Lots of young people don't use watches. How about a key chain?

I think you may struggle with this one.

First, many boys aren't into "keepsakes", my own aren't at all and never were. Nor was my daughter for that matter.

Watches aren't so popular with the young'ins until adult years (sometimes needed for work settings) and many don't wear one. An expensive pen would get lost or stolen.

How about $200 into his savings account?

The only gift I would think might become a keepsake would be something handed down from someone in the same family. Not something purchased today in hopes the recipient will make it his keepsake.

If you want to give something personalized, an engraved silver money clip is an idea.

(I did give my adult son his collection of the Christmas Ornaments that we purchased each year while he was growing up, I'm not sure if he still has them. If he doesn't it is ok with me.)

i am sure you guys are correct in your assumption, but most young men i know are wearing watches again. my DD bought her boyfriend a watch last year for Christmas and he wears it to work. my son wears watches and has quite a few. my nephew was a watch enthusiast, my friends bought them for their sons. .... so in my circles, young men are wearing watches... but i am sure not all do and i guess its very dependent on the person.

other than that, i think buying a 'keepsake' for young men is very difficult.....

I work in a corporate environment. My boss doesn't wear a watch, and it's a bit noticeable because most every guy wears a nice dress watch. I suppose it matters what field you work in whether you wear one or not.

I personally love watches. I have several. They are an accessory to go with what I'm wearing. When I'm not at work, i never wear one.

I used the diamonds from my wedding and engagement rings to have a couple of pendants made for the girls, and the boy, is getting a cross with one diamond in it... all for grands, for first communion.

I like the idea of a watch but I think you might need to find out if he ever wears one. One of my boys always wears a watch but the other has never even owned one. If he's old enough to drive or getting close you could give him an engraved key ring.

Most boys/young men do not want a keepsake and it will be left with the parents. Although it is a special occasion money at that age rather than something to just toss when they move the next time would probably be more welcome.

I'm thinking of the gifts my sons were given over the years, nice things, but there isn't a keepsake among them. They just aren't interested in collecting "keepsakes."

Savings bond? I have no idea if those are any good now.

Careful too with a key ring. Males usually keep keys in their pants pockets and a key ring can make an already too large assemblage, bulked up because of large car fobs, worse.

Nice to know this isn't just a ??? for me, but for you too!

The multi-tool thing is pretty cool, mdln.

A leather journal and a good pen. My SIL got one as a gift when he was young and at 44 he still journals. Barns & Noble has some nice ones

When our youngest graduated from law school, we wanted to give him a special gift. Neither son wears a watch. They just use their iphones. So we suggested a few other things, and he had no use for them. Good luck on this search.

Not a keepsake, but a cool and practical device-- a small 24W solar charger that folds up into its own wallet. Enables charging while camping, sitting outdoors on campus, poolside, even while hiking if you just sling it over your backpack. It is much less than $200, though.

https://www.ravpower.com/24w-foldable-solar-charger.html

I think a nice keepsake is some book you deem important, with an inscription from you.

I thought book, too. Maybe a favorite of his or a nice leather bound first edition.

We gave our kids Leathermans when they were in their teens. Not for any occasion, just to have. They each still have theirs in their vehicles ...just in case....15 and 20 years later. They have been used.

A small engraved pocketknife, one with a small scissor. My dad carried his always; when he went to the hospital last year I took it home along with his wallet. Now I think he'd be able to open it again, I think I'll bring it to him this weekend. We gave a similar one to my DH years ago, with his initials. Sometime after 9/11 he was flying and it was taken by security, and we were never able to get it back. Too bad, he found it very handy. I carry one, too, and the scissor especially comes in so handy.

I keep a Leatherman in my vehicle too. Most recently used as an emergency wine corkscrew. LOL.

On keepsakes, i agree that most boys and men are not interested unless its something handed down from another family member. Even women, i find, only keep keepsakes out of guilt rather than a desire to do so, myself included. it is why i still have my paternal grandmothers china. I have no PLEASANT memories of that woman, she was horrible to my mother during the 18 years she lived with us. Also, i have NO use for a dozen ugly teacups and saucers. But my father would be very hurt if i were to dispose of them. I also have a bunch of precious moment figurines. My mother likes them, and would instruct people who asked what to get us girls that we like them. I got them for birthdays, first communion, confirmation, everything. I could care less about them. I hold onto them because they mark moments in my life that are more important to her than to me.I must have 3 dozen precious moments. Why she wont just take them and put them in her house, i don't know. They don't want their house cluttered with "important memories," but insist that their kids keep that crap. I keep both the precious moments and the ugly china in a plastic tote in the closet of an extra bedroom.

Maddielee, i was also given a bag of Christmas ornaments that were painstakingly collected and preserved for me over my lifetime when i moved out of my parents house. I have no idea where they are now, but it was a nice thought..... I remember seeing that collection growing up and being rather annoyed that i was not allowed to even TOUCH them, as they were for "when i was grown up." Now that i have them (i think i still have them) i could care less. But again, a nice sentiment.

As for the gift, i don't know. I put money in CDs for 2 of my nephews (because they are also my godsons). I also send them cash for birthdays and Christmas. Something for now, something for later.

ETA: I do still have my baby blankets,and would be very very upset if something were to happen to them.

My son loves his presents from each of his parents for high school graduation. His mother gave him stainless steel cufflinks, his father the high school ring from the man he's named after. My point? Depends on the boy. Mine is highly sentimental and treasures these deeply.

Yes, rob, and I believe you said your son wore suits (or coats) and dress shirts with ties to high school. That's rather unusual. Everyone is different.

chisue, ask him! Or, ask his parents.

Exactly my point. Depends on the kid. What does her recipient like? Or it's what i was already getting at

Yes, rob, and I believe you said your son wore suits (or coats) and dress shirts with ties to high school. That's rather unusual. hmmmm, fudd.

Not unusual if it is for college prep schools.

My parents gave my son a sterling silver small cross necklace, when he was in his teens. He loved and wore, then gifted his son, my grandson, which he loved. I now have it, for when the time comes to gift my great grand son, when and if the time comes.

The young man, getting close to graduation age, who lives next door goes to a college prep school. He wear's a button down shirt, jacket, tie and slacks every day since 7th grade. Formal uniform attire is still worn in many prep schools.

If you decide on the Leatherman tool (I strongly approve that one), make sure it is engraved with his name (but not the date).

If you decide on the Leatherman tool (I strongly approve that one), make sure it is engraved with his name (but not the date).

I agree. It's a nice tool for any young man....or old man.

Also a nice tool for a woman. I have one.

I'd go for combination of a nice pocketknife plus a check to bring your gift up to the $200 range you indicated. A person can never have too many pocketknives. And unless you're in the 1%, I don't think you can have too much money.

For the record, my son could've worn anything. No uniforms required, it's what he wanted. I think we both (his father and I) like the idea of something similar to what we have. For me, someone once gave me a pearl necklace when my grandmother died, and every time I wear it, I remember my grandmother, feel like she's there, remember my friend who gave it to me, and I feel like it adds something to whatever it is I'm wearing. I only bring it out for special occasions. Something timeless can never be wrong.

And for what it's worth snidely, your sons may be a product of their environment, that's the side they show you, your sons are an anomaly, you see what you like, or any other reason that you may be the exception to the rule. Or there is no rule, so I didn't really need to be set straight.

I'm not so sure all kids, including boys, feel like that, any more than they feel like my son. I think society is made up of all kinds of young men and women. Thanks to having a current teenager, I happen to be around a lot of kids, and they're a lot like we were growing up-tastes and values of every sort

Thanks, all. I was thinking about things that *I* have continued to use for decades. Unfortunately, I don't think they would work for a boy. There are a few pieces of jewelry. There's the small leather sewing kit that was a HS graduation gift. There's a Christmas gift from my MIL, a pale green leather nail kit with quality instruments ("Made in Germany for Marshall Field & Co.").

Does anyone still travel with or display family photos? (I've taken a small stand up fold-out to the hospital with me a few times.)

I will ask about the Leatherman tool. I have a feeling he may already have one, if it is so popular.

I don't know if cuff links will persist into the future. I'd think he would at least *keep* a valuable pair.

Once again, it depends on the young man. Is he going off to college? The pen and the knife are great ideas. Is he mechanically inclined? We gave our son a Craftsman tool stand with a number of drawers and some Craftsman tools when he graduated high school. He's 52 and still has it and has added to the tool collection It's very near and dear to his heart. So, it depends on the young man.

rob, we're all a product of our environments and experiences. You've chafed before at my mentioning regional differences but I'll do so here - could it be that it's because you're in an area and social setting with a greater influence of regional and cultural traditions and tradition-bound views than I am? And, of course, parents always pass some degree of their views on to their kids.

More people I know are more like me than not, in not being that way. People are heterogeneous and often quite quirky and atraditional. Are my views as they are because that's what's prevalent here, or is it that affinity (as per human nature) has guided me more toward people with similar outlooks? It's hard to say. Either could be true for you too (as for me) or maybe it's something else for either or both of us.

This made me laugh, but it's actually kind of a fun gift for someone who loves ice cream...and what boy/man doesn't love ice cream? I'm not really serious, but I thought it was fun to post:

My of my sons received an engraved money clip for graduation. Not sure how much he uses it because most young adults only carry a debit card!

I would be hesitant to suggest something without knowing the young man's age, interests or hobbies. Somewhat knowing the direction he is going would be helpful even if it changes at some point. Is he outdoorsy, sporty, nerdy, a reader, a collector, artsy, mechanically inclined etc.?

Is he outdoorsy, sporty, nerdy, a reader, a collector, artsy, mechanically inclined etc.?

My grandson is all the above.

I really have to laugh at your question! I'll answer if you promise to look more deeply within and ask yourself from here on out if maybe you're the product of your regional environment. I'm from everywhere; I can only claim to be an American. I was born in the Northeast, raised in the South Pacific and moreso on the Coast. Yes, I am now a Southerner, and I'll retire here likely (sorry Pacific Northwest, or equally lovely Midwest, etc that I never lived there). I've as little in common with these folks as anyone from New York, for example, and as much as someone from Alabama. I have no one way of interacting.

.

Your mindset is really odd for someone who has traveled, and really narrow. I dislike what you say about these sorts of things because it's so uninformed. Nothing more, and REALLY NOT attributable to some locale.

Chi, if you really wanted to give the cufflinks, they make stainless steel versions. I assuming he'll only wear them occasionally, and even if he did get them too scratched, they can buff them. At least that's my hope, that they will be really durable :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=stainless+steel+cufflinks&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj13bqx36veAhXDg-AKHXhYCMgQ_AUIBigB

How about a gift that keeps on giving? One share of stock to a company of something that interests him. Check out www.giveashare.com

In our area, landmark event gifts are watches, Leatherman tools, Swiss Army knives, or hunting rifle/shotgun--all engraved with name and/or date. All are cherished and used for decades.

Boy's father says he will love the Leatherman tool. I would never have thought of it without you all! A close second was the solar charger, which may figure into the Christmas calculations!

Don't do the stock...my parents did that for me and it lost every penny of its evaluation.

jim, your's was a rare experience. A gift for a kid put into a balanced, conservative mutual fund will produce returns many multiples of the original amount over the medium to long term. If you look back in history to almost any time interval, investments in so-called blue chip companies or, better, mutual funds for diversification, produce returns far superior to fixed income investments like bonds or bank accounts. Or mattresses.

For a boy...sorry you are about 50 years too late.

arcy, can you explain more? Who/what are you referring to?

My brother gave my son a watch when he went to basic training. It has all kinds of things it does, stop watch, compass, etc... My son never wore a watch before but really liked it because he could time himself running. Later my brother gave one to my daughter...again, not a watch wearer but she came over the other day and it was in her pocket. They're both in their 20s.

Books with a connection to the giver or receiver, inscribed.