Our son is graduating from HS in a few short weeks. We did not order the formal announcements through the school because they were about $4 each---totally insane. So I am thinking about going to an office supply store to order something nice, but a bit cheaper. Especially after ordering the senior pics-$170 got us 1 8x10, 2 5x7, and 24 wallets. Now the thing is we only get 8 tickets to the graduation ceremony, so w/ our family of 6, and two sets of grandparents, we are short there-we really have no extras if someone wants to come to the ceremony. We are having a party after the ceremony, but we know a lot of ppl will not be able to attend. But we would still like to announce it and we do not want anyone to feel obligated to send a gift, especially his nurses and Drs. who treated him when he had cancer last year. Any thoughts or suggestions?

My twins are graduating next week. We did not order the announcements, because IMO it's just an "ask for a gift". Our close family and friends know they are graduating. If they want to send a gift or a card, great. I just don't want them to feel obligated. When I get an announcement I feel like I have to send something.

Just my opinion...YMMV.


ETA-Now that I read devinmom's response I think that it's a good idea to send the picture with a nice letter!

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I would be inclined to send a picture of your graduate to the doctors/nurses at the hospital or treatment center - you might just include it in a handwritten note from you or DS. I think they would LOVE to see a beautiful formal picture of him post-cancer - I'm sure it's so welcome to them to hear from a young man or his family after going through something like that - and I know they mean so much to you guys.

Not sure on the announcements - I don't have any kids that age yet, so I don't know what is commonly done.

Congratulations!!!!!

I did lots of invites to the "after party"...not the ceremony itself. You could always have "please no gifts. Your attendance is the gift to us". Or you could ask people to make a donation to a cancer charity perhaps?

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My DS graduates one week from today. I sent announcements to all my family members, which ended up being 16 announcements. I disagree that sending an announcement is a request for a gift. This is a huge accomplishment in a child's life and should be shared with those he/she loves and cares for. In our extended family, one child has graduated every year for the past 6 years.

Some people give a gift and some do not. The gift is not the reason the announcement go out. At least not in my family. I do know some people who send announcements to everyone they had an contact with in the past couple of years, and yes, I believe those may be sent out in hopes of getting gifts.

I was outraged at the price for the Sr photos - For the pics they took at school it was a $70 "sitting" fee and $200 deposit for a package. I shelled out the $120 for 25 announcements and those little name cards but refused to pay for the pics. But when I called around to the photo studios in my area all the prices were comparable to the school price or higher.

So I "white-trashed" my son's pics. I took them myself. I Set up a white sheet, had him in his cap and gown and took about 25 pics. I only found one "good one" I could use and photo-shopped the heck out of it so it could look professional. (Added a color-gradient background and shadows) It took me literally 2 days to get the pics to where my son approved of it. Then I took my disk to Walgreen's photo lab - a got 1-11x14, 6 - 8x10, 8 - 5x7, and 30-wallet-sized for a total of $37. I was very pleased when Walgreen's made me sign a waiver stating that I took the pics and was not trying to copy pics taken by a professional. LOL

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Mary

I agree also that this is not a "gift request". It is a way to share your child's proud moment of graduation. My nephew graduated this year and I would have been upset if I had not received an announcement. Now I can understand if they were too expensive to buy, because in my opinion they really try to get as much money as they can from parents and students and some of it just isn't worth it.

An absolutely great idea.

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l/ l/ l/
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GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

I like this suggestion too.

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l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

We did send out announcements when my last DD graduated and yes they were expensive, but I figured it only happens once and I couldn't duplicate something as nice. On the senior pictures though, we did not go through the photography studio the school wanted us to use (we did have to get the yearbook picture done there for $10) but I hired an independent photographer, there was no sitting fee, she did indoor and outdoor, she had a seperate photography studio behind her house and a beautiful garden in her backyard, the pictures were georgous and we got to pick only what we wanted to order from the proofs and we could buy the proofs if we wanted. No waiver had to be signed, so I purchased some pictures and scanned some pictures myself. She did indoor, outdoor, black & white, told my DD to bring several different outfits formal, casual, etc. and had her change clothes. It was about a 2-3 hour picture taking session. The pictures came out wonderful, my DD had such a great time and the pictures were much nicer than the ones all the other seniors had taken at the other studio.

Ok, I got off track, LOL, the whole reason I was posting was the price of invitations. Last year I went to take my recylcables to the recycling area and when I went to put them in there were boxes and boxes of (guess what?) high school invitations from that year in the recylcling bin after graduation, from all three local high schools (not my town the next town over) I know the only thing that makes them different is the little cards with the kids names that go on them, but I just thought it was ironic that all these "leftover" invitations had been dumped by the printing company. I mean I guess they have to dump them, they do have the year on them, but I was surprised to find them that's all.

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My son graduates next month, we bought the announcements and included a wallet photo in each one. I also took his senior picture and if he liked it thats what matters. Luckily for us his graduation is in an outdoor amphitheater so there is unlimited seating.

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"Never loan your car to someone you have given birth too"

We get 6 for this graduation. Thank goodness I have twins so we will have enough! I offered my extras up to some friends. For my oldest DD's we only got 4! I had to leave the younger two kids at home. Which sucked.

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We've been printing a lot of graduation announcements at the Target I work at. It's a nice 8"x4" photo print with his picture and a graduation theme you can pick out and customize. At my store they are 44¢ each and come with a nice heavy envelope. You can go online to Target and check them out.

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My twins are graduating next week also and I ordered 100 announcements. 50 for each child. I don't feel like its a cry for money for them, they have struggled to make it through high school and all of our friends/family knows what they went through. I sure don't expect anything from anyone, but we just wanted to shout it out to the world what they have accomplished! My twins gets 2 RED tickets for the parents/grandparents to sit in reserved seating. All others have to sit in the blenchers but if it rains, only the ones with red tickets will be able to watch the graduation. That's not alot of tickets but I think we have all agreed on who's going and who's staying home to help with the after graduation party.

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Proud Single Mother to 18 year old Twins Ashley/Davey, 14 year old Shawna, 5 year old Emma, and my Boo Bear, "Angel Hope" (1996-1997) RIP Boo.

I have no suggestions on invitations or anything but wanted to offer a huge congratulations to all the parents of graduates here!! It's a big accomplishment for the student as well as parents and others who helped get them to this point.

Tag,
I agree... This thread has me a little teary eyed because DS went to live with Dad a few years ago, things got out of hand and he dropped out of school this year. He would be graduating next week. It is the saddest thing in the world for me to sit and see all these kids going to prom and then getting ready for graduation... It really is hard..
However to those of you who have children graduating, CONGRATS!! That has got to be the greatest feeling in the world!!!!!

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GO TONY!!!!!!!!!!! # 20!!!

I feel you should announce his graduation. It's a great accomplishment and should be recognized and celebrated. (gee, where have I heard that one? ) I know that a lot of the relatives only get to see them once or twice a year and would love having a photo included. Also, some of the relatives can't remember who is how old and in what grade? Especially if you have a large family. Does this make sense?

I would do announcements but I would also do something cheaper my cuz just gradutated & his mom made a card with his pic on it at like harolds on those photo card machines with his grad info on it too I guess kinda killed 2 birds with one stone that way

BTW that is crazy for pics I may just take my kids to sears with one of those coupons for $9.99 when the time comes

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Lynne~ Congratulations to Patrick!

In my opinion, sending an announcement is not asking for a gift. I think it's too bad that anyone would think of it as that. I say, anytime we have a chance to spread happy news... we should do so.

My daughter graduated last Dec., and we ordered her announcements from someplace online. I will ask her tomorrow where it was and let you know tomorrow. I know they were less than $20 though.

You all had some great ideas-thank you! Well, in talking to my BFF (Kellyboysmom), she told me that she could do them on the computer-I didn't know she was so talented, and knowing her, they will come out beautiful! After Patrick graduates, I'll have three years to regroup til the next one graduates!

I got my son's taken at WM for dirt cheap....well worth it

You can go to Staples or another office supply store and buy the announcement paper and do them yourself on your own computer. Save yourself a lot of $$ and then you can word it the way you want.

I don't think sending announcements is a 'gift request.' It's a big achievement in life and should be celebrated. And if gifts start coming, then let him enjoy them! He deserves them!

Well, our graduation has come and gone and I have to say that I feel similar to you, linny. I only sent out graduation announcements to close family members who I felt might like to have them as a momento, and those were people who were probably already planning to send him a gift. For those who aren't used to them and/or are not socially adept, the announcement seemed to be confusing since it is not an invitation to the graduation. We only had 6 tickets, which covered the three of us, grandma & grandpa, and grandma. I was able to get one extra ticket late in the game for my s-i-l.

We did have an open house after the graduation. Most families did the same, so friends were all busy with their own families, so it was a family, friends of parents, and neighbors thing.

We paid $300 at the beginning of the year for graduation, which included 10 announcements, cap & gown, etc. Only having 10 announcements kinda limited what we could do anyways.

cj/

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