My daughter is a senior this year, and we have started receiving a barrage of graduation announcements. I have already counted 15 and I'm guessing we'll be receiving another 25 to 30 more. I could easily go broke giving graduation presents for everyone we receive an announcement from. What is the standard protocol here? If you're not buying a present, do you send a card with a nice note instead? I don't want to be a cheapskate, but my God, spending $25 on 40 to 50 kids seems a little stupid. We only sent announcements to our family and close friends---none to the family of classmates. What does everyone here do for graduating seniors?
I would say if you have met the friend or if they are really close to your daughter and or family, then buy them something like a $25 gift card. If not, ignore them.
If they are classmates of your daughter and you did not send them one too, I would not bother with it.
Ideally, graduation announcements would be sent to those close enough to the graduate that they would be likely to want to attend the graduation, instead of sent out by the bushel to all acquaintences. You don't owe them a gift, but if you feel close enough to them, it is a nice thing to do. Otherwise, a congratulatory card is fine. I don't think everyone who receives a card is expected to send a gift.
I may be wrong, but there's a difference between an announcement and an invitation to the graduation. I was under the impression that you give gifts only if you get an invititaion, not an announcement.A graduation announcement is kinda like a birth announcement. You send it to everyone you know just cause you're proud, not becuase you expect something.
I'm kind of a jerk but I only send graduation gifts to family and it's usually a substantial check to help them on their way.
