What is an appropriate gift? Can you bring a guest? Answers to these questions and more!
Earlier this month, we here at My Paper Shop wrote an article answering some of the most common questions that people have when they’re hosting a graduation party. For instance, what type of food should you serve and are you allowed to host a joint party? However, these celebratory events can be full of questions, even for the guests who will be attending the event.
If you have never attended a graduation party before, you may be a little unfamiliar with the common etiquette and protocol that goes together with these events. For instance, are you allowed to bring a guest with you to the party? What is an appropriate gift for a high school or college graduate? If you have a calendar full of graduation parties to attend this summer, have no fear! Today we are answering some of the most common questions that party guests have when it comes to graduation events and parties.
1. Should you bring a card or a gift to a graduation party?
The type of gift that you choose to give at a graduation party (or whether or not you should even give a gift) is totally up to you and it should depend on your relationship with the graduate. For instance, if you are attending as a guest of someone who was invited, but do not know the graduate well yourself, do not feel the need to give a gift. However, if the graduate is a close family member or friend, you may want to consider gifting them something.
Most graduation party attendees choose to simply write a check or give cash, as many graduates will have a lot of expenses when they move away to college. A fun way to do this is to gift someone the amount of money that represents their graduation year. For example, if they are graduating this year, in 2014, you could make out their check for $20.14. However, if you have a very personal relationship with the graduate, you could give something much more special, such as a framed photo of the two of you, or even a “college survival” gift basket.
2. If you are attending a joint graduation party, do you need to bring cards for both grads?
Again, this will totally depend on the relationship that you have with each individual graduate. If you know both people, or they are both family members, you may want to consider giving a similar gift, as they may sort through their gifts together and you don’t want there to be any hard feelings. However, if you are attending a graduation party where you do not know one of the people being celebrated, do not feel as though you are expected to give a gift or card to that person. That’s totally understandable!
3. If you’re attending a graduation dinner at a restaurant, should you pick up your own tab?
Many college graduates choose to have a celebratory dinner for their graduation, either directly following the graduation ceremony or in place of a party. In either of these situations, the bill will typically be picked up by the hosts of the dinner—either the parents or grandparents of the grad, or the person that invited everyone out to celebrate. However, this is not always set in stone. Therefore, be prepared to pick up your own tab just in case.
4. Can you bring a guest to a graduation party?
In most cases, yes. However, it may depend on the type of graduation party that is being held. Most graduates choose to hold an “open house” type of event where people can come and go throughout the day, and there is no strict head count. Therefore, it is generally not a problem that you bring along a guest to celebrate. However, if you know that the graduate is holding a small event, a dinner function or a family-only event, you may want to double check with the host about whether or not it would be okay to bring along a guest.
If you are hosting a graduation party this summer for the graduate in your life, be sure to contact My Paper Shop! We can set you up with all of the supplies that you need to get your party started and ensure that the event is a memorable one.
