Towels are the most requested item I do for grand parents with college age grandkids for any gift giving ocassion. Seems they walk off. A couple of years ago, one of my 12 year old students used different colors of plaid flannel for pj pants for her brother & mixed the pieces as she sewed them up for the same reason. Everybody can get school logos at the book stores or plaids from Walmart or Target. By Christmas break of his freshman year, all his were missing. He came up with the idea & bought her the fabrics. He has not lost any of what she made him because they are too easy to identify. You could embroidery names or statements in big letters & with stand out colors on purchased lounge pants. EX. BRAD'S PJS, HANDS OFF, MINE BUY YOUR OWN, & etc. Pat has good ideas too.

what about a "you're a grownup now" library? All the "reference books" for life: HOME CARE Martha's "Homekeeping Handbook" or Cheryl's "Home Comforts" FINANCES Suze Orman's "The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke" HEALTH (or, "do I need to go to the doctor?") "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" or "American Medical Association Family Medical Guide" ETIQUETTE "Emily Post's Etiquette," 17th Edition or "Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners" RELIGION any reference book (bible, catechism, concordance, hymnal, for example; I'm a Lutheran, so I'd put in The Augsburg Confession and The Book of Concord) that pertains to your religion; ask a clergy person for suggestions COOKING "The New Doubleday Cookbook" by Jean Anderson (my personal favorite "general, how-do-you-do-it" cookbook), or "Le Cordon Bleu's Complete Cooking Techniques" or "The New Basics Cookboo"k by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins GENERAL dictionary, encyclopedia (though these aren't as useful anymore what w/the Web, and she's probably got a decent dictionary) ATLAS Buy 'em used, and it won't add up *quite* so high. Add in "every grownup needs 'em" gadgets --a "tape gun" or packing tape dispenser, a mini sewing kit (I know college grads who don't have a seam ripper to help take the tags out of their clothes), a paper trimmer, stuff like that.

We've survived 4 graduations so far with our three children. For college all 3 received a gift and some much needed cash. I gave my daughter a small emerald pendant that had been mine, emerald is her birthstone. We gave the 2 boys Coach briefcases from the Coach outlet store which made the price very reasonable. They used the money to purchase suits for interviews and their new jobs. When my eldest finished his MBA 2 years ago we gave him a very nice Tag Heuer watch (no cash this time) and that's what the Law grad will get next year. It's a shame they don't have jobs lined up because that could really help you with ideas. Did your daughter have any suggestions? Could you ask your son for ideas for his GF and then switch and ask her if she is aware of anything you could give your son? Does she wear jewelry? Oh this is awful - I just realized that you said they're graduating this month. So I guess that means you have to think of graduation and Christmas gifts too. For Christmas we're giving one of our sons a top coat since he has to wear suits to work and the other one is getting a nice garment bag and a carry on bag. Sorry- I don't think I've been very helpful.

I don't think it's necessarily bad that she isn't headed straight for college. It's difficult to know at 18 what you want to do with your life. I know many, many people with crippling student loan debt right now because they felt like they had to go to college, and they often picked majors that, in hindsight, weren't the best choices. I don't know if anyone has priced out colleges recently but they are extremely expensive, even state schools. I graduated 10 years ago and tuition costs have raised considerably since then. Tuition increases are outpacing pretty much anything else in the economy, and it's really becoming a problem when young adults graduate thinking they did this great thing only to have trouble finding even low paying jobs and soon facing $1,200 a month in student loan repayments. I routinely see people $60k-$80k in debt at 22 because they went to college like they were supposed to. Community college is usually a good deal, though. Granted, wanting to work part time forever without getting any additional education isn't ideal, and I think pointing out the limitations would be a good thing. But taking some time before college isn't always a bad idea.