Graduation Etiquette Reminders

 

GRADUATION ETIQUETTE

 

This is the time of year for Graduations, and therefore, a good time to review some graduation etiquette so you have confidence in what is the right behavior when we receive an announcement or an invitation. Now cap and gowns commencements start as early as Kindergarten so you not only could receive them for a high school or college graduation but for pre-school, fifth or eighth grade!

Let's begin with the understanding the difference between a graduation announcement and an invitation to a graduation ceremony or party.

 

An Announcement, as its name implies, is simply a way of informing friends and family that a young man or woman has accomplished an academic goal. It does not require your attending any event whatsoever.

 

If you receive a graduation announcement, you are not required to send a gift to the graduate. You, of course, may do so if you wish, receiving a gift is always nice, but you do not have to. What is always a nice gesture is to send a card or note congratulating the graduate for his/her accomplishment.

 

On the other hand, if you are invited to the ceremony or the celebration of the graduation, you must send or take with you a gift to the event. Teens don’t seem in general to be too concerned with buying their friends gifts, but it is our duty as parents to show them how considerate it is to take a gift to their friend’s celebration.  It is also a good opportunity to talk to your teens about money and budgets when you go out shopping together for that gift and guide them into an area of adulting many times neglected, which is talking about their money management.

 

Another aspect that is always a delicate topic is who gets invited to the actual commencement. Usually,  high school and college graduation ceremonies have a limited number of invitations allotted per student. Most family members will understand that it only allows for very close members to attend, but always explain the situation to relatives so they don’t feel they have been left out of this important family event.  A considerate way of dealing with this problem is to make sure that members from each side of the family of the graduate attend. For instance, if you only have two available tickets, invite one grandparent from each side, instead of the couple from either the mother’s or father’s side.

 

If you have a large family that is used to big celebrations and want to participate in the festivities to show how proud and happy they are for the graduate,  then hold a party. It does not even have to be on the same day of the ceremony which might be too much for one day, but hold it any day after the graduation and make sure to invite everyone so they all share the family joy. 

 

Enjoy this graduation season and share the joy of theses special occasions!