Community Chat

[SXMGirl]

My friend and I have both been invited to a graduation party next Saturday.  The young man who is graduating has been raised by his grandmother, who is a personal friend of ours.  Other than pictures that his grandmother posts on FB, we have only seen this young man one time, and it was just the back of his head as he was playing video games.  By all accounts, he is a very nice young man, who works and is involved in just about everything in his small school.

We have decided to get gift cards for him, but the question is the amount.  We first thought $25 each, but it seems to be not enough given the circumstances of no grad ceremony.  He is going to college in the fall, but he decided to go to community college instead of the one that was planned.  

My thought now is to up the amount to $50 each, just because of our friendship with his grandmother.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[alicedee]

For a young person you do not know, I would give $25.

[Laura14]

My initial thought was $25 gift card too but, if you are close with the grandmother, it would be a gift to her as well to up the amount if you can afford it.

Hope he knows what a thank you note is too.  Very nice of you either way.    

[jackthebear]

$25 to $50 

is nice

might suggest cash so he doesn't end up with a bunch of gift cards to different stores that he can't use for a big purchases. 

10 $10 cards to Target 

are better than 10 $10 to different places,  jmpo 

[PA Mom-mom]

@SXMGirl  I think $50 sounds right, due to your relationship with the grandmother. And I would stick with cash. He will have various expenses in the fall.

[SXMGirl]

Thanks for your replies.  I do believe that the gift is more about our friendship with his grandmother.

@jackthebear  I thought about cash, but I am always concerned that it will disappear.  I am sure that his mother and her boyfriend will be there, and they have issues, i.e.money disappearing.

[drizzellla]

Sounds sad that he had to change his choice of colleges. And up until that point, I was thinking $25 would be just fine. 

It sounds like money is a consideration in the college he will be attending. And so I am changing my thoughts to $50. 

And I also hope you get a thank you note.

PS - If you do get a gift card please get it at a store that he will frequent. I realize all high school students are not the same but I don't think my son has ever been in a Target store. But I know he would gladly use a WaWa card. Then he could get gas for his car and food/snack items.

[CelticCrafter]

Given the fact that you have only ever seen him once and even then it wasn't face to face I feel that $25 is more than enough.

If it were me, I wouldn't up the gift just because his grandmother is a personal friend.

[SXMGirl]

@drizzellla  Money is not actually a problem.  I think the pandemic has more to do with it, along with concerns about leaving the area and going to an out-of-state school where he knows no one.  At his school, he is the big deal, and his grandparents do everything for him.  

[Janey2]

If you are able to give $50 comfortably I would not give less. You have to consider your relationship with the grandmother. I would give cash. Gift cards might not work well in our times (virus).