Disclaimer: Due to the ongoing situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, graduation ceremonies may take on a wholly different look – especially for soon to be grads. However, just because the situation is not exactly ideal, doesn’t mean that graduates cannot celebrate their achievements. As they prepare to move onto their next phase of life, we hope this list of creative gift ideas will bring some measure of inspiration on how to celebrate graduates and their achievements. 

For some, graduation season is fast approaching and with it, the opportunity to gift a loved one (be it a family member, best friend or significant other) something meaningful or celebratory as they move into a new and exciting phase in their life. As their next chapter in life is likely to be filled with a new job or study opportunities, different living arrangements and a lot more responsibilities, getting them a gift that is both thoughtful and tangible can really help make a significant impact in their post-grad life. So whether it’s for a high school or college graduation, we’ve rounded up 8 Personalised  Gift Ideas That Are Perfect For Graduates to celebrate this special milestone, through photos.

Family in Frame

One of the classic gifts for graduates is the framed print. One of the main reasons why framed prints are so popular is because they’re deceptively thoughtful despite its sheer simplicity. There’s just something about framing a shared memory – like a casual group photo of your graduate with their friends, a family photo or even a solo portrait of your graduate looking proud and accomplished with their certification and graduation robe – that reminds your giftee of the big milestone that they’ve just passed

Additionally, personalised framed prints are also super easy to make. With Pixajoy, creating a personalised framed print – from choosing your layout, inserting your photo (or photos if you want to create a framed photo collage) and placing your order only takes a couple of minutes. You’ll also be able to receive them much quicker as opposed to getting photos taken from the little kiosks outside of the graduation venues (you know the ones). 

The framed prints are also a one of a kind gift that your graduates can bring along with them when they move onto their next phases of life – such as moving into a new dorm room for university or they can use it to decorate their new home should they move out of state for their jobs. After all, moving into a new place can be scary! But by decorating it with something familiar, or something that brings about good memories, it can really help to make a difference and put people at ease!

Photo Prints Gallery 

If your graduate is a bit of a shutterbug, adores taking selfies or is the type of person to have a full-blown photoshoot to commemorate any moment – no matter how big or how small, you might want to consider getting them a set of photo prints that showcases their greatest moments! Some of you might be thinking somewhere along the lines of; “Why photo prints? They’ve already got Facebook albums and Instagram!” Rest assured, we’ve taught about it, so hear us out:

Despite the existence of online platforms like Instagram, VSCO, Vero or even Google Photos, there’s just something about printed photographs that makes it irresistible – especially now that photo prints can be customised to give more impact! With 7 different sizes, three finishings, and two paper types, creating personalised photo prints with Pixajoy can breathe new life into beloved memories that can be neatly packaged and gifted to your grads. 

Similar with framed prints, photo prints are one of a kind gifts (because each person experiences a memory in their own, unique way) that can be used by your grads to decorate their space. From creating a cute photo collage on their walls, stringing them up on fairy lights or pinning them onto cork boards for that ‘crafty’ look – your grad will definitely adore and cherish a tangible representation of their best moments.

Over The Years Photo Book

Sometimes it’s hard to believe how quickly time flies. It can seem like only yesterday when your loved one was toddling along in pre-school and now they’ve crossed over one of life’s major milestones! For sentimental types, what better way to celebrate this pivotal moment in life than through a series of nostalgic photos – which is where the graduation photo book comes in! Preserve cherished moments and tell a story of your graduates achievements through thoughtfully combined photographs, embellishments, text, themes and style. 

As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words and a photo book is basically a novel! Be sure to incorporate photos that show the growth of your graduate and how much they have achieved in the past years. Sure it will feel a little overwhelming (and some tears may be shed in the process as you see how much they have grown from year to year), but a chronological narrative is your best guideline to forming the perfect grad photo book.

Pro-Tip: If you would like the idea of making a photo book for your grad (or for any other special occasions) but either don’t have the time or skills necessary, feel free to engage in our ‘DFY’ (Do it For You) Design Services’. As the name implies, all you have to do is choose your preferred photo book deal, choose your preferred template and send us the photos you want to use in the photo book. Our team of expert designers will do the rest and design a stunning, one of a kind photo book – made to your exact specification!

Memory Mug

If your graduate is the practical or utilitarian type, consider giving them a gift that is not only designed to be useful but is also fashionable. The kind of gift that comes to mind that perfectly fits those descriptors is the deceptively versatile mug. From the simple 11oz mug and magic mug to the stylish latte mugs, classic enamel mugs and the chunky 15 oz mug, these customisable household and office items are perfectly sensible options to get as a gift. After all, anyone would appreciate being able to enjoy their preferred beverage of choice in a special mug made with them in mind! 

Whether your future graduate keeps these mugs at home, in a dorm room or at their workplace, they’ll be thrilled to receive a personalised mug that reflects their style and personality. Speaking of style, there are also plenty of ways for you to customise a mug – from adding special details like the grad’s name, year of graduation and school they’re graduating from, you can also choose to use one of Pixajoy’s many pre-designed templates or design your memorable mug completely from scratch. To keep things fun, you can even incorporate photos of your grad and their friends or fun quotes and saying that they’ll likely appreciate into the the mugs design!

Home Cooking Recipe Book

Once the ceremony is wrapped up and the ink is dry on the certificate, comes the inevitable fact that your grad will now potentially be moving out of the house to live closer to campus or will be permanently moving into their own space for work. Having to live away from home and needing to learn to be independent, help make the transition less rocky by gifting your grad with a personalised cookbook filled with all their favourite home recipes. 

If your family is big on cooking and having meals together as a family, simply begin by recording family specialities, food preparation tips, and little anecdotes about special meals. All this information can then be used to create a unique and personalised cookbook that your grad can take with them to wherever parts of the world they might end up in. This way, no matter how far they go, they’ll always have a piece of home with them. Additionally, the personalised cookbook you’ve gifted to your grad could even end up as a special family heirloom – passed down from one generation to the next and ensuring your family’s cooking legacy.

Proud of You Postcards

As we’ve seen with the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be times when visiting people or meeting up as a large group will not be feasible – much less attending a graduation ceremony whereby hundreds if not thousands of people are supposed to be in attendance. If you’re stuck at home or are unable to be together with your grad on their big day, send them a congratulatory postcard with your well wishes instead. It might not seem like much in comparison to being able to physically be there with your grad, but postcards have their own charm. 

For instance, just think of the latest postcards you’ve received from someone (or a postcard you’ve received over the years). We’re pretty sure it came with some gorgeous pictures of stunning sceneries of travel destinations or maybe some cheeky illustrations that you can’t help but grin at. When it comes to creating custom postcards for your grad, a little personal touch will transform the simple piece of cardstock into an irreplaceable memento. 

Additionally, if you’re worried about postcards being old fashioned, you’ll be pleased to note that sending and receiving postcards are still considered hip and on-trend. For some reason, hanging memories on the walls have yet to go out of fashion. By pairing your custom postcards (designed with a sweet photo of your favourite moment together) with a thoughtful, hand-written message, it gives the postcard a lot more meaning despite being one of the most affordable gifts out there.

Thoughtful Portfolio

We’re pretty sure that you’ve all heard the term ‘portfolio’ at least once in your lifetime. For those who need a little refresher, a portfolio is a compilation of works (written pieces, drawings, music compositions, etc) that exemplifies a person’s beliefs, skillset, qualification, education, personality, work ethic and so much more. Putting together a portfolio is a sure-fire way to help ace interviews with prospective universities or workplaces. 

Therefore, creating a thoughtful portfolio for your grad will not only be a heartwarmingly sentimental gift, but also one that can be extremely useful to them when they move onto the next phase of their journey. Let it serve as a glowing recommendation – as some people tend to be too humble and undersell themselves. It’ll also serve as an excellent confidence booster and can be kept and cherished by your grad forever. If you’re unsure on how to create a portfolio, just take a gander at our Lifestyle Book. We have a pre-designed template for portfolios that is easy to customise and fill in with all the needed details!

Modern and Versatile Notebooks

By this point, we can all agree that graduation (no matter if it’s from kindergarten, middle school, high school or university) is a defining moment in a person’s life. Which is why we believe that a personalised Deluxe Notebook would make for an ideal gift for graduates at all levels. Available in both softcover and hardcover with three different types of paper inserts (lined, blanks and dotted), the Deluxe Notebook can be used for a variety of different things. Depending on your grad’s personality, they can use it as a journal to preserve new experience at university or the workplace. Alternatively, they can also turn the deluxe notebooks into a diary where they can safely vent out their emotions. For those who like to keep themselves orderly, they can also turn the personalisable deluxe notebook into a planner or bullet journal to help them keep track of important dates, activities and events. 

Those who are more artistically inclined can take advantage of the customisable paper insert and turn the notebook into a one of a kind, personalised sketchbook or opt for the lined pages in order to store their creative writing and prose. The possibilities are endless! Plus, if you’re keen on metaphors, giving a grad a journal could also symbolise the fact that they’re about to start a new chapter in life and that their life is worth recording. Whether your grad is set on entering university to further their studies or if they are about to enter the workforce, having a personalised deluxe notebook to serve as a journal will definitely help your grad preserve all their thoughts, opinions and new experiences!

And that concludes our list of 8 Personalised Gift Ideas That Are Perfect For Graduates. Not only are these fabulous graduation gift ideas perfectly thoughtful, but they’re also gender-neutral – meaning that they’re perfect solutions for every grad in your life. If you’d like to explore more creative and personalised gifts, feel free to visit our website and create your very own, personalised graduation gift today.