7 Ways to Celebrate Your Graduate in 2021

Graduation season is just around the corner--teachers are wrapping up the semester and soon students will be on summer break. Although concerns of the pandemic have decreased this year, many schools across the country will still be celebrating graduation or commencement ceremonies a little differently than normal. 

Depending on what state and county your child attends school, ceremonies will range from virtual, to drive-by, or socially distanced and outdoors. Whichever way your child will be graduating this year, we’ve rounded up 7 ways to celebrate your graduate to make it a memorable one! Completing kindergarten, elementary and high school are big milestones for every child and we believe they’re worth the attention. Students have worked diligently and graduation is a highlight for them to celebrate their academic accomplishments. 

Despite our less than normal conditions, celebrating your graduate can still be personal, memorable and fun! Here are 7 ways to commemorate your graduate this year: 

Organize a graduation ceremony at home.

If your child is not having an in-person graduation ceremony, bring the festivities to your home! You can make this as simple or elaborate as you’d like and the best part is the convenience and intimacy of being able to celebrate with family in your own home. Your ceremony can include your child dressing up in cap and gown, the pomp & circumstance commencement song, a speech from the graduating student, a commencement address from one of the parents, and a picture slideshow. 

Send out graduation announcements.

If you’re not the party planning type, graduation announcements are a great way to honor your child and involve your family and friends. You can either print and mail announcements from popular online vendors like: Shutterfly.com, Minted.com, or Vistaprint.com. You can also opt to send virtual announcements, which are quick and inexpensive. Get creative with virtual announcement cards and send animated videos! Some widely used e-card sites you can use are: Paperlesspost.com, Greetingsisland.com, or Punchbowl.com. Sending announcements is a meaningful way to allow friends and family to stay up-to-date with your family’s milestones, send a card or gift for your grad and have a nice keepsake to remember this happy occasion. 

Create a DIY yearbook.

With a lot of students not being physically on a school campus this past year, pictures haven’t been taken like years in the past and yearbooks aren’t necessarily being offered. However, having this memorable book is a timeless keepsake that you won’t want your child missing out on. Choosing to DIY a yearbook for your child does not have to be a daunting task. Enlist the help of friends, family, and/or school teachers with memories, pictures, quotes, and notable events from school years past. If you’re not a design whiz, you can compile everything online into a photobook creator like, Shutterfly.com, Chatbooks.com, or Google, who have pre-designed templates that you just need to drop your pictures into and add your own captions. 

Plan a drive-by graduation parade.

By now, you may have attended a drive-by car parade for a birthday party (or two). A drive-by graduation can include decorating your house with banners, balloons, and a photo backdrop. Many drive-by parades today are like mini parties to-go and include party favors, snacks to-go, and gift drop-off zones. Invite friends, family, and classmates to come in cars decked out in decorations for your grad and banners with words of encouragement and congrats!

Prepare a graduation dinner. 

Similar to a graduation ceremony at home, you can get creative with a themed dinner for your graduate! Start with your graduate’s favorite meal and get dressed up like you would for the actual event. Decorate your dining table or house with school colors and create a graduation song playlist. Family members can bring gifts and/or create something more meaningful as a keepsake or encouragement.

Support local businesses.

Unfortunately many local businesses have suffered during this pandemic. As businesses are getting back on their feet, celebrations like graduation are a helpful way to support restaurants, bakeries, and other local retailers. Shop locally while looking for the perfect graduation gift. Go to your neighborhood restaurant when considering food options for your graduation dinner at home. Consider ordering individually packaged sweet treats or pastries as party favors for attendees at your drive-by graduation parade. Local retailers have made a lot of accommodations to adjust to social distancing and sanitation regulations, which takes the stress out of planning and preparation. 

Gift a group greeting card. 

This is an easy way to gather encouragement, congratulations, and special memories from friends and family near and far. Kudoboard.com allows multiple users to add messages, GIFs, photos and videos onto one card. You can choose from different graduation card designs and card options range from free mini cards to inexpensive (and more extensive) cards. Gather emails from friends, neighbors, family, and teachers over the years for a special gift for your grad.

Whether you’re celebrating in-person or a little differently than normal, you can honor your child’s academic accomplishments with the important people in their life with just a little creativity and thinking outside the box.