Please share what's going on with you. When do they graduate? Do they want a party? Are you going to send out announcements? Are you getting emotional about it?

My oldest son is graduating May 22. I thought that he may want a party, but he doesn't. I've asked him several times and he's said no. We're just going to have the immediate family come back to our house afterwards. I'll decorate and have a nice cake for him. While it would be fun to have a party for him, I'm just as glad he's not because it would be alot of work. I have friends who have older kids and they don't recommend parties because of liability issues. Of course we wouldn't serve any alcohol, but I've heard that alot of the kids drink before they go to the parties. My son said that it's usually only the girls who have parties. Maybe just the ones he knows. When I graduated back in 1981, everyone had a party...guys and girls...and we all had kegs of beer. I only got about ten announcements that I'm going to send out to immediate family...mostly DH's siblings. I was going to put his senior picture in them. DH thinks it's like asking for money, and I thought the same thing, but I just ended up caving in last week and ordering a few. My friend got some and they are really nice looking. I was really emotional back in the fall just thinking about it, but I think I've gotten it all out of my system now. It's been such a hectic and expensive year with all of his auditions, that I think I'll actually be relieved when it's all over with...but who knows? I may end up balling my head off! ~Lisa

I have a ds who is graduating. Since he has homeschooled the last two years his "graduation" will be at Mass this coming Friday morning. There are only 5 of them walking down the aisle! We are having a party, and no he doesn't want one, on Memorial weekend at my sisters house. We are mostly inviting close friends and relatives. I only have two kids and my sis and brother have none so I don't want to not have a party. It's going to be in the early evening with food, etc... He really doesn't mind that much or I wouldn't have it for him. He'll have fun. Luckily I don't have to worry at all about drinking, etc... My brother-in-law, who has owned sucessful restaurants, will be grilling, etc...so it will be a casual, fun evening. We will also be attending one of the other homeschoolers grad/recital party in June.

No, but I have a niece and nephew both graduating. They've both sent out a ton of invitations and having a party afterwards (different schools, different days). I'm family, but I think it's for more than just family. They were both talking about sending out a bunch of announcements any way. My oldest is a freshman, so I 've got another 3 years.

Lisa

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My DS is graduating and we are having a party at the country club with three other kids. I am also having a bbq for family that is coming from out of town the night before. It is a big deal here and almost everyone has a party.

My oldest is a freshman, so I have three years yet. We were just talking about this the other day though. I am pretty sure that our high school has a limit of 4 (maybe 6) invites per graduate. With my husband and plus siblings, there's our limit of 4. If this rule still applies, we really cannot invite out of town relatives.

Does anyone else have restrictions of number of people attending graduation ceremony?

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

We do do in Va. Beach,VA

That sounds like fun. How are you all doing this? Inviting the same amount of people? Splitting the cost?

They hold our graduation ceremony at a local church...The school gives each family six tickets...If you are not going to use all of them, you just give to someone else who needs them. ~Lisa

My older DD is graduating this year. I am sending out announcements with pictures to immediate family in town & close friends & family who live out of town. For much of my family, they want the announcement as a keepsake.
I did the same thing with my son who graduated 3 years ago.

We are not doing a party, DD does not want one. When my son graduated, we had a very small gathering, but he went to many parties, given by both boys & girls.

HI there sweetie been through this 2 times and this 5/17 my eldest dd Hope will graduate from college but she is contiuning her education , my younger dd Caitlin will graduate next year. It never gets easy and its sooooo emotional for me . Our high school makes up a video year book and the music alone to the events that have occured in the senior year is a tear jerker for sure. I am already in tears because our baby Caitlin will turn 17 on 5/10 and in June she takes her photos for graduation next June. In our yearbooks you can post a baby picture and write something. There again I already know I want to quote some words from Led Zeppelin which she loves from the song thank you... As far as Hope she will be 22 on 5/25 and graduating from College. We are having a party just for close knit family members and a few friends at a nice restaurant. When my son Thomas and Hope graduated from High School we had small parties at a restaurant nothing too fancy. I get extremely worried about alcohol and yes I know they drink , but not when they are in my company no way no how... Bottom line you must be 21 or else... So I hear ya and wish you nothing but the best of health and happiness and joy for you and your family..... Must our babies grow up so fast.... Thats why when Thomas graduated I quoted some words from John Lennon beautiful beautiful baby boy... I love where he tells Sean can I hold your hand one more time as we cross the street,,, okay I am in tears now.... I now realize that all of us here will be mommy and daddy's forever no matter how old they get... Peace.. Good Luck... Catherine

We live in the land of *the long, long lunch* - the obligatory grad party.
Here the parties consist of something in a crockpot or some kind of hotdish (that's *casserole* to the rest of the country), cold cuts platters w/bread & cheese, relishes, munchies, a cake, soft drinks, and other goodies depending on how big your fam is and how many rels will bring goodies.
Before I moved here I had only been to one grad party when I was 18.
They are a very big deal here, even folks with strapped finances seem to manage to pull one off. Dunno what it will be like *this* year seeing as so many more families are more strapped than ever for this area.
Grad parties here usually have a table set up that will have either a poster or tri-board with pics and glueable momentos not only from the grad's hs days, but also from infancy on. There will be a basket set in front of the board to to hold cards and cash, and the table will also hold wrapped gifts.
In a short time from now canopies will be sprouting in the backyards of grads in our neighborhood and garages will be cleaned to Kate Gosseling standards to hold as many tables and chairs as possible.
There's a lot of co-ordinating done twixt moms to try and make sure there's no conflicts or no more than 4 or 5 at the most parties on any given day. Grad parties usually begin around lunch time and can go well into the evening or night depending on how many there are on any given long, long lunch day. Kids hop from party to party, only staying long enough to leave a card or gift, sign the guest book, and visit with the guest of honor and then snag that kid to make further rounds. They don't even stay at their own parties for the duration.
Think of a bar mitzvah Mid-West style.
I think the main point of the parties here is twofold:
A.) to garner gifts and cash for the grad and
B.) if Memorial Day weather was crummy it's the first chance families and friends can get together outside and party after about 7 mos. of being cooped up inside.
While most parties occur within the first week or 2 after the grad ceremony, they can go on through mid July. I always had my kids' parties in early July cuz I was just too frazzled after trying to co-ordinate a date and time w/other moms for the first kid's party.

We are splitting the cost of the party out at the country club. Menu: nacho bar, little tacos, hot wings, meatballs, veggie tray, chocolate foundation with fruit and cake. Probably around $250 each This party is for friends of DS, teachers and friends also.

My House: pork tenderlion, potato salad, mac salad, another salad, fruit and veggie tray, cake. This party is for all our family coming from out of state (which is a lot) and very close friends

I know it sounds like a lot but that is what they do around here. I figure it only happens once. I will be cooking a lot for about 4 days with all the out of town guest.

DD, my oldest, graduates from high school June 17. She doesn't want a party with friends but we will have a BBQ for immediate family and maybe 1 or 2 of DD's closest friends. We are sending out announcements to family & a couple of close friends only. I get emotional if I think about it too much. She is also going away to college ~ she just mailed her letter of intent today so now I have that to get even more emotional about!

Her school limits the number of graduation tickets to 6 per family.

It sounds great to me...your food sounds yummy...it's making me hungry! Can I come? I'm enjoying reading what everyone is doing. We don't have a alot of family here...just my parents...so we're just doing some snacks and cake back at our house that night. All of DH's family lives out of state. So true, it only happens this one time...and it is going to be here before we know it! ~Lisa

WOW...it sounds like the party that never ends...cool! I like it! Wish we lived out there! ~Lisa

No senior this year, but did have one last year. Our guys graduate on Sunday morning with a full mass, so it's a little different. It seems like everyone had family gatherings on Sunday afternoon and really no big kid parties. Because most of them were busy with their own families, they weren't available to make the rounds until much later on in the afternoon. We had a BBQ with family (both grandparents were up) and a few friends that did not attend the same high school.

Each family was permitted 6 tickets for the graduation ceremony, but there were some leftovers and we were able to get one extra. I only sent announcements to people who we are close to and whom I felt would give DS a graduation gift anyways. I didn't want people to feel like we fishing for gifts nor to feel obligated to give.

cj/

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We are also in Va. Beach and we had our restrictions. Fortunately, DS's best friend was an only child, and he had a few more friends not using all of their tickets. So, our family of six, and two sets of grandparents were able to attend just fine.

My middle DS is graduating this year. We are doing an open house the day after graduation at our church with his best friend from 1-4. They have already posted an invitation on facebook, so I look to have lots of kids! I know DS and his friends would always go to all the parties as a big group so I have planned a kids friendly menu.

Lots of soft drinks, a hot dog bar with lots of toppings, a nacho bar, veggie tray, cake and a candy buffet.

My mom and I have gone head to head on this since last year. She has fought me on every turn. The first fight was the fact that I want to have it our church, She had a fit because its not personal and I can't serve beer. Beer was never going to be served wherever I had the party. She wants something where family members can visit, but since I expect 20 family member and over 100 kids, I am planning for the kids.

I ordered postcards with his picture on it instead of announcements because it was cheaper and he can take lots to school and invite his friends. Once the post cards came, she relented and decided they were cute.

Now were are going head to head over side dished. She thinks I need to add lots of side dishes for the relatives. Once again, I am expecting over 100 kids and thats way too much food for 1 in the afternoon when the kids will be going to other parties. I wanted something where people can come and go and have little mess.

ITS DS PARTY, NOT HERS!!! Now I have to find a way to tell her I will have limited tickets so she may have to miss the ceremony.

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