16 uncommon graduation gifts they'll love
These graduation gifts are as unique as they are
Credit:
Talisa / pinklocket / Conquest Map
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What do you give the grad who has it all, or who is uncertain of their future? Graduation is a big deal. Whether it’s from high school or college, graduation is a huge milestone that deserves a stellar gift. If you’re stumped on what to give your grad, or just want to find something a little bit different, we’ve searched far and wide for unique graduation gifts that will make them feel extra special.
1. A new twist on a photo gift
You can personalize the slides in this viewfinder with photos of memories.
This customizable real viewer is a fun new twist on a photo gift. Whether you’re a friend who shared the glory days with them, or a parent who is looking back with pride, take them on a walk down memory lane with this retro slide viewer. This set comes with a reel viewer toy as well as a personalized reel that you can create yourself with photos highlighting every milestone—big and small.
Get the Image 3D RetroViewer at Uncommon Goods starting at $14.95
2. A gift to tell them they’ve “got this”
Remind them that they are here to slay!
Sometimes they just need a reminder that it’s time to slay. This handmade catch-all is more than an unassuming place to put their keys, earrings, or cufflinks; it's a motivational mantra reminding them to take the world by storm. Whenever they need to be reminded to slay, this is the little nudge they need to tackle the day head on.
Get the Today I Will Slay dish by pinklocket on Etsy for $22
3. A customizable map to track their travels
Oh, the places they'll go!
If you have a recent grad with an acute case of wanderlust, this world map serves as a piece of ever-evolving art, and a constant reminder of the vast world they still need to explore. This map comes in five sizes and can be customized with the name of the recipient for a fully unique gift.
Get the Push Pin World Map by ConquestMaps on Etsy starting at $109
4. A grooming set that says they've arrived
Whether they feel like they've arrived, or they are ready to depart, these gift sets have them covered.
Your new grad is ready to arrive. It’s time to upgrade their grooming routine. Give them a little something that makes them feel like they have an edge on the day. This set of refreshing self-care staples from the cruelty-free skincare brand Aesop smells terrific, gets great reviews, and will set them up for success.
- Get the Aesop Arrival grooming set at Nordstrom for $35
- Get the Aesop Departures skincare set at Nordstrom for $53
5. A silly set of TP socks
These socks are printed with iconography from the past year, including toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and face masks.
Want a gift that will make them laugh? This set of humorous socks celebrates their accomplishments and takes note of some pretty iconic imagery from this wacky senior year. Who would have thought a face mask, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer would be the most memorable images from senior year? These socks aren't just a lighthearted look for a crazy year, they are moisture wicking with a touch of compression, making them super cozy too.
Get the Class of 2021 quarantine-themed socks from Etsy for $17.99
6. A box of roses that will last a year
These flowers will last up to three years!
Flowers are a go-to celebratory gift, but they rarely last more than a week before they are just a memory. A milestone gift should be one that lasts. Rose Box is a company that sends “eternal” or “infinity roses,” which have been specially treated to last, with minimal care, for at least one year and sometimes up to three. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving.
Get a Rose Box fresh, preserved flower delivery starting at $109
7. A sweet treat to celebrate with
We recommend the cake truffles, but won't judge you if you want to get everything from Milkbar.
Give them the sweetest gift—a box filled with delicious desserts. Milkbar gets lots of love over here at Reviewed, but their cake truffles, well, take the cake. These bite-sized treats have been described with swooning accolades by our editors as “delicately soft, teeming with flavor, and deliciously filling” and the seasonal strawberry shortcake flavor was so beloved that our reviewers barely finished the box before they jumped online to order more.
Get the Milkbar cake truffles starting at $24
8. A way for them to upgrade their music consumption
This turntable will up their music game.
If they’ve spent the past four years listening to their favorite music on their laptop, it’s time to ditch the earbuds and computer speakers for a highly-rated turntable that will help turn them on to a new hobby: vinyl collecting. This one by Wockoder is touted by reviewers for excellent sound quality, its Bluetooth capabilities, and it’s a lightweight portability.
Get the Wockoder portable Bluetooth-enabled turntable at Amazon for $69.99
9. A compass necklace to help them find their way
This compass necklace will help them chart their course.
If your grad is still in search of some direction in life, this compass necklace will help navigate them. This gorgeous, 18-karat, gold-plated necklace with a Swarovski crystal inset is a stunning talisman of luck to take on their life journey. If your grad’s plans take them far from home, you can get a personalized engraving of latitude and longitude coordinates of a special spot, as a reminder of where they came from.
Get the Compass Women’s Necklace at Talisa for $99.90
10. A personalized bookmark to mark each of life’s chapters
These bookmarks can be hand-stamped with an inspiring quote.
As they close one of life’s chapters and embark on the next, this hand stamped bookmark—that you can personalize in any way, including with inspirational quotes—will encourage them to lean into their story as it unfolds.
Get the custom stamped metal bookmark at Etsy for $25
11. A candle that stands in for a bottle of bubbly
Toast them with this champagne-inspired candle.
Champagne and celebrations go hand in hand. If you can’t pop a cork to celebrate your loved one, this candle can be a long-lasting toast that says “cheers” to their success. With top notes of mandarin and grapefruit and base notes of champagne grapes, this candle is the perfect scent for any celebration.
Get the Let’s Toast Candle for $34
12. A gift box to inspire a bloom
This gift box will encourage them to bloom!
If your grad feels a little bit nervous about the future, this box is everything they need to lean into letting themselves bloom. A bottle of bubbly, a sage smudge to clear the air, a candle with an inspiring quote to nudge them forward, a roller of fragrant oil, and a hardy succulent to keep them company—this gift set has everything they need to center themselves and inspire them to grow into their dreams.
Get the Keep Blooming gift box from Good Grace Designs for $65
13. A hardy plant that symbolizes prosperity
This plant symbolizes prosperity.
A symbol of luck and an invitation of good fortune, Feng shui practitioners often use money trees as a means of creating positive energy in living spaces. This plant is easy to care for and is a vote of confidence for a prosperous future.
Get the Just Add Ice money tree on Amazon for $29.99
14. A time capsule of self-reflection
They can reflect on the now by writing letters to their future self.
An inspiring letter-writing set that they can write now, read later, and treasure forever, this gift will keep on giving—even decades later. Let your grad capture moments in time by penning letters to their future self with this correspondence-inspired time capsule of letters. This set comes with 12 thoughtful prompts to encourage self-reflection that they can send to themselves to be read years later.
Get the Letters to My Future Self time capsule letters at Uncommon Goods for $14.95
15. A succulent gift box to celebrate their "succ-ess"
This box celebrates their succ-ess with a cute succulent.
A piña colada bath bomb. An anti-stress body balm. Some “zen” soap. And a “succ-ess” succulent. This is the ultimate, “you’ve worked hard and now it’s time to relax” gift set. Once they’ve used up all of the relaxing treats included in the box, they’ll have a hard-to-kill succulent as an evergreen reminder of their achievement.
Get the Congratulations on Your Success gift box at Etsy for $39.99
16. A bag as versatile as their future life prospects
This 3-in-1 bag is as versatile as it is polished.
Whether they are off to graduate school or they’re commuting to an office, a functional backpack is always a useful gift. This 3-in-1 leather bag transforms effortlessly from a backpack to a tote to a shoulder bag, making it a perfectly adaptable bag for anyone who wants to look polished while still keeping their options open.
Get the Fossil Camilla convertible backpack at Amazon for $120.97
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