12 Graduation gift ideas for your best friend

12 Graduation gift ideas for your best friend

1. A last-minute pixel game Our product

   oin turns your friendship into a small 2D pixel game with them as the main character, generated from an authorized photo, plus two custom NPCs made from authorized photos with consent. Two letters from you open and close it, a 5-question quiz about your story together rewards flowers for correct answers, and the final level is set in Almaty, Kazakhstan; New York and Tokyo are coming soon. It plays in a browser with no install, is usually emailed within an hour and costs $29.90. See how it works →

2. A spa day

   A massage voucher and a quiet afternoon to switch off. Around $60-200.

3. A Dior fragrance

   A Dior fragrance, only if you know it is their scent. Around $90-180.

4. A spontaneous trip

   A ticket to a city high on their wish list, booked as a surprise with a printed day-by-day plan. Around $100-600.

5. A piece from a favourite brand

   A jumper or jacket from Uniqlo, COS or Arket. Check their size. Around $60-250.

6. A photo book

   A printed book of your photos together, with captions and inside jokes. Order a week ahead. Around $25-70.

7. Tickets to a match

   Seats at a live game for a team close to their heart. Around $40-200.

8. Matching bracelets

   Matching bracelets or keychains for the group. Around $10-40.

9. A desk plant

   A small plant or an office treat for the desk. Around $10-40.

10. A hand cream and lip balm set

    A small set from L’Occitane or Aesop. Around $20-60.

11. A coffee subscription

    Three months of beans from Blue Bottle or Trade, or a Nespresso or De’Longhi machine. Around $45-250.

12. Open-when letters

    A stack of envelopes, each labelled for a moment: open when you miss me, when you need a laugh, when you cannot sleep. It costs little.

Buying when you are not sure of a hobby

When there is no obvious hobby to buy for, personal beats expensive. A gift built from a memory or an inside joke tells them you were paying attention, which a generic gadget cannot do.

Pick one thing to open, one to use and one to keep.

Buying for your best friend

A best friend knows you well enough to spot a generic gift. Aim for something that refers to a joke, a trip or a rule only the two of you understand.

The more specific, the better, and it does not need to be expensive.

If the ceremony is tomorrow

Graduation gifts do not need to be physical. Spa vouchers, digital tickets and a personalized game arrive fast, and an oin game is usually emailed within an hour of payment, in time for the party.

Consider whether the budget is better spent on a party or a gift. A personal note about what you saw along the way costs nothing and is remembered.