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Do It Yourself: Graduation Party Favors

Whether you're hosting a graduation party at your house or at a nearby venue, be sure to try out these do it yourself graduation party favor ideas to add a personal touch to your loved one's graduation party.

Stationery is a great gift for graduating seniors and helps keep them in touch with one another after graduation.

• Put together a list of your son or daughter's friends who plan to attend your graduation party, their initials, and the team colors of their college or university.

• Buy some simple white cardstock with matching envelopes and several quality calligraphy pens. Choose pen colors that correspond with the school colors from your list.

• Set aside ten cards and envelopes for each graduate and (slowly!) write out their initials in their school colors at the top of each card and on the back flap of each envelope.

The end result: a simple, clean and personalized set of stationery that works for high school or college graduation parties. High school grads can use it to show their new school colors, college grads to show their enduring school spirit.

Music is another perfect option for a graduation party favor, since it often brings the listener right back to the good ol' days.

• Ask your son or daughter to make a playlist of memorable songs from his or her high school or college career.

• Burn the playlist onto as many CDs as you'll have party guests.

• Print out personalized CD labels for each friend's CD with a brief personal note from your son or daughter.

• Alternately, you can choose to print out a basic message, such as "Congrats! Class of '08" with a favorite picture as the label's background.

• Finally, print out a list of track names and artists to put on the inside cover of each CD case, so that guests can laugh or reminisce together over the musical selection while still at the party.

The end result: a personalized graduation party favor that doubles as a trip down memory lane.

No matter what you choose to give out as party favors at your son or daughter's graduation party, keep the focus on the fantastic achievement he or she has just made or the memories he or she will cherish and you're sure to succeed.

Enjoy Planning.
Penelope