Graduation Gift Ideas

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mom2015hopeful

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Aug 30, 2010
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Trying to come up with a nice graduation gift idea for my daughter. Anything I come up with seems kind of silly, because she won't be able to use it or enjoy it for quite some time. Any ideas?
 
I'm a girl, so maybe I can help. I'm just asking for a nice leather wallet, Border's giftcards (we can still read, thankfully), and a magazine subscription. I think the magazine subscription is a good idea because that way A) you get something girly to look forward to, B) it's new every month, and C) it's like $15 for a whole year, sometimes more.
 
I asked for something really simple. Money. I think that it is a good gift because we can use it however we want to. After BCT it will be nice to have access to money that we saved for basic expenses that our pay doesn't cover. :)
 
Money is a good idea. Once parents weekend arrives, you'll be able to actually go off base (go out to eat, head up to Denver, etc.). In reality though, you won't be able to use many gifts you get for graduation. I'd say save those gifts up for the end of basic. Though you don't get many new freedoms, you can have things such as a monitor and printer (they sound kind of boring, but trust me they make your life a whole lot easier). Another idea is a ski/snowboard pass to Keystone or Breck.
 
From the mom of one cadet daughter (soon to be a 2nd class) to the mom of an incoming cadet daughter. Another thing that your daughter might appreciate at the end of Basic -- which could be put on a gift card now -- is a shopping trip to buy new underwear after Basic. It may sound silly now -- but after weeks in sports bras and white regulation underwear -- all of which will be boiled by the cadet laundry and will be gray and ugly by the time Basic ends -- a shopping trip will (may) sound like heaven to your daughter. Or buy the stuff now and promise to ship it to her after Basic. This is one of the few things that girls can wear after Basic, while in uniform, that helps them to still feel like a girl. This may not be limited to girls actually -- I've seen postings on the forums over the years that guys also appreciate being able to wear their own underwear after Basic!
 
One other suggestion of something to buy your cadet -- boy or girl -- if it fits with your cadet's beliefs is a new Bible to take to Basic with them. The Bible will not be confiscated and the new Basic will be allowed to keep the Bible after InProcessing. Cadets are allowed to attend religious services during Basic, and many go -- even if they are not religious -- because services represent a break from training (no training allowed during religious services).

Another reason for the Bible: before our daughter left for Basic we learned from an upperclass cadet that the Bible can be one of the zippered versions -- a small photo or two tucked inside that zippered cover won't be confiscated by cadre -- so long as your son or daughter is discrete about the photos.
 
In other posts I have recommended a watch. Luminox makes a great watch that comes is plastic and metal. They are waterproof and come in Navy and Air Force versions. They were originally designed for the Navy Seals. I am in law enforcement and all my co-workers wear them because they are so rugged. The really nice thing about Luminox is that they will glow in the dark without having to press any buttons. My son is at sea and he swears by it. My wife is in the Navy and she wears one too. They even come in different colors for girls and they come in a really nice case for presentation. They are all over the internet.
 
A few things that our cadet appreciated - a good pair of sunglasses, noise canceling headphones, blue tooth device for his phone. Our cadet's squadron allowed them to wear sunglasses at football games so good sunglasses were very welcome.
 
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