Proms, graduation parties, commencement ceremonies — it seems like all the classic rites of passage for grads disappeared overnight. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate. Here are a ten ways to celebrate your favourite graduate.
1. Throw a nostalgic dinner party
Ask your senior to make a wish list of his or her dream meal, and then dig into the archives for your memories of childhood favourite foods. Remember the year he ate nothing but chicken nuggets, or when she harboured a yen for Cool Ranch Doritos? Serve the throwbacks and the current favourites in courses. Decorate your dining area with photos, put on some party music, invite friends to Zoom in for a toast, and dig in.
2. Drive down memory lane
How about a visit your child’s favourite places and memories for a socially distant road trip. Queue up a soundtrack, pose at a few landmarks for photos, and stop for takeout at a favourite restaurant on the way home. If it’s not accessible, why not stop for photos at important places, like your child’s first school or home.
3. Create a personalized yearbook
Ask friends and family to e-mail photos of your senior — throwbacks and current ones — along with a short tribute. Upload them to a service like Shutterfly, which specializes in hardcover photo albums in a variety of sizes and styles, complete with text. Get creative with assignments: Maybe one friend can contribute the top 10 favourite memories; another can write a funny poem.
4. Stage a scavenger hunt
Your senior’s old teddy bear? An embarrassing but hilarious junior high science project? Tuck a few mementos from your senior’s school career throughout the neighbourhood for finding, with clues. Top off the hunt with a real present, such as a gift certificate to a favourite store or a new video game.
5. Create a wisdom registry
Many graduates are anxious about their future or the job market. Think about your networks and create a registry designed around things they’ll really need to know, based around areas of expertise, with instructions on how to redeem. Maybe your colleague will sign on for a half-hour of résumé editing. A savvy neighbour can consult on a LinkedIn profile or a budgeting software tutorial.
6. Arrange a weeklong gifting party
Instead of bombarding your graduate with gifts on one day, stretch the fun out. Give him or her something to look forward to with a “Gift of the Day” for a week, with a theme to go with each one. Maybe one day is “Feasting Friday,” with a gift certificate to a favourite restaurant to be used later. Another might be “Tech Tuesday,” with the gift of a coveted gadget.
7. Enroll in a virtual (fun!) class
Gather a group of your graduate’s pals for a fun, activity-focused Zoom session that they can enjoy together. The good old interweb is full of virtual classes such as cooking / art etc, or who knows, maybe jewelry design? Could you become Astwood Dickinson’s next Master Craftsperson?
8. Play “Guess Who?”
Round up a few influential people from your senior’s life, such as a favourite coach or inspiring teacher. Ask them to record a special video message for your senior and hang onto them. Then give your senior a set of clues so they can guess the person behind each tribute. Once they guess the name correctly, cue up the matching tribute.
9. Fund their virtual life
Curate a richer online experience by bankrolling online diversions: a subscription to Hulu, a 30-day virtual yoga series, or a gift subscription to a their favourite music or gaming medium
10. Assemble a book of family recipes
Hopefully, your homebound graduate will someday have his or her own kitchen, even though it might not seem like it now. Assemble a book of favourite family recipes with input from relatives, and maybe tuck in a supermarket gift card or two for good measure.
And you do know we are here for you, we will perform delivery services for anyone who cannot get to our store, curb-side collection every day of the week, and as we move into this new second phase, it will be lovely to see some of our wonderful friends back in our store so we can hopefully look after your special graduate in the manner to which we hope you have always been accustomed.