7 Ways to Celebrate a Family Member Graduating From College
College graduation is something parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends of graduates love to celebrate. It’s a milestone in an individual’s life and also brings families together.
You’ve invested four years into your child, and they have invested in themselves into becoming something great. While not everything will go as planned, you believe that the best is yet to come for your graduate, especially when they enter the job market. Here are a few ideas for celebrating their graduation that will be sure to make them feel appreciated.
Throw Them a Graduation Party
Hosting a party is always fun. It gives everyone an opportunity to come together and celebrate the occasion. If your family member has been working toward this event for years, it’s time to throw a graduation party in their honor. This is also a great way to show them how proud you are of their accomplishment. You can have friends and family over at your home — or even at the local restaurant — if you want something more formal than just hanging out around the house.
Give Them a Gift
A bottle of wine is always a good choice when it comes to gift-giving because it never goes out of style. Plus, it’s easy to personalize with a card or note. For example, if they’re studying anthropology and archaeology at Brown University, why not give them something that reminds them of their studies? A nice bottle of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon would be perfect. Or maybe they’re into Civil War history at Virginia Tech? In that case, why not give them a bottle of Chardonnay? The possibilities are endless.
Take Them Out to Dinner
Take your graduate out to dinner as a family and celebrate their new degree. Whether they’re moving back home or going off to start their own life after college, this is an opportunity for everyone in your family to spend some time together and enjoy each other’s company. If you’re feeling extra generous, take them out of town for drinks afterward, too. You can catch up on everything that has happened recently and plan what your next move will be.
Pay for a Luxurious Summer Vacation
The graduate has worked so hard on his or her studies that they deserve some time to relax. One way you can help them unwind is by paying for a luxurious summer vacation where they can spend time with friends and family members. If your loved one is heading back home after graduating, consider booking a trip abroad so they can see what life is like outside of school.
Write Them a Heartfelt Card
While it might be tempting to send an email or text message, write them a handwritten note instead. This will let them know how proud you are of them and how much they have accomplished.
You can also include photos that show how much they’ve grown over the years and what they’ve been doing since graduating high school. It shows that you’ve been keeping up with their life even though they’re no longer living at home.
Gift cards are always a good gift idea because they don’t require you to guess what someone wants or needs. You can give them one as soon as they graduate from college or wait until after their careers take off before giving them one as a token of appreciation for all their hard work over the years.
Send Flowers
Flowers are always a good option when it comes to gifts for graduates because they’re classy, thoughtful, and easy to send no matter where they live after college (or even if they’re still at home). If you’d like to go above and beyond, consider sending arrangements that feature both flowers and balloons or other decorations that suit their personality or interests
Create a Video Montage of Their Life
A great way to celebrate someone graduating is by creating a video montage of their life, showcasing all of their accomplishments up until this point in time. You can include pictures and other elements that show how far they’ve come since they were born, such as birthday cakes and baby clothes. The video will show them just how much they’ve grown over time.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate your family member’s graduation from college, depending on the type of celebrant you have in mind. Your aunt, who studied arts or music, may prefer a concert, a small gathering of friends or family, or perhaps a nice meal out with her loved ones. A cousin who studied business may want to cut loose after the ceremony is over with his friends at a nearby bar, while another cousin who majored in science could be celebrating their success by exploring new places with their friends, pursuing education overseas, and more.