She'll be bringin' in all this frilly frou-frou crap, like furniture, and dishes. Nah, we use paper plates around here. -Carl from ATHF

Graduation is one of those rare occasions, like a Bar Mitzvah, where cash is a socially acceptable gift. I would never give cash for birthday, wedding, shower, etc., but for graduations and Mitzvahs, always. The only time I give something personal (in addition to the cash) is if I know the person well enough to give a meaningful gift.

Unless the recipient is a student, in which case word might get spread round the fam that money is desired. Even then I am not comfortable with it. My niece wanted money for her birthday, as she and her friends were planning a big shopping trip the weekend after....so I gave her £20 but I also bought her a little gift, a cd she was after, because that way I'd actually got her something that was thought out. But lots of people, including cousins gave her money. I recall it being a topic of conversation.....none of us felt entirely happy giving money instead of gifts, but that's what she'd asked for so.....

When I was younger, money for pressies was really something that only came from grandparents, aunts and uncles and usually came in the form of tokens rather than actual spondoolies. Generally they were Book Tokens, occassionally they were the more flexible WHSmith vouchers.

I used to love those. There was something profoundly satisfying about counting up the tokens and odd fiver in a card. Then off to the book shops to buy books....glorious.

We always got cash from our rellies in London. And I agree, it was so exciting to open cards and see more money than you had in the previous 6 months sat there in front of you. We were never greedy kids, but there was a sense of What, no money? when you opened some cards.

My Dad was the youngest brother, so we got quite large amounts from our two uncles. Well, large for 8-12 year olds - Mum made us save it for when we went on holiday, and it made a big difference to them because we could pay our own way in the amusement arcades, and buy a portion of chips on the pier etc. I do wonder if it set the pattern for me getting pleasure from blowing large wads on money on trinkets though! :)

Its called *Schoolies Week* in Australia.

Mostly, at the end of Secondary School education, kids are around 18 years old, thats legal drinking age. So off they trot to write themselves off for a week.

Typically, thats heading to Surfers Paradise (Queensland), but with the police/media attention that has been attracting in recent years, school leavers are heading off to alternative destinations.

Wow, graduate and legal drinking age all at once. now that's cause to celebrate!

Graduation parties, at least all the ones I've ever heard of around here are mostly put on to gather money for the grad. Most of the ones I attended had a "college fund" jar sitting out, so if you wanted to slip some cash into that during the party you could...along with hopefully money or gift card filled cards for the student.

I used all my money on stuff for my dorm, and later for my books and it really helped (don't believe I had a jar at my party) ...right now I couldn't name off one actual present I got for graduating...

Nope.

My party was really cool though! I can post photos if anyone wants to see...mine was in early fall, just before I went back to school. It was supposed to be a luau theme, but it pourrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred outside terribly, so we had an impromptu monsoon party. It was great :D

They all want cash. Depends on how well you know the family or kid. Ours is graduating and the tradition is to send out graduation anouncements. Close people will send money back. Others will just throw them in the trash. Buy a graduation card and stick some money in it and give it to the grad.

If we don't know them well we give them $25, If we know them well and like them, $50. If they are family or people who were really close to us more, $75-100.

Yes please!

I'd want an IKEA gift card if I were graduating from anything...

Speaking of graduation, I went to an 8th grade graduation the other day (very popular in Illinois) and one of the kids was picked up from 8th grade graduation in a limo. I thought that was a bit much.

Celebrating 8th grade graduation with anything more than a handshake and a summer job application is a bit much.