25 Graduation Gifts You Haven’t Thought Of
Searching for graduation party gift ideas that stand out?
Whether you’re celebrating a preschool grad, high school senior, or college superstar, these are the most creative, thoughtful, and budget-friendly graduation gifts to bring to any party.
From DIY keepsakes to trendy must-haves, these unique gift ideas are sure to wow the guest of honor and make you the most memorable gift-giver in the room.
IN A HURRY? We organized it in the following sections, click on the links below to jump to the content you want:
CREATIVE BOUQUETS
There isn’t a Grad alive that wouldn’t love a bouquet made with a Stanley Cup or Hydro Flask thermal tumbler (as pictured above)!
This creative Grad gift is made even more useful by adding their favorite products in the bouquet. Just tape a skewer to the back of each product and insert! For the most aesthetically discerning Grad make sure the contents compliment the color of the cup!
The cute and easy diy Make Up Bouquet (pictured above) is perfect for your Best Friend’s High School or College Graduation Gift at any budget! Just tape skewers on the back of drug store or department store make up products and wrap in tissue paper with a bow. For added stability or larger bouquets insert skewers into dollar store floral foam or a pool noodle cut to size! WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND ADDING THIS MASCARA.
The larger Make up bouquets above were created by inserting each make up skewer into blocks of floral foam, then wrap with tissue paper and a bow!
The Starbucks tumbler cup pictured above is wildly popular with teens and young adults and comes in many colors! Tape skewers to the back of each item at various lengths and insert in Dollar Store floral foam or a cut pool noodle placed in the cup for added stability. Use the Grad’s favorite treats, gift cards, or gift items, get creative!
This is a popular gift this year! The Grad Cap boxes in the bouquet pictured above can be found here on amazon and have a little drawer where you can stash candy, money, or other gifts of your choice!
Don’t forget the Pre School or Kindergarten Grad boys! Make them a bouquet too with their favorite toys, snacks, and even flowers (as pictured above).
We know middle school and High School Grads are in LOVE with Hello Kitty. Add a stuffed animal of the Grads favorite character to create a themed bouquet for all ages (as pictured above)!
For College Grads or even teachers add a bottle of wine to a box of their initial. You can make the boxes yourself using dollar store foam board or purchase them on amazon or Hobby Lobby.
MONEY GIFTS
Combine both flowers and money into a unique bouquet for all ages and budgets (get the EASY tutorial here)! Money is a fool proof Graduation gift for Middle School, High School, College, RN and Boys and Girls.
The only bouquet both boys and girls would love to receive are pictured above!
Here is an EASY origami tutorial for a cute cap and gown Graduation party money gift idea (pictured above).
Use an initial box found on amazon and easily fill with flowers, gifts and/or money! They come in many different sizes and colors.
MONEY CAKES FOR GRAD
Money cakes (as pictured above) are easy to assemble (see full tutorial below) and customize and are perfect for High School and College Grads
Supplies:
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3 foam cake rounds in desired size (small, medium, large – found at Amazon, Dollar Tree, craft stores)
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Dollar bills (as many as you want for each tier)
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Rubber bands (in larger or various sizes) or string to hold the bills
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Graduation-themed ribbon (e.g. “Congrats Grad”)
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Gold paper shred or confetti filler
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Mini candy bars (optional)
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Grad cap topper (or make your own from cardstock)
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Tape or hot glue (optional, for decorations/ribbon—not the money)
Instructions:
1. Starting with bottom tier place larger rubber band over entire bottom tier
2. Add the Money
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Fold each bill in half lengthwise.
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Tuck each bill in rubber band with folded center down
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Fan bills if desired before or after inserting in rubber band
- Add Decorative Grad Ribbon Being sure to conceal rubber band
3. Do the same to all tiers individually and stack on top of eachother to form cake
4. Decorate
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Fill gaps between tiers with gold shred filler, candy, or cardboard/foam letter toppers.
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Add a topper: a graduation cap, glitter “2025,” or a mini balloon to top.
5. Finish & Display
Place on a cake plate or decorative base. Wrap in cellophane if gifting!
Tips:
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Change the color scheme to match school colors.
- IF CAKE FOAMS ARE TOO TALL CUT IN HALF WITH KNIFE.
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Add a personalized message with stickers or a tag.
- You can also use this YOUTUBE video for reference!
You can make them in one tier, two tier, three, or four and create each tier using dollar tree items like glue dots to secure ribbon tied bills to cake rounds.
Here is another method for fastening bills. Cut a strip of paper/posterboard and paper clip rolled up dollar bills to it in a row (pictured above). Fasten the paper to dollar store circular cake or floral foam.
You can stick them to each tear using tape, chapstick, glue dots, or rubber bands. Tie a bow around the whole tier to secure the bills too. The possibilities are endless.
CANDY LEI
Leis made out of candy are insanely popular for Elementary School Graduations (as pictured above)! You can either purchase them on etsy made with your Grads favorite candy or diy one with this tutorial.
STOCKS & CRYPTO GIFTS
Start your Graduates nest egg early by gifting them investments like stocks. It might encourage them to keep investing utilizing their youth in the market. Also consider gifting them an asset that might increase in value in the future like Crypto and NFTs. You can even gift them valuable artwork. Investing is something most people kick themselves for not doing sooner and now is an exciting time that could truly benefit the Grad in the long term. In 5-10 years who knows what fortune they’ll amass.
DORM ROOM, FIRST APARTMENT GIFTS
Whether your Graduate is Leaving 8th Grade for High School, High School for College, or College for their dream job, buy them things that will create a warm and organized space for this huge right of passage.
Whether entering High School, College, or life a vanity has become a must for both boys and girls. Don’t think of the traditional bulk vanity, these new vanities are compact with plenty of hidden storage for all of their needs including : makeup, jewelry, skin care, nail polish, medicine, hair products, cologne, shaving, and even first aide items. We have purchased both and we promise they will love it!
A heated blanket is a must if they are going to be living in a cold climate! It can not only double as a heating pad for injuries or tummy aches, but it will also save them a lot of money on their heating bill for their first apartment!
TRAVEL ESSENTIAL GIFTS
Whether Graduating from High School or College, one thing’s for sure, the Graduate will have a lot less room in their dorm or small apartment but will be travelling a whole lot more.
A great idea would be to buy them collapsible luggage, a weekender bag, and/or a personal lap top bag that they can easily store in their closet or slide under their bed. Be sure to check with airline size requirements before purchasing luggage, carry ons, and personal computer bags. A general rule of thumb for personal items is if they can fit it under the seat it counts as a personal item!
OPEN ENDED PLANE TICKET HOME
Have a Grad that’s going away to attend College or a new job? Buy them an open ended plane ticket home so they can return anytime they feel homesick. You can purchase them one way or round trip. Be sure to check the airlines policies and ticket conditions before booking to understand any potential costs or restrictions.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Make your Grad’s life easier with helpful subscriptions to Chat GPT or Grok ai, Amazon, Walmart Plus, or even streaming channels! Ai is super helpful for research, brainstorming, or even writing resumes, the uses are endless! It’ll be the best personal assistant your Grad will ever have guaranteed! Walmart Plus delivers groceries and prescriptions, and includes Paramount Plus streaming channel. Ofcourse you can’t go wrong with amazon Prime!