Perfect Gift Ideas for Community College Graduates

With most parents suffering setbacks from the recession, students graduating from community college probably aren't expecting much in the way of gifts.

But plenty of parents still want to reward their grads, not only for working their butts off to obtain an associate's degree and a shot at transferring to a four-year school of their choice, but also for making a wise decision that saved the whole family a ton of dough. So if you happen to be sending your two-year grad off to the next phase of education, here are a few amazing gifts that he's sure to appreciate.

A trip.

If you've been trying to figure out how to use your accumulated travel miles, now is your chance.

After obtaining a high school diploma and spending two more years on an associate's degree, a break is likely long overdue.

So before you ship your grad off for another two years of schooling, send him on a much-needed trip to gain a little life experience.

A plane ticket to Paris, Hong Kong, or Argentina will no doubt appeal to the adventurous spirit of any student suffering burnout, and a lesson in world culture that includes meeting new people, sampling new foods, and seeing ancient architecture and art is likely to give him the rejuvenating jump-start he needs to head off to his major program full of gusto.

A car.

If your teen was smart enough to forego the costs of a car while living at home and attending community college, he may have been setting aside some money for the cause in the meantime.

Offer to match his funds (or more) as a graduation present so that he can head off to school in a reliable vehicle rather than the clunker his meager budget would provide for.

Gift certificates.

Students setting off for the ivory tower have many shopping needs. Not only would they probably like a few smart ensembles to impress professors, nab internships, and even attend job interviews, but they'll also need home goods for their dorm or apartment.

Instead of trying to figure out what your graduate might like, give him gift cards for department stores or discount superstores that will provide him with all kinds of options that suit his own tastes.

A new laptop or tablet.

This is one essential that anyone heading into a baccalaureate program will need, so if the student in your life has been operating on an old, used electronic device for the last couple of years, support his continued education with a speedy new laptop from Dell or an iPad complete with a keyboard docking station and a few handy apps installed (Pages for word processing, Dropbox for storage and file transfer, and Skype for calling home).

Digital photo frame (pre-loaded).

Not everyone has a ton of dough to spend on graduation gifts (especially if they're contributing to tuition), so instead of breaking the bank on a pricy present, spend a little to give a gift from the heart. Any student leaving home is bound to suffer from loneliness, so preload the memory card of a digital photo frame with plenty of pics of family and friends.

With a variety of gift bags from RetailPackaging.com you can spice up any present, but it's what's inside that counts.