Familia Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 When the stuff becomes just stuff and cash becomes the only idea, it seems that practical gifts for life might be welcomed. I know one standard idea for a soon-to-be-on-their-own is luggage. We are looking at college graduation this year, but everyone will be heading out on their own quite soon and need all sorts of items to stock that life on their own. We are practical gift buyers; books are still welcomed, but not in the same volume as when they were younger, and money is so boring. What can we give to young adults now that they will use/need soon enough? Furniture? Artwork? Can you help me brainstorm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 things I have given as gifts to college/YA age tools - girls need some too. kitchen gear: knives & cutting boards pots & pans dishes utensils bedding/bath full/queen duvet or blankets. whatever size they'll most likely have in their first apartment. I bought 2dd a queen set for christmas . . I bought them before she got serious with her now husband. they were engaged thanksgiving weekend. sheets towels (dh bought each ds a set of 10 towels, and some handtowels for while I was gone playing with the baby . . ) we did luggage for 1dd and 2dd as high school graduation gifts as they attended college cross country. we've also done travel shaving kits for boys 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share Posted October 2, 2018 3 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said: things I have given as gifts to college/YA age ... Awesome list, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Similar to the above. So far we've done (or others in the family have gifted...): tool sets, kitchen items, car gear (their own jumper cables, etc.), small household items (so far for us, dorm room type stuff like desk lamps, clocks, etc. but larger items/"House" items would of course work as well), linens, bath/shower items (you could add shower curtain, etc...), basic cleaning supplies/car washing supplies....all kinds of things. We did a foot locker, which I imagine could start life as a dorm room lockable storage and transition to first bachelor apartment coffee table and maybe one day become kid toy box if it holds up. You could do real furniture if your child is in a place to have use of it now as well as later, or furniture store gift cards if there isn't space for it yet. Also, I quilt, so the boys are getting graduation quilts (did get/will get) for high school graduation, but something along those lines would be nice -- have a quilt made, or buy a first piece of artwork for the walls if you feel you know their taste. Oh, and we did photo frames for oldest this past birthday, for him to choose photos (whether family, friends, whatever) and we'll have them printed. Once he has wall space one day we could do large frames with the same idea (did that for DH's office). So that might be something to consider, if the child is the sort who'll want family photos around. Other sentimental ideas....if you have family photo albums, perhaps making a copy/creating one for the child to take with them would be nice. Or include family recipes in a recipe book gifted with the cookware/dishes/etc. You could also do combo gifts....a coffee maker/Keurig with a bag of good coffee (or coffee pods), mug, etc.; a microwave with a stash of popcorn, quick lunch items, splatter guard, etc.; blu-ray player and a few favorite movies so they have their own copies and aren't raiding the family stash when they leave; a bookshelf for the books they'll want to take when they move out (and nice copies of any you'd rather they duplicate than remove); a good laundry hamper, hangers, garment bag, and perhaps their first suit or other new clothes that might be needed..... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I didn't like getting Christmas gifts to stash away for "someday". My mom did keep an eye out for good deals and had a hope chest for me that I much appreciated when the time came. Stuff I could use then *and* into the future was great. I still have some original artwork I received back then. Just my two cents! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 An odd one coming up this year is a membership in a professional organization. Some are worthwhile for students but my college kids don’t want to spend the money on those for themselves. So that is being discussed as a Christmas gift. Super boring but as parents trying to help our kids launch we feel good about it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share Posted October 2, 2018 34 minutes ago, happysmileylady said: A kid who never ever misses a Sunday afternoon football game might want a game time snack pack sort of thing (like a chips and dip bowl with the team logo, a little portable/soft sided cool, that sort of stuff.) Now, that is a wonderful idea...a cooler! I remember that being something that we needed so often during our YA adventures and borrowed all the time. Didn't like parting with my money for one at all, but as a gift, I would have loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 45 minutes ago, happysmileylady said: For my young adult's college graduation, my mom taped small bills together end by end, then rolled the whole long thing together and shoved it in a kleenex box with just one bill sticking part way out the top. The idea being of course when they pull, it's like pulling a giant snake of bills lol. We've done this many times for graduations and it's always a hit. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 We still use the small bag of tools DH got from his parents at that age. Very useful to move into a new place and be able to do basic repairs and hang picture frames without going to the hardware store. And we only just got rid of the dishes he got then. The knives are still going strong. Me? I got towels. My mom has this thing about towels and in her mind it was like a rite of passage that I got my own set. All that happened was they got mixed into the general family laundry every time I came home (even though they were certain colors!) and were never seen again. Of course they gave other gifts and helped me out in many ways. The towels just stick in my head. ? And certainly nothing has lasted as long as DH's tools and knives. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 20 hours ago, happi duck said: I didn't like getting Christmas gifts to stash away for "someday". My mom did keep an eye out for good deals and had a hope chest for me that I much appreciated when the time came. Stuff I could use then *and* into the future was great. I still have some original artwork I received back then. Just my two cents! My mom monogrammed the set of towels she gave me before I left for college. A popcorn maker? I used mine to make mac and cheese. But that was a much older popcorn maker. lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 19 hours ago, happysmileylady said: You can always try to find a fun way to give the cash. pinterest has a ton of ideas. I did a money pizza (the local pizza joint gave me a box) for 1ds's birthday. I interfolded bills together (like tissue) and stuck them in an altoids tin for 2ds's. (he's always complaining altoids tins don't contain altoids.). I have a friend who folded a bill up like a ring. there's jewelry, crowns, stuffed in the center of a jar - surrounded by m&ms, etc. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 On 10/2/2018 at 4:06 PM, teachermom2834 said: An odd one coming up this year is a membership in a professional organization. Some are worthwhile for students but my college kids don’t want to spend the money on those for themselves. So that is being discussed as a Christmas gift. Super boring but as parents trying to help our kids launch we feel good about it. I like this. I'm saving for one for one of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 A business suit and good quality shoes professional style necklace and earrings professional tie tack and cuff links (if he wears French cuffs) A passport (requires their cooperation) cookbooks (Fannie Farmer is my favorite because it has instructions on cooking techniques) Car power bank jump starter (not jumper cables, they require another car to be present) Gift certificate for oil changes Digital photo frame Keurig Favorite board or group game (Settlers, Apples to Apples etc.) Good quality Bluetooth speaker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Ds20 has a birthday today. We got him tools, money for parts for his project car, a couple flannel shirts, a couple funny t-shirts, and we renewed the Sirius XM radio in his truck for the next year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Good ideas so far! Also, a big first aid kit with some refills of the most commonly used OTC items. One of those luxurious picnic sets in a fancy basket or roller cart. A Kindle loaded with some faves A big picnic/beach blanket with its own case—the kind that is waterproof on one side and that can be used as a stadium cushion if folded up. Gift cert to a store that sells career appropriate professional clothes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) On 10/2/2018 at 2:01 PM, gardenmom5 said: things I have given as gifts to college/YA age tools - girls need some too. kitchen gear: knives & cutting boards pots & pans dishes utensils bedding/bath full/queen duvet or blankets. whatever size they'll most likely have in their first apartment. I bought 2dd a queen set for christmas . . I bought them before she got serious with her now husband. they were engaged thanksgiving weekend. sheets towels (dh bought each ds a set of 10 towels, and some handtowels for while I was gone playing with the baby . . ) we did luggage for 1dd and 2dd as high school graduation gifts as they attended college cross country. we've also done travel shaving kits for boys I got a whole set of basic, good quality tools in the 9th or 10th grade (or maybe even 8th? I don't remember the age). They were wrapped in green duct tape so we could tell my tools from my dad and in a soft sided canvas tool bag. They got used infrequently, but were well appreciated every time and were one of the few things I took with me to college and then when I moved cross country to Washington. After I got married (at age 30), they got folded in with the family tools. But I kind of wish they were still separate so we could keep them in the house and not have to go out to the garage all the time for little things. Edited October 9, 2018 by vonfirmath 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Maybe a sprocket? Stationary stores box—envelopes, stamps, a couple of colors of pens, a little box of notecards or an assortment of thank you note cards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 2 hours ago, vonfirmath said: I got a whole set of basic, good quality tools in the 9th or 10th grade (or maybe even 8th? I don't remember the age). They were wrapped in green duct tape so we could tell my tools from my dad and in a soft sided canvas tool bag. They got used infrequently, but were well appreciated every time and were one of the few things I took with me to college and then when I moved cross country to Washington. After I got married (at age 30), they got folded in with the family tools. But I kind of wish they were still separate so we could keep them in the house and not have to go out to the garage all the time for little things. I finally bought myself a bunch of things that were all flowery. (so they were pretty) . . . and could easily be discerned from dh's tools. I have some in the kitchen and some in the laundry room. I don't want to go dig through his tool chest. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 5 hours ago, gardenmom5 said: I finally bought myself a bunch of things that were all flowery. (so they were pretty) . . . and could easily be discerned from dh's tools. I have some in the kitchen and some in the laundry room. I don't want to go dig through his tool chest. oh - I was really irritated by how short the "flower/pretty" tape measure was . . . . I got a normal 25' one, and made it pretty myself. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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