I agree. The gift should come from your niece/parents. You are a really nice aunt.

Niece's parents are supposed to reimburse me for expenses. I'm sure it will not be totally without cost to me besides 4 days of time. I anticipate spending a lot of time alone in the hotel room, while my niece and the guy spend some time together while they can. We will be using my car. I am a good aunt, but this girl is more like a granddaughter to me than a niece. I helped raise her and love her very much. I just found out that there will be a party, but it will be held a week after the graduation and I won't be there then. The plan is to go to dinner with the graduate and his parents after the graduation. I feel as tho I should give him something, but how much?

A card with $20 should be just fine. It's an acknowledgement of the young man's event, nothing more.

I agree with Sushipup1.

I also think that a gift isn't necessary in this situation. What you are doing is truly a gift. But I feel the same way you do, especially since you'll be going out to dinner with them. Why not ask your niece if she has any gift deas.

Why spend time alone in a hotel room? That sounds depressing.

Get out and about, there's no reason to sit around moping as if waiting for someone to die. I don't know Ohio well, but in most places there are local attractions to visit. Is there a city of reasonable size nearby, surely there would be activities to find in or near one.

I hope you'll find some fun things to do too. I don't know what size city you are going to graduation in, hopefully there will be something of interest to enjoy - although I do understand you not wanting to get too far out of range of niece if you are supposed to be chaperoning ;)

I'm a little surprised the graduate is even free for dinner, the last three I've been to (in three different cities, two states) have included whisking the kids off in provided transportation to an all class all night party. We're still a little up in the air for a great nephews grad in three weeks, I haven't made reservations for us yet. If we go to graduation, we'll see little of him. The kids are being bussed to an undisclosed location from graduation services to their party. His family is having their own celebration on Saturday following the Wednesday graduation. We can't do both, it's about a 6 1/2 hour round trip. I think a phone call is in order, I need to ask him what he would like us to do, where/when he would like our participation.

But back to your question, I think no more of a relationship than you have with the boy, I would probably buy a card and enclose a $25 Starbucks card. If he has definite plans for college and you know where, you could send for a gift card to their bookstore.

If it were me, I;d do $30...It's a nice round number and doesn't say cheap like $20...The difference isn't much but gift wise it says a lot....If you think 30 is too much do $25...but not $20.

Thank you all for your input. I was thinking along the lines of $25 but wasn't sure if that was enough. The reason that I said I'd probably be spending a lot of time in the hotel room is because I'm not sure that the boy has access to a car, or has one of his own. There's a possibility that my niece will need to use my car to get around. I won't mind. I have what the Dr thinks is tendonitis in my foot and can't do much walking w/o a lot of pain. I'm scheduled for an ultrasound and EMG after the trip. I had an MRI which was inconclusive. Again, thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. Mare

Our sons girl friends daughter is graduating on Friday. We were invited to a party that we can not attend. I sent a card with 30 dollars in it. We do not know her well.