Foo - Recommendations for a graduation gift

My nephews (fraternal twins) are graduating from high school this spring. Any good ideas for a graduation gift? Both will be attending UW-Madison this fall. I'd like to keep the budget around $100 apiece but if it is a really good idea, I would go $200. Ideas so far include messenger bags, an itunes certificate and a Warhol/M. Monroe print but with me as the subject (those lucky *******s ;)).

watches.

$200 of beer. They'll need it in Madtown.

My vote is a messenger bag each....good quality.

something awesome yet that they will use at school...?

something awesome yet that they will use at school...?

Like this?
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/gallery/images/a_adderall_02.jpg

My vote is a messenger bag each....good quality.

a watch will last longer than a messenger bag.

It's a little out of the budget, but the bulletproof hoodie (http://gizmodo.com/375006/defender-hoodie-look-good-avoid-bullets) might come in handy.

watches.

Nephew 1: Hey twin, what time do you have?

Nephew 2: 5:30pm, you?

Nephew 1: 5:30pm.

Both: <High-five>

----

Sorry, I don't care for watches.

Nephew 1: Hey twin, what time do you have?

Nephew 2: 5:30pm, you?

Nephew 1: 5:30pm.

Both: <High-five>

----

Sorry, I don't care for watches.

your loss.

your loss.

Honestly, given the prevalence of cell phones, not too many "kids" these days wear watches, unless you're in the business school...

Any ideas from their parents?

something awesome yet that they will use at school...?

+1

Most college kids, me knowing this from friends of mine. They struggle to get by and don't have alot of food.

200$ Gift card to safeway or something would be awesome.

your loss.

Damn

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/pete_mcentegart/11/21/ten.spot/tx_flava.jpg

+1

Most college kids, me knowing this from friends of mine.

Not a sentence, thus making this rather ironic :)

Damn

[IM G]h ttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/pete_mcentegart/11/21/ten.spot/tx_flava.jpg[/IMG]

ignorance is bliss.

Honestly, given the prevalence of cell phones, not too many "kids" these days wear watches, unless you're in the business school...

a watch is solely about telling time.

Not a sentence, thus making this rather ironic :)

Not really I haven't been to college so I can post as many incomplete, chaotic, run-on sentences as I like.

After all, proper grammar and sentence structure on the internetz has huge bearing on real life. :p

a watch is solely about telling time.

You're missing my point.

<opinion>
Accessorizing strictly for accessorizing is ******baggary if you're not doing it for a specific reason/event, such as a wedding, or a job, etc. </opinion>

When you have a cell phone that tells time, what is the point of the watch? It's no longer both functional and fashionable, it has thus purely become fashionable.

Not really I haven't been to college so I can post as many incomplete, chaotic, run-on sentences as I like.

Which is where the irony is ;)

Stop using big words. I only got my GED in 10th grade.

I take it the Warhol thing is facetious but it serves to remind that we should never give people art - we can't know someone else's taste.
Messenger bags aren't for everyone---I don't like the single strap although I do like that they ride low.

What about an engraved pen stand or similar desk item?

Noise cancelling headphones. Might be useful for studying.

Gift certificate to campus coffee/book shop or the tech shop.

Gift certificate to some well know Madison retailer.

A nice card with a hundred dollar bill in it for each of them. Seriously, all the gifts mentioned so far seem pretty lame. I know I wouldn't have wanted a messenger bag or a watch when I graduated. Just give them cash and let them pick out whatever they want.

You're missing my point.

<opinion>
Accessorizing strictly for accessorizing is ******baggary if you're not doing it for a specific reason/event, such as a wedding, or a job, etc. </opinion>

When you have a cell phone that tells time, what is the point of the watch? It's no longer both functional and fashionable, it has thus purely become fashionable.

you seem to have missed mine.

A nice card with a hundred dollar bill in it for each of them. Seriously, all the gifts mentioned so far seem pretty lame. I know I wouldn't have wanted a messenger bag or a watch when I graduated. Just give them cash and let them pick out whatever they want.

lame? what's lame is giving a c-note.

if the nephews mean something to iab (i assume they do), then i would assume that he'd like to give them something that means something. maybe i'm projecting my own experience into this a little too much, but my uncle gave me a watch for my 8th grade graduation. i wore that thing for +/-15 years. there's plenty of bonus memories of those 15 years, thanks to that watch.

WTF are they going to buy with 100$ that they're going to remember in 1 year, let alone 15?

btw - here's my 8th grade graduation present:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/botto/6309.jpg

lame?

Uh, yeah.

I mean, I'm glad you like your watch. It's obvious it has a lot of meaning for you. But I think kids are different now. Cell phone > watch

you seem to have missed mine.

Not really, you appreciate watches for more than their time telling ability. Fine. Most kids today do not.

Uh, yeah.

I mean, I'm glad you like your watch. It's obvious it has a lot of meaning for you. But I think kids are different now. Cell phone > watch

whoosh.

Only time I ever thought of getting a nice looking watch was for dressing up.

Otherwise I find Ironman watches more attractive.

whoosh.

*ducks* wow, that was close. :rolleyes:

Not really, you appreciate watches for more than their time telling ability. Fine. Most kids today do not.

i suppose you'd rather have a canon EOS-1D than a leica M7?

How about digital cameras (if they don't already have them)? Even a sub $200 point and shoot is fun and useful for somebody just starting college.

i suppose you'd rather have a canon EOS-1D than a leica M7?

Depends on what i'm using it for. Today i took 450 shots of a girls basketball game. 1D please...

Anyone who doesn't buy a leica for its quietness is a poser...btw

Depends on what i'm using it for. Today i took 450 shots of a girls basketball game. 1D please...

don't think like a commercial photographer, think like a photographer.

How about graphing calculators? They're within your price range, and pretty useful. Mine has been invaluable thus far in my college career.

don't think like a commercial photographer, think like a photographer.

So idealistic...i would never buy a $4,000 digital leica, sorry. (well, unless someday i'm making a lot more money, but i suspect that is going to require my 1D)

So idealistic...i would never buy a $4,000 digital leica, sorry. (well, unless someday i'm making a lot more money, but i suspect that is going to require my 1D)

tim, tim, tim... think. this is about a gift, you know, something ... 'speciale' ;), not something that you buy.

How about graphing calculators? They're within your price range, and pretty useful. Mine has been invaluable thus far in my college career.

Lame.

Totally.

tim, tim, tim... think. this is about a gift, you know, something ... 'speciale' ;), not something that you buy.

If someone gave me a Leica for a graduation gift, i would cherish it for the rest of my life. The same way i hold on dearly to my mothers old AE-1 Program, the first camera i ever pushed a shutter button on.

Enough of my gift-suggestion-bashing-in-iab's-thread-about-gift-suggestions-ing.

Helpful time:

Cologne?

3 tickets (for you and them) for a big game of some sort?

Actually, I think botto's idea is good, if they're into that sort of thing.

Actually, I think botto's idea is good, if they're into that sort of thing.

I think botto's general idea is great...i just think a watch isn't the same thing now days, that was my point.

I think botto's general idea is great...i just think a watch isn't the same thing now days, that was my point.

I think it depends on the person--my friend is really into watches.

Like this?
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/gallery/images/a_adderall_02.jpg

thats exactly it!!!!..with all the stress its nice to get away for a little bit :D :D

Pre-pay for a year's worth of unlimited text messenging on thier cell phones.

I think you just got botto's point ;)


If someone gave me a Leica for a graduation gift, i would cherish it for the rest of my life. The same way i hold on dearly to my mothers old AE-1 Program, the first camera i ever pushed a shutter button on.

If someone gave me a Leica for a graduation gift, i would cherish it for the rest of my life. The same way i hold on dearly to my mothers old AE-1 Program, the first camera i ever pushed a shutter button on.

pffft....

kinda blown the budget there, buddy.

thats exactly it!!!!..with all the stress its nice to get away for a little bit :D :D

I'm not sure how effective speed is at reducing stress :lol:

I think you just got botto's point ;)

I got it all along, i'm just saying that not too many kids these days hold value in watches.

What about transportation? Are they going to have a car at school? Maybe a pre-paid transit pass?

(Thought of this because I went to school in the Bay Area and I received a BART ticket with $50 on it as a grad gift. When I received it, I didn't really appreciate it, but after a semester of being able to hop on BART and head into the City for "free," I realized what an incredibly thoughtful gift it was.)