Traditional graduation gifts have always been practical – at least we think of them as practical.  Some grads receive pens, those bound for the corporate world might receive a PDA or a new phone, and of course, the most “practical” (but also most impersonal) gift on every grad’s list is money.  If we really think about these gifts however… how many graduates will really keep that pen around?  Or much less buy refills for it?  And let’s face it – high school graduates especially don’t need a PDA.  And who knows where that money will go!  Why not get your graduate something that is personal, memorable, and that won’t get lost in the laundry.

Ornamentshop.com offers personalized graduation ornaments.  These cute little boys and girls (er…men and women) in their caps and gowns can be hand painted with your grad’s name, degree or high school, and graduation year.  For those grads that still haven’t grown up (that magical day doesn’t make I happen all at once!), a graduate teddy bear ornament might be the perfect choice.

A personalized graduation ornament is something your grad can keep around for years to come.  It can decorate that new dorm room and be a reminder of home, or for college grads, serve as a proud reminder of past achievements as they move into their first tiny cubicle.  As your graduate grows older, the ornament may come to serve as a keepsake Christmas ornament, and hang on his family tree every year.  It’s an excellent ornament to start off a new family tradition – we all know how little we have to hang on the tree when we first set out on our own!  A graduation ornament can be a first ornament that actually has meaning (even if the tree is three feet high and propped up on a cardboard box…).
So when your grad asks for money these next few weeks, maybe you will have to pony up.   Perhaps money really is the most practical gift these days.  But it will soon be spent!  You can make your gift of money (or an iPod, or whatever your grad is begging for) more personal and memorable for the whole family by boxing it up with a personalized graduation ornament – something your grad probably never expected!