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DH and I have been invited to a graduation party for neighborhood twins (girls) from h.s. They have lived here all their lives and while we know them we are not close friends with the family, just very friendly neighbors.

What would be appropriate but inexpensive gifts? They are going to college but separately. I had thought of rolls of quarters for laundry machines but DH thinks that is a terrible idea!

Thanks for any advice.

How about a gift card for coffee? Or for one of the fast food places. How about a snuggie to wrap up in when they are studding?

iTunes Gift Card
Starbucks Gift Card

A lot of college laundries don't use quarters any more.

I always give money. For if they're going to college they can always use money.

Martha

A roll of quarters is okay, but not by itself. If incorporated into larger gift, I say go for it.

But since you want inexpensive, I'd probably go with gift cards.

Gift card for Amazon.com. They're going to need money for books.

I should have said that we have a tight budget so each gift could only be for $10.

DD says they always give gift cards but for $25 each. $50 is too big a bite for us. Would a $10 gift card be too chintzy?

Know it isn't much, but it should be the thought that counts. Maybe you could find an inexpensive picture frame to go along with it.

It should be thought that counts but you know many people these days ....
Back to the laundry idea, are you crafty? I remember when I went away to school a neighborbood friend made me a laundry bag that had my school number on it. I loved that laundry bag. It made me feel connected to home and also felt special that she had made it for me.

How about going to the local Dollar Tree or other dollar store. A gift bag or little basket of items like Band-aides, Oral Thermometer, Q-tips, nail files/polish remover, just about any thing that a girl may need and not have. Thoughtful, personal and cheap! Even the cards are often 2 for a dollar.

I think a $10 gift card to iTunes or Amazon is perfectly acceptable. That's the digital equivalent of 8 songs, 2-3 movie rentals or one book, all very nice gifts.

How about one of those collapsible clothes hampers. They are round, with wire frame and mesh sides, collapse when empty if you want, stand up by themselves to fill with dirty clothes.
Or a large bath sheet towel in the color of the HS they are graduating from (or you might choose the university color they will be attending.)
Another idea - a packet of 20 count 45 cent postage stamps and a box of business size envelopes. If you are savvy with the computer, print up a sheet of labels with the student's name, address, etc and a cute graphic to use as return address labels.
A stainless or thermal travel coffee mug or insulated water bottle, etc. with a spill proof lid.
A box of scented drawer liner for young ladies.

Some desk supplies that they will need in college: paper stack clamps, paper clips, push pins, rubber bands, tape, paper punch, glue stick, scissors, letter opener, stapler, pink eraser, all organized in a small box. It just makes me nuts when I go to the office supply store to purchase these kinds of things for home use. I know the stores are geared for commercial use and sales, but I don't need 1500 rubberbands at a time, etc. Initially your expense might be over what you want to spend, but perhaps you could divide the products and have some extra gifts on hand to use next year.

Our kids all had an electric iron on the university list of items they needed to bring.
Dollar stores have inexpensive and namebrand irons in your price range and a bit beyond.

Take a swing through TJ Maxx and you might get some clever ideas.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lurah,

Thank you for all the many suggestions. Some of them are very good and also very practical. I will print them out for future reference.

I think though as Gracie said the gift card for the Itunes etc might be the thing, unless my eye falls on something when we go shopping this week. I know my DGK's love to order songs and movies etc.

These girls are nice but not really friends of ours, they are neighbors but not near neighbors.

I love some of the suggestions and will file them away for future reference. However I find whenever I try to do the "fill up a basket" type gift it always costs way more than one singular item type gift.

Also having several times visited DGD's college dorm room (actually a small apt) which she shared with two other girls last year, I feel reluctant to contribute to what I now know is terrible chaos and disorder in such rooms (at least it was in hers and she is at least interested in a clean environment!)

I don't know anyone, especially young women, who doesn't love scented candles. Have you see those adorable soy candles in vintage tea cups? Etsy sells them for various price points. http://www.etsy.com/search?inc...e&page=1&ref=related

They are actually very easy -- and inexpensive -- to make. Here's a great video tutorial; you'll have to wait awhile for the commercial to play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...HUo8&feature=related

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aychihuahua,

Right now I am totally in love with the timed fake candles with the flickering lights. DD got these after her mantel fire a year ago at Xmas. When I saw them at my discount store for 2.79 each I scooped up a bunch. Have one on front porch and two hanging in back yard. They go on at 7:00 p.m. and off at midnight.

The soy candles would be a nice gift for my sisters (don't know about these college girls as they will be flying to their respective colleges) I bet I can get the soy stuff at my discount store and Go d knows I have the cups! Thanks Ay.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lady of shallot,

in the last 5 grad parties i been to a card and a 5 gets a ok a card and a 10 gets a smile and thank you a 20 gets a smile wow and thank you, so i think just a card and a 10 dollar bill should go over good.

These days I give checks...that way I know if they actually bothered to cash it...if they don't, it's a little 'cushion' in my account. I have truly heard kids AnD adults at a holiday party say...oh, a gift card...I never even used LASt years gift card from grammy!!!!!! And, poor grammy is out that money and she can't really afford it in the first place!

Storage boxes. Maybe those that roll under the bed. I had an underbed metal box, not on rollers that I loved. Used it for years after school.

I am sure Bed, Bath and Beyond or similar stores will have good ideas. Or even a gift card from there.

Cards from office supply stores. One winter gift giving holiday, I was walking around a store (think it might have been Staples and asked a young lady shopper what would be handy for college guys. Her answer was anything in the store. Think I got them computer paper, report covers, paper clamps etc. and put all in a storage box.

GC from movies theaters.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide on doing.

Last week my granddaughter graduated from HS and is pre-enrolled in college. Her parents gifted a lap top computer & I a carry bag for it (plus $50)...she is family.
Re gifting your neighbor kids, IMO a roll of quarters is premature and likely misunderstood (insulting)!
If you aren't "close", a card with a personal note of congratulation & best wishes is appropriate recognition. BUT, if you feel obligated to gift the twins and don't know if they will attend college, why not hand lotion or something personal within you budget?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,

quote:

If you aren't "close", a card with a personal note of congratulation & best wishes is appropriate recognition.

Best advice.

Hey CJO, I'm with you.
Gave my niece a check. DH noticed she never cashed it. We moved, so changed banks/accounts.
A year later, my brother wrote that my niece just found the check from us; she tried to cash it and it bounced back cuz the acct was closed. Brother said he gave her the money, could we send another check? Do you think we did?

The iTunes gift card or even just a $10 bill in a card! My son did not need one more thing to take to that dinky dorm room. He also would've had absolutely no problem with a roll of quarters! Don't over think it.

Candles are a BIG NO-NO in dorm rooms!

Psssttt...kids don't write letters and most don't even write thank-you notes, and parents are paying the bills. Email, texting, Twitter, Facebook, etc. is much easier.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KeepYouInStitches,

Double A and Triple A batteries used to be a good bet for many electronics. (can you tell I am a practical gal?) The alkaline ones from the dollar store last just as long as the name brands! But it seems most every phone now does it all, so maybe not so useful as it once was.

PS: Speaking of practical shot down, I suggested DH's office give "a new Mom to be, coworker" a case of disposable diapers and another case of wet wipes shipped to their home...knowing they would be used. The bosses wife opted for an over the top priced tiny sweater and hat set (cost 3x as much), and the baby never wore it more than once! Am I a dying breed or what??? lol

WE are about to go to our neighbors party and I thought I would tell you all what I have gotten. BTW the girls are both going to college and both colleges are many states away so anything heavy would have been out of the question.

When I was window shopping my eye fell on some makeup cases that contained two lipsticks and two packets of eye shadows. I remember my DGD saying that she "loved product" so I thought these girls might like that too. (although I'm not too sure what "product" is!?!) The cases were under $10 each.

Thank you all for the advice, it was useful and appreciated.

An inexpensive gift to give that I ALWAYS love to receive is scented soap. If you can find a couple of bars for each girl, they make nice gifts.

quote:

Originally posted by KeepYouInStitches
Psssttt...kids don't write letters and most don't even write thank-you notes, and parents are paying the bills. Email, texting, Twitter, Facebook, etc. is much easier.

All our kids in college eventually needed the stamps and business envelopes for that rare instance they had to mail something, important no less. I had to run these items over to two of our children and remember taking the third child shopping when he needed the envelopes.