Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Gifts for grads

Congratulations on graduation — now get a job.

Henry Thoreau’s thoughts have hung on our fridge throughout the school years of our son.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

Graduation time has come and so have the parties. Our baby is a senior. Where did those years go? We also are headed to college graduations of relatives. The gift search has commenced.

For the nephew graduating from Notre Dame, my hubby Patrick found a blue bottle opener with a green emblem of ND and the Fighting Irish song with the pop of the bottle. He’s a practical one, that one (Notre Dame Fighting Irish Musical Bottle Opener, $12.99 on Amazon). “I can’t wait for their first game of the season,” he smiled.

Sponsored
Sponsored

A graduate Bobblehead was his gift for our son, “For the top of the cake at the party,” he said. “It has a spot to slide a headshot of our boy into the head of it [Male Graduation Bobblehead/Cake Topper, $5.99 on Amazon].”

“We have a busy month of graduation parties also,” offered Bernice. “For my godson, I found a black mathematics clock that looks like a chalkboard with math problems written on each hour. He just finished up his graduate degree in mathematics from Berkeley. I thought he would appreciate this nerdy little clock [DCI Mathematics Blackboard Pop Quiz Clock, $20.80 on Amazon]. I also threw in a gray T-shirt with ‘Ph.inisheD’ printed on it. He’s a hiker, so it will get lots of use [ThisWear Phinished T-Shirt, $17.85 on Amazon].”

“Sue started a collection of vinyl records, so I’m gifting her with a turntable that I found at Tilly’s,” laughed Julie. “I bought her the orange one, though it also comes in an old-school green and a blue. It’s portable, with built in speakers, so she can bring it to the park or beach with her friends [Crosley Cruiser Portable Turntable, $99 at Tilly’s].”

“I ordered up a book for my daughter from Sharper Image of all the interesting news of the year,” said Tom. “You give the company the date you want, and they put that day’s newspaper in a hardcover book, plus other major events of the year. You can also personalize it. I thought she would enjoy looking at it 20 years from now [Year Book Personalized Newspaper Book, $99 at Sharper Image].”

“For the niece graduating from Point Loma Nazarene, I bought a puzzle of the aerial photo of the campus. She enjoys puzzles, and this one will be a visual reminder of the beautiful campus she studied at.” The 400-piece Personalized Aerial Photo Puzzle is 18-by-12 inches and costs $49.99 at Sharper Image.

“My mom tightly wrapped $20 bills with colorful twine and placed them in a jar with a label that read ‘The World Awaits,’” offered Mary. “My parents wanted me to travel to Europe after my college graduation; they wanted me to see some of the world, expand my horizons. The month after graduation, four college friends and I set off to see five countries over the span of a month. A boat ride down the Seine through Paris, the rocky beach of Nice, a beer garden in Vienna, a castle outside of Budapest...it did open my young eyes to the world.”

“Will your parents adopt my son?” I jested.

“Chassidy is heading to Yosemite with her dad this summer,” explained Summer. “So I bought her something for her iPhone. It attaches to the phone, so you can take selfies from three feet away. It can attach to other devices also, like DSLR cameras [Telescoping Selfie Arm, $49 at Sharper Image].”

“My son played sports through his school years,” offered Crystal, whose son graduated last year. “I saved his jerseys and his favorite pro-teams shirts, and I cut out the squares of the names and emblems. Then I created a quilt out of them, which he brought to college with him.”

“For gifts, I usually head down to Old Town for their Saturday Artisan Market,” replied Ed. “I like to support artisans and shop local. I find people like receiving something that comes from San Diego.”

“For my college grad, I found the perfect gift for only a dollar,” my sister-in-law told me. “It’s a job-interview-preparation app called ‘Get the Job.’ Mama didn’t raise no boomerangs.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

How to make a hit Christmas song

Feeling is key, but money helps too
Next Article

San Diego seawalls depend on Half Moon Bay case

Casa Mira townhomes sued after losing 20 feet of bluffs in storm

Henry Thoreau’s thoughts have hung on our fridge throughout the school years of our son.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

Graduation time has come and so have the parties. Our baby is a senior. Where did those years go? We also are headed to college graduations of relatives. The gift search has commenced.

For the nephew graduating from Notre Dame, my hubby Patrick found a blue bottle opener with a green emblem of ND and the Fighting Irish song with the pop of the bottle. He’s a practical one, that one (Notre Dame Fighting Irish Musical Bottle Opener, $12.99 on Amazon). “I can’t wait for their first game of the season,” he smiled.

Sponsored
Sponsored

A graduate Bobblehead was his gift for our son, “For the top of the cake at the party,” he said. “It has a spot to slide a headshot of our boy into the head of it [Male Graduation Bobblehead/Cake Topper, $5.99 on Amazon].”

“We have a busy month of graduation parties also,” offered Bernice. “For my godson, I found a black mathematics clock that looks like a chalkboard with math problems written on each hour. He just finished up his graduate degree in mathematics from Berkeley. I thought he would appreciate this nerdy little clock [DCI Mathematics Blackboard Pop Quiz Clock, $20.80 on Amazon]. I also threw in a gray T-shirt with ‘Ph.inisheD’ printed on it. He’s a hiker, so it will get lots of use [ThisWear Phinished T-Shirt, $17.85 on Amazon].”

“Sue started a collection of vinyl records, so I’m gifting her with a turntable that I found at Tilly’s,” laughed Julie. “I bought her the orange one, though it also comes in an old-school green and a blue. It’s portable, with built in speakers, so she can bring it to the park or beach with her friends [Crosley Cruiser Portable Turntable, $99 at Tilly’s].”

“I ordered up a book for my daughter from Sharper Image of all the interesting news of the year,” said Tom. “You give the company the date you want, and they put that day’s newspaper in a hardcover book, plus other major events of the year. You can also personalize it. I thought she would enjoy looking at it 20 years from now [Year Book Personalized Newspaper Book, $99 at Sharper Image].”

“For the niece graduating from Point Loma Nazarene, I bought a puzzle of the aerial photo of the campus. She enjoys puzzles, and this one will be a visual reminder of the beautiful campus she studied at.” The 400-piece Personalized Aerial Photo Puzzle is 18-by-12 inches and costs $49.99 at Sharper Image.

“My mom tightly wrapped $20 bills with colorful twine and placed them in a jar with a label that read ‘The World Awaits,’” offered Mary. “My parents wanted me to travel to Europe after my college graduation; they wanted me to see some of the world, expand my horizons. The month after graduation, four college friends and I set off to see five countries over the span of a month. A boat ride down the Seine through Paris, the rocky beach of Nice, a beer garden in Vienna, a castle outside of Budapest...it did open my young eyes to the world.”

“Will your parents adopt my son?” I jested.

“Chassidy is heading to Yosemite with her dad this summer,” explained Summer. “So I bought her something for her iPhone. It attaches to the phone, so you can take selfies from three feet away. It can attach to other devices also, like DSLR cameras [Telescoping Selfie Arm, $49 at Sharper Image].”

“My son played sports through his school years,” offered Crystal, whose son graduated last year. “I saved his jerseys and his favorite pro-teams shirts, and I cut out the squares of the names and emblems. Then I created a quilt out of them, which he brought to college with him.”

“For gifts, I usually head down to Old Town for their Saturday Artisan Market,” replied Ed. “I like to support artisans and shop local. I find people like receiving something that comes from San Diego.”

“For my college grad, I found the perfect gift for only a dollar,” my sister-in-law told me. “It’s a job-interview-preparation app called ‘Get the Job.’ Mama didn’t raise no boomerangs.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Holiday Market At Petco Park, Will Smith’s Dance in the Darkness Tour, Light Shows, Snowfall, Caroling

Events December 12-December 13, 2024
Next Article

Time’s up for Doubletime Recording Studio

Owner Jeff Forrest is trading El Cajon for Portugal
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader