40 College Graduation Gifts Grads Actually Want and Need
From traditional must haves to fun finds, these gifts for recent grads will ease the transition into adulthood.
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College graduation is a major milestone and definitely one worth celebrating! As students get rid of the cap and gown and the celebration begins, we're adding the best grad gifts to our cart. Post-grad life can be hard, but these thoughtful and useful gifts will help send them into the world feeling all the more confident!
If you don't know where to start, don't stress. Ask yourself a few questions. What are they doing next? Where are they going? Are they living alone for the first time? What are some of their hobbies or interests?
From practical must haves everyone needs around the house to fun finds for the weekend, you'll find an array of options and price points here to celebrate your grad. Also, we do not gift card shame! Those things come in handy. If you're looking for something extra specific, check out our editors' picks for graduation gifts for her and graduation gifts for guys too. And don't forget the card!
This little get-to-know-you game has sold more than two-million copies on Amazon! Not to mention it's been featured on Oprah's Favorites List in the past.
Jot this on the card: Spread those social butterfly wings!
Now that the textbooks are out of the picture, your grad can pick up a new book they've been wanting to read! We recommend some of the latest reads Country Living is diving into in 2023.
Jot this on the card: Way to go, bookworm! Here is to your next chapter!
Your grad will be ready for a dinner party or relaxing night on the couch with these beauties!
Jot this on the card: Cheers to you!
Joanna Gaines seems to be able to cook up just about anything from scratch: Rooms, recipes, empires... Let her recipe for success—and, okay, for chocolate cake—inspire a grad's own sweet victories. Pre-order Volume 3 now!
Jot this on the card: Sending you a heaping helping of congrats!
Know someone who struggles to wake up in the morning or send their mind off to sleep? This alarm clock has a library of soothing sounds plus personalized light settings to help wake up even the heaviest of sleepers.
Jot this on the card: Rise and shine! Time to head out there and seize the day!
Whether your grad is new to cooking or just needs some help finding attainable recipes, Hello Fresh is the gift that keeps on giving.
Jot this on the card: Lettuce celebrate you on your egg-cellent work!
Whether they love to listen to music and podcasts in their free time or need to hop on a call hands-free, Airpods make a great gift they will use and love!
Jot this in the card: You're always worth listening to!
Grads may be trading in long nights at the library for long nights at the desk, so make sure they can get some well-deserved shut-eye when they are able!
Jot this on the note: No. 1 advice for happy adulting: Get some sleep!
There can't be all work an no play! Get this Pickleball set for the grad in your life looking for some after-work activity!
Jot this on the card: Best of luck, you're going to hit it out of the park!
For the grad who's ready to change the world, this sturdy tote has it all—classic style, room for a laptop, keys, gym clothes, the list goes on. "Made of vegetable-tanned leather that burnishes with wear into a beautiful patina."
Jot this on the note: As you step out into the world, always remember—you've got this in the bag!
Stationary never goes out of style! Your grad will feel like a total adult with their own personalized set.
Jot this on the card: Success is in the cards for you!
Give a framed print featuring their favorite book. Choose from 28 titles, including Little Women, Pride & Prejudice, and Wuthering Heights.
Jot this on the card: Congrats on this exciting new chapter!
Saying goodbye to their school, now alma mater, can be hard! Customize this handy zipper carryall with one of 30 colleges and universities as a sentimental keepsake.
Jot this on the card: You can take the kid out of [insert alma mater], but you can't take [insert alma mater] out of the kid!
Perfect for post-grad backpacking adventures!
Jot this on the card: Didn't want to leave you hanging! Hope you love this as much as we love you.
Cult-favorite Always Pan will start your grad's new cooking career off right. Designed to replace eight pieces of cookware in one, it's also a space saver that will be ideal for a "cozy" first kitchen out of college.
Jot this on the card: Don't pan-ic, you've got this!
This game, which combines bocce, horseshoes, and outdoor bowling, will be a hit.
Jot this on the card: Congrats! Let the good times roll!
Oversized college T-shirts have their place, but there's something about a legit matching pajama set that says "I am now a capable functioning adult." Also: Country Living editors insist these are the softest PJs known to mankind.
Jot this on the card: Dream big, grad.
Customize the base of this trophy with a quirky or sentimental message. (Think "Susie Smith, Future President")
Jot this on the card: Go for the gold, grad!
Thanks to a lofty double-weave, this 100 percent Turkish Aegean cotton towel is incredibly plush and absorbent. Stylish yarn-dyed stripes make it feel more special than the plain white variety.
Jot this on the card: Soak up the moment, kid.
Your grad may have kissed dorm life goodbye, but they might still need a few cheap and easy meals every now and then!
Jot this on the card: Way to use your noodle!
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