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12 Best Gifts for College Grads

Send your recent graduate from the dorm room to the boardroom with gifts to help them transition to adulthood.

Mike Hammer

May 24, 2022

Graduating from college is a big accomplishment, and it's an even bigger transition. More than 1.5 million grads will be entering the job market this year, and they will be looking to enter this next phase of life in style.

“The party's over, and now it's time to show the world what you learned and to use it to make your mark," says Dr. Gilda Carle, a business and life coach and author of "Amplify Your Media Presence, Amplify Your Brand." “College gave them the steak, and now they have to sizzle.

"They need to impress their elders by embracing the attitudes and responsibility that come with adulthood."

It is time for all graduates, Dr. Carle says, to realize they are their own brand, and that they need to market themselves as such. She insists that success will come to grads who are willing to adapt to an adult world that requires more refinement than the average toga party.

"The party's over, and now it's time to show the world what you learned and to use it to make your mark. College gave them the steak, and now they have to sizzle."
Dr. Gilda Carle, business and life coach

“They need to understand they need to sell their unique skills and be willing to learn from those who have more experience and worldly knowledge than they do," she says.

Graduates also must acknowledge they're in a transition period. That means displaying a willingness to develop the necessary social and professional skills to fit in among an older and more mature crowd.

“It's more than just about knowing you want to get to the top of the ladder," Dr. Carle explains. “It's about making a good impression on every rung — whether in your personal or professional life."

But Dr. Carle is quick to point out that graduates also deserve time to enjoy their accomplishments, before they make "the climb." "A degree is an official document granting every graduate the right to celebrate their achievements!" she says.

Hard work merits great rewards, and we've gathered some of the best gifts for graduation to ensure the celebration of the most advanced degree.

Best college graduation gifts for 2025

Bag up their bathrooms

best gifts for graduation with personalized toiletry bag

Bag up their bathrooms

Shop : Embroidered Olive Waxed Canvas Travel Toiletry Bag from Personalization Mall

College is history, so make sure the aspiring professional's hygiene is primed for the White House rather than "Animal House." This embroidered and canvassed toiletry bag will help them keep their grooming essentials close and organized in an environment that makes their old dorm bathrooms look like disaster areas.

Shop : Embroidered Olive Waxed Canvas Travel Toiletry Bag from Personalization Mall


Introduce them to mature munchies

graduation gift ideas fruit club

Introduce them to mature munchies

Shop : H&D Fruit Subscription Box from Harry & David

Harry & David’s scrumptious “Fruit of the Month” collections serve up monthly shipments of fresh fruit packages and artisan cheeses, along with decadent chocolate and fruit paired with award-winning wines. These premium experiences are sure to keep them from running home to raid the fridge.

Shop : H&D Fruit Subscription Box from Harry & David


Start her off with style

best gifts for graduation with crossbody bag

Start her off with style

Shop : Lexy Camera Crossbody Bag in Blush from thingsremembered

Lighten the load for a young woman's journey into the working world with a vegan leather crossbody bag. The spacious and stylish unique design will allow her to carry the necessary tools of any trade and can be personalized with three lines of text on the front and back of the zipper pendant.

Shop : Lexy Camera Crossbody Bag in Blush from thingsremembered


Help them find their zen

best gifts for graduation Serene Butterfly Water Fountain

Help them find their zen

Shop : Serene Butterfly Water Fountain from 1-800-Flowers.com

Calm post-commencement stress disorder (PCSD) syndrome and the shock of trading frat parties for loan payments with a calming array of gifts for relaxation. The soothing selection includes a butterfly water fountainmeditation bowl, and even a Gandhi quote necklace.

Shop : Serene Butterfly Water Fountain from 1-800-Flowers.com


Enlighten them

graduation gift ideas pear candle

Enlighten them

Shop : Royal Riviera® Pear Candle from Harry & David

Get them to toss out the strobes and lava lamps, and shine a new light on living like an adult with the soft glow and arresting aromas of candles. These come in a array of delicious scents, including peachpear, and orange blossom.

Shop : Royal Riviera® Pear Candle from Harry & David


Plant the seeds of home décor

best gifts for graduation with Money Tree

Plant the seeds of home décor

Help the grad replace the traditional crop of dorm fridge mold and fallen laundry foliage with beautiful plants ranging from domestic gardenias to exotic olive bonsai trees. All arrive in unique and attractive bases that give their living space a decidedly adult presentation.


Share the sweet smell of success

best gifts for graduation Rose Gold Bath Bombs

Share the sweet smell of success

Shop : 24k Rose Gold Bath Bombs Gift Set from 1-800-Flowers.com

Launch the college grad into adult life with a clean slate with bath bombs and scented soaps. With scents like luxurious lavender and stunning rose gold, these sweet-smelling graduation gifts instantly raise the bar on their personal hygiene and put potential employers on their scent!

Shop : 24k Rose Gold Bath Bombs Gift Set from 1-800-Flowers.com


Give the gift of entertainment know-how

best gifts for graduation gnocchi pasta making workshop

Give the gift of entertainment know-how

Being an adult means hosting grown-up gatherings for colleagues and romantic partners. Give them the recipe for success by sending them back to school with Alice’s Table, online collaboration seminars offering tasty tips in crafting advanced floral arrangements and restaurant-quality food and drink.


Not just another brick in the wall

best gifts for graduation macrame dreamcatcher

Not just another brick in the wall

Shop : Macrame Dreamcatcher from 1-800-Flowers.com

Give any grad the best kind of hang-ups with a string of stylish and unique wall décor offerings. There’s everything from artistic macramé dreamcatchers to personalized wood bar signs to sports-themed word art.

Shop : Macrame Dreamcatcher from 1-800-Flowers.com


Bling out the best in them

best gifts for graduation with birthstone bracelet

Bling out the best in them

Shop : Custom Bezel Set Birthstone Bracelet from Personalization Mall

Help the new grad upgrade their accessories with beautifully crafted, and personalized, designer jewelry. These pieces, from necklaces and bracelets to watches and money clips, will put the perfect finishing touches on their presentation for the ballroom or the boardroom.

Shop : Custom Bezel Set Birthstone Bracelet from Personalization Mall


Get them a fine wine degree

best gifts for graduation Wine Subscription

Get them a fine wine degree

Shop : Harry & David™ Wine Subscription Box from Harry & David

Here's a graduation gift that will help them smooth out the sharp edges. Not many employers want to hear the lowlights from their latest and greatest keg stand — but letting the higher-ups know you're a connoisseur of fine wines sends the signal you're cultured and refined. A wine subscription will place their palates in a fine finishing school.

Shop : Harry & David™ Wine Subscription Box from Harry & David


Raise their bar exam score

best gifts for graduation with beer making kit

Raise their bar exam score

Shop : Everyday Ipa Beer Making Kit from 1-800-Flowers.com

They're out of school, so now it's time to take on the bar! Give the gift of a graduate degree in adult entertaining with a wide array of barware and entertaining gifts, ranging from the IPA beer making kit to a mason jar-style shot glass serving set, and more. They're guaranteed to keep guests' spirits up!

Shop : Everyday Ipa Beer Making Kit from 1-800-Flowers.com