Those were the best of times: grad night at King's Island, Senior Skip Day (sanctioned by my parents and my friends' parents...we went to Brown Reservoir for a day of swimming) getting a cute spring dress for graduation party, senior prom, awards banquets, looking out the classroom window towards the fields and trees those last few warm days dreaming of your future. Sigh, I liked high school, even if that makes me a nerd.

I had an all-day graduation party, with a progressive schedule of stops scheduled at several of my classmates' houses; pool party at one; barbeque at another; dance at another. My house had dessert.

At my 6th grade graduation!

We won't even get into the preschool, kindergarten, middle school, etc. "graduations" that are cropping up.

lol!

I am totally with you here. I missed High School after leaving. College quickly made me realize how much more was out there and all, but still...

(cruising off topic) I missed out on my kids' graduations, since they didn't graduate. (One went back after a couple of years and got her diploma; the other got her GED).

In my school (private girls' school) we wore long white dresses and carried bouquets of red roses, in lieu of cap and gowns.

My mother made mine, because she thought the available white dresses were too fancy. I was so mad.

My wife's high school also used white dresses for the girls. She re-used it, with the addition of a veil, as her wedding dress.

We just had a 'leavers' party': a school disco where all the school leavers are invited. I remember it being very exciting. I remember planning for weeks what I was going to wear (along with my best mate). I remember smuggling in alcohol and the teachers turning a blind eye...

But very little formality to it.

Just a tip - if you do get a gift card, go for Target or Wal-mart. I know with me, all the money I got went to buying things for college. I paid for every single thing that went with me except the computer my parents had bought me earlier in the year for my b-day.

Thanks y'all. Yes nothing like this in the UK. And if there were, really I don't thinks gifts would be expected. Only at birthday parties and weddings. I reckon we'll go with bookstore giftcards. One is likely to go to college in the UK, the other i'm not sure is going to college, but you can get fun and serious stuff in bookstores and I can't quite do the cash giving thing, its too..... erm.... well, not what I was brought up with. Appreciate your input.

I agree; I wouldn't give currency either, unless it was to a family member. Gift cards are a bit more acceptable.

I got cash and checks mostly. Granted it was close to 10 years ago, but it was fine with me.

when in Rome.... Give 'em the green.

Maybe I'm just one of those ice-cream licking public bite takers, but I wouldn't say that a graduation announcement requires attendance or a gift, unless you are very close to the family. Birthdays and weddings are about it.

It's hard to shake the social mores you grew up with. The only people (peversely) it is acceptable to give money to as presents is your own family. usually only applies at a distance from older to younger generations ie Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles who live in different cities. From anyone else it is considered a sign that you don't care.
Oh dear. The future Mrs HM has her work cut out for her.