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Graduation season is upon us, and chief among our to-dos — amid the valedictorian speeches, cap tosses and parties galore — is finding the perfect graduation gift for your graduate during this special time in their life. Whether they’ve just completed high school or med school, celebrating their accomplishments with a thoughtful gift is key. Bonus points if it’s useful, too!
When looking for meaningful merch, we often head straight to Etsy. Home to millions of sellers churning out bespoke gifts you couldn’t find anywhere else, Etsy has thousands of options for graduates ranging from personalized frames and jewelry to ultra-practical items like wallets, notecards, mugs and more.
$49.98 at Etsy
A cozy throw is always a great gift, and this plush option from Etsy star seller TeamDDesigns is a sure bet. Available in three colors, the 50-by-60-inch blanket can bear any school’s logo alongside your graduate’s name — if you don’t see the school’s name among the options, send the seller a message and they’ll create the logo for you. The throw takes about two weeks to arrive, and Etsy offsets the carbon emissions from shipping and packaging this product.
From $38 at Etsy
Fill their walls with some chic artwork while also commemorating the university they’re heading to — or just graduated from! Highly customizable, the map comes in dozens of colors, two sizes and can include two lines of text highlighting the school, town and student’s name. Bonus: AmyElizabethArtwork can also add a heart on the map to pinpoint your grad’s favorite spot on campus.
From $21.95 at Etsy
Correspondence is worth investing in! Ensure your graduate has a profesh set of personalized notecards with this handsome CurioPress set, which has more than 14,000 positive reviews. Available in two sizes and in dozens of ink colors, the sets can also come with blank or return-addressed envelopes.
From $54 at Etsy
Chic and meaningful, this beautifully engraved frame is a great gift for grads and grads’ parents alike. Perfect for displaying on a tabletop, the 7-by-8-inch frame can accommodate a 4-by-6-inch photo, as well as a custom note on the back, in addition to the student’s name, school and graduation date on the front.
From $82.79 at Etsy
A signet ring is something she’ll cherish forever, and there’s no better time to give one — or receive one! — than at a graduation. We love all ShopEvren’s high-quality jewelry, and that includes this substantial ring, which comes in sterling silver and 14-karat gold vermeil and can bear up to four initials.
From $16.31 at Etsy
Is there a more useful gift than a wallet? We think not! And this is a gorgeous one to give. Made from real leather, the wallet comes in four hues and has 11 card slots, one flip-up transparent slot, two cash rooms and two hidden card compartments. The wallet can be personalized with a name, initials, a monogram or personal notes on its exterior and interior.
From $2.50 at Etsy
Perfect for a college graduation party, these peel-and-stick wine labels will add to the celebration’s revelry. Water-resistant and repositionable, the labels come in four sizes and can be personalized with your graduate’s name or school.
From $45 at Etsy
Celebrate the graduate’s school of choice with this shadow box that can bear any institution’s logo and can be filled with hand-rolled paper flowers in the school’s colors. Available in three sizes and with the flowers in a single color, two-tone checkered or two-tone striped, the boxes make for an eye-catching keepsake they’ll keep for years to come.
From $16.95 at Etsy
Celebrate their past and future success with a pair of these funny socks, which will let everyone know that they are, in fact, kind of a big deal.
From $8.95 at Etsy
Got a medical professional in the house? Celebrate all future nurses and doctors with this thoughtful (and handy!) stethoscope charm that comes in three metal options and can bear up to 15 characters and a cute little picture drawing.
From $48 at Etsy
Corral all the graduation memories into one space with this personalized album that can be used as a guest book on the day of the big party, or as a scrapbook for photos and keepsakes. Ultra-customizable, the book comes in two sizes; can be made with white, black or lined pages and can include anywhere from 30 to 60 pages. The book’s vegan leather binding comes in 11 colorways, and you can also choose from two bamboo cover finishes and three screw colors.
From $56.81 at Etsy
Celebrate your graduate’s accomplishment with this gorgeous portrait of their school. Simply send PixelsandPaintArt a digital photo of the building or landscape you’d like commemorated, then choose from the four print sizes (5×7 to 11×16) and a slew of fonts you’d like your personalized text to appear in. The seller has 10 universities pre-drawn, which you can check out here.
From $37.60 at Etsy
Add to her jewelry collection with this simple, beautiful piece from TheSilverWren. Boasting more than 23,000 positive reviews, the necklace features a state charm and a disc bearing the school’s initials, and it comes in gold, silver or rose gold and three lengths (16, 18 or 20 inches).
From $15 at Etsy
Foster your graduate’s green thumb with this sweet pot that simultaneously lets them know just how excited you are to see what their future holds.
From $26.99 at Etsy
One of Etsy’s top picks for grad gifts, this commemorative frame comes in both 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 sizes and portrait and landscape orientations. Simply add the year, plus two lines of text (with up to 40 characters each), and your frame will shape in a few days.
From $24.50 at Etsy
Completely customizable so you can get a personal message engraved on the inside and their name embossed on the outside, this heartfelt leather journal is the perfect home for their notes or daily thoughts.
From $43.54 at Etsy
A slew of unsightly cords simply won’t do for your grad — tidy up their charging station with this handsome leather valet that includes three compartments for their phone, smartwatch, AirPods and more. Cord slots make for easy charging, and a slew of personalization options are available, from initials and two lines of text to a custom monogram.
From $24 at Etsy
College kids are often on the move, which makes a durable cosmetic bag a clutch gift to give your grad this year. We love this one because it can be personalized with a name or monogram and because it’s lined with a leak-proof, wipeable vinyl. Available in nine colors, the bag comes in small and large sizes that can be ordered as a set for $46.
$48.95 at Etsy
Boasting more than 30,000 positive reviews, this sweet keepsake box will keep your grad’s knickknacks safe alongside an inspirational message. Add your recipient’s name to the lid, and opt for the included inside message, or add your own custom memo.
$11.95 at Etsy
She’s going to need all the caffeine during collegiate all-nighters! Set her up for success with this cute, personalized mug. Choose from dozens of hair colors and styles, not to mention cap and gown colors, and add both your grad’s name and a personalized message on the back of the mug.
