help her as she continues on with her schooling. Some of these things you can personalize – you can sign the bear or the journal with words of encouragement, and you can find things you can personalize with the Graduate’s name. If you’re celebrating a graduation for a close friend or family member, I think this list of items will make great graduation gifts for almost anyone.

1. New pens – Perfect for a continuation of academic studies.
2. New highlighters – Great for highlighting university or job applications.
3. Portable charger for a smartphone – This serves as back-up power for long road trips to and from school.
4. Earphones – Perfect for listening to music with any mobile device.
5. Memory card  – When you’re applying to universities, for a new job, or writing term papers, you can never have too much memory to store your things.
6. Coca-Cola – A refreshing way to recharge any time day or night – plus you can personalize your gift with the new personalized Coca-Cola cans – we found one with Claire’s name on it.
7. Journal – A way to encourage writing, note keeping, or even a diary for personal reflection, I love how this one says, “DREAM big, SPARKLE more, SHINE bright”.
8. Graduation Bear – Classmates can sign the fabric of the bear creating a cuddly memento of the years spent in school together as friends.
9. Flowers – always a graduation favorite – they are beautiful and they let the person know you think they are special.
10. Inspiring Wall Art – This plaque says, “Graduate – You’re a One of a Kind Creation | Designed for a Specific Purpose | In God’s Perfect Plan.” Something to remind our beloved friend that she is special and unique.

Now Claire is one of the kindest and sweetest people I know. She was so excited to recive our gifts and was explaining to me her plans for the future – some of the classes she’s taking and some of her hopes for the new  year.

Claire plans to continue riding horses and loves to get together with her girlfriends for slumber parties. She’s an amazing young lady and I’m excited to see what the future holds for her. Fortunately for us, she also plans to continue babysitting for us.

Share a Coke with a Graduate

Claire and I are both fans of Coca-Cola and she and I decided to share a Coke to celebrate her graduation. I love how this season’s cans have inspiring inscriptions on them like “Sidekick”, “Explorer”, “Superstar” and “Friend” – just to name a few. Claire was delighted by the Coca-Cola bottle I found with her name on it, and a 2-Liter perfect for a graduation party; it has the word “Friends” on it.

Where to find specially marked cans of Coca Cola

You can find specially marked cans of Coca-Cola at your local Giant Eagle grocery store. The 20-ounce bottles feature proper names, the mini cans feature fun sayings and emoticons, and the glass bottles feature celebratory names. You can also find fun recipes and summer party ideas here: Share a Coke this Summer. Looking for a personalized Coca-Cola for yourself or someone special? Find your name by visiting this link.

Are you celebrating a Graduation this year?

Have any graduates in your life? How do you celebrate? Even my preschooler celebrated a graduation of sorts – from preschool 😉 How will you create memories this summer with family and friends? Please leave a comment below and join the conversation. I love hearing from my readers.

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