Memorable graduation gifts for your friends don't have to cost a lot of money or take months of planning. Give your closest friends something to remember you by when you all head your separate ways after high school.
DIY Graduation Gifts for Friends
You can adapt almost any craft project to fit a graduation or friendship theme by altering the images or words you include.
Friendship Mug
Use Sharpie markers on a ceramic mug that gets baked in an oven to create custom mugs for your whole crew. Create identical mugs for everyone to get that true friendship memento feel or do each in a different color to make them more personalized. Add a cute graduation quote to the outside then write your graduation year on the bottom of the inside.
Class Meme Poster
Think of an image from pop culture that came out during your senior year and sums up your experience together. Your inspiration could be a viral meme your friends never got tired of or an iconic news image. Use a photo editing program to alter that image using personal information like your friends' faces, school colors, or your graduation year. Have a copy printed at a local print shop for each friend.
Cheap Graduation Gifts for Friends
If you don't have a hefty shopping budget, give the gift of experiences and memories.
Last Day Together Adventure
Plan a special day full of adventures from your bucket list or that recall favorite memories from the year. Type up an itinerary and give it to your friend. Together you can spend one last full day making memories and having fun.
Graduation Countdown Calendar
Take the idea of a Christmas Advent calendar and turn it into a graduation countdown calendar. Choose your countdown timeframe like 12 days or one month then decorate and number one envelope for each day. Write down an activity or task each day that you can do together to prepare for or celebrate graduation. Put one activity in each envelope then attach them to a string with little clothespins.
Unique Ideas for Friendship Gifts
Your friends are sure to get lost of money, gift cards, and picture frames from others as graduation gifts. Give them something unique that will stand out against all their other presents.
Personalized Stamp and Stationary Set
Buy or make a small stationary set that includes notecards or a notepad, envelopes, a pen, and stamps. Then make custom rubber stamps out of craft foam or large erasers that have your friend's initials, full name, or favorite images. Put it all together as a custom gift set that helps your friend stay in touch after graduation.
Mini Memory Piñata
A mini memory piñata is a fun, interactive gift your friend will love opening. To start, make a piñata using a balloon and papier mâché technique. Fill it with pictures, notes, and keepsakes from your senior year.
Sentimental Graduation Gift Ideas for Best Friends
Show your best friend how much they mean to you with a sentimental graduation gift that could only come from you.
Accordion Book of Memories
Craft a simple accordion fold book that can serve as a keepsake and a dorm decoration. Gather some paper, pictures, and markers then start creating a 3-D scrapbook of your senior year together.
100 Things Your Best Friend Would Say Poster
Prepare your best friend for the moments you aren't around with a unique poster. Using a large sheet of posterboard and colorful permanent markers, make a list of 100 situations your friend might encounter after graduation and a few words of advice from you for each. For example, one situation might be getting invited to a party and your advice could be "go for it- everyone's lucky to meet you!"
Graduation Gifts for Guy Friends
Don't forget to include your guy friends in the gift-giving frenzy!
Friendship Bracelet Tassel Hanger
Lots of teens hang their graduation cap tassel on their rearview mirror after graduation. Make this tradition more special when you make a simple friendship bracelet in your school colors. Attach his tassel to the bracelet so he can hang it in his car.
Senior Year Postcards
Help your guy friends stay in touch after graduation when you create your own custom postcards for his gift. Use the printable postcard template and your favorite senior year photos to make the cards. Include other stationary items in a box for a complete gift set.
Gift Ideas for Girl Friends
Gifts that feel more feminine are great options for your female friends.
Take Me With You Doll
People love seeing funny pictures of some doll or toy in unlikely places. Make your friend a paper doll or stuffed doll that resembles you. On the gift tag give the doll your name with the word "Mini" before it and instructions to take pictures with the mini version of you wherever they go.
Girlfriends Lip Balm Set
If you've got a close group of girl friends, make a lip balm set that represents each girl. For each girl, make a different flavor lip balm and decorate the container with her favorite colors and items. If you make the lip balms in batches, you can give one set to each friend from the group.
Graduate to the Next Level of Friendship
Your high school friendships might change a lot after graduation. Give your friends gifts that capture this stage of your friendship before it evolves. Now if you prefer to let the graduate select what they want, get some tips about monetary graduation gifts.
