Milestone Markers: Graduation gifts range from exorbitant to inexpensive

This spring 5 million students across the United States will move their tassles from left to right and walk across the stage to receive their diploma. Although the act by itself may seem somewhat silly, it marks a changing point in a person’s life — the transition from student to full-fledged adult.

To celebrate the milestone, many parents host graduation parties or buy gifts to reward the new graduate. Often these gifts commemorate graduation day or prepare the new graduate for the next phase of their life.

Picture frames that hold graduation tassels or are inscribed with “We did it” or “Congratulations” are popular gifts for both men and women, said Delia Tamez, the store manager at Quips ‘N Quotes on North 10th Street in McAllen.

But more popular than frames are gift baskets and Godiva chocolate, she said.

“We do a lot of baskets and they (the customers) pick out the merchandise.”

Often people fill the baskets with stuffed animals sporting graduation caps, Monte Blanc pens, wallets and watches. The baskets can cost between $20 and $200 depending on the items customers choose, Tamez said. Those who choose to give chocolate frequently request that the ribbons on the sweet are changed to reflect the graduate’s school colors.

“Godiva chocolate is almost the No. 1 (purchased gift) for male and female (graduates),” Tamez said.

This year though, overnight suitcases are growing in popularity. “They’re buying Vera Bradley luggage,” she said. “It’s really pricey quilted luggage.”

While shoppers for other celebrations, like Christmas, start months in advance, graduation gift shoppers usually do their buying at the last minute.

“Two weeks before, we get bombarded,” Tamez said.

Boggus Ford in McAllen gets a barrage of new car buyers around graduation.

The dealership sells between 15 and 20 cars between the months of March and June to the parents of new graduates, who then give them to their children. Most of the cars are for high school graduates, as college graduates usually come in to finance the cars themselves, said Chuck Cueva, the general sales manager at Boggus Ford McAllen.

“The kids usually come in and pick out the car, and then their parents come back and pay for it,” Cueva said.

Ford F-150 pick-ups and Mustangs are the most popular cars sold to recent graduates.

“Girls are more of a car buyer, guys more of a truck buyer,” Cueva said.

No matter whether one gets a car or truck, Godiva or Mont Blanc, graduation gifts celebrate a milestone and a first step into a new life.

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Paige Lauren Deiner covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425. For this and other local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.

Items to Bring to College

• All housing assignment information

• Alarm clock

• Aspirin or other pain reliever

• Backpack

• Baseball or other cap for bad hair days

• Bathrobe

• Bathing suit

• Belts

• Bicycle

• Blankets

• Calculator

• Can and bottle opener

• Cassette tapes and CDs

• Cleaning items

• Clothing to last until the first trip home

• Comforter or bedspread

• Computer and printer

• Contact lenses and solutions

• Cough drops

• Crates for storage

• Cups, plates, pots, utensils, and napkins

• Daily planner and/or calendar

• Deck of cards

• Dental floss

• Deodorant

• Desk and/or reading lamp

• Dictionary, thesaurus, writer’s guide

• Envelopes

• Extension cords under 6 feet with surge protector and power strips

• Fan

• First-aid kit

• Flip-flops for the shower

• Food

• FunTack to hang posters

• Glasses

• Glue

• Hair care products

• Hairbrush and comb

• Hangers

• Highlighters

• Hygiene items

• Iron/ironing board

• Jeans

• Jackets - light and heavy

• Laundry bag or basket

• Laundry detergent and fabric softener

• Mirror

• Money for books, food, entertainment, clothing

• Music

• Nail clippers

• Names, addresses, phone numbers and policy numbers of medical, homeowner, credit card and auto insurance companies

• Open mind

• Pajamas

• Paper clips

• Patience

• Pencil sharpener

• Pens and pencils

• Perfume or cologne

• Pictures, posters

• Pillow(s)

• Q-tips

• Quarters and lots of them for laundry, vending machines, laundry machines

• Radio and/or stereo

• Razors

• Room decoration

• Rug(s) or carpeting

• Ruler

• Scissors

• Sense of humor

• Shampoo and conditioner

• Shaving cream

• Sheets - extra long and pillowcases

• Shoes

• Shorts

• Shower caddy

• Slippers

• Sneakers

• Soap and plastic soap dish

• Socks

• Sports stuff - Frisbee, rackets, baseball

• Stamps

• Stapler and staples

• Sweatshirt

• T-shirts

• Tape (duct and scotch)

• Thermometer

• Thumbtacks

• Tissues

• Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Touch-tone telephone and answering machine (bring a telephone book, too)

• Towels

• Tupperware

• TV

• Umbrella

• VCR and your favorite videos

• Washcloths

• Watch

• Yearbook from high school as a conversation piece

• A zest for learning

— Source: www.oldeducator.com/top_100_things_to_bring_to_colle.htm

Top five gifts requested by graduates:

• car

• money

• a vacation

• a computer

• new clothes

— Source: www.ehow.com/how_12519_select-graduation-gift.html