HS Graduation Gift

[Howzit]

So, I have a cousin that I have not seen in at least 20 years. We got a high school graduation announcement in the mail for his oldest daughter, whom I have never met. No letter from the folks saying "Hey how have you been," no update on what is going on in their lives, I have no idea what his daughter is even into.

For any Miss Manners oficiandos on the board, what is proper etiquette in terms of what/how much to spend?

[1stTimeCaller]

a new silver dollar

[Soonrboy]

Cash. 20/25 bucks.

[Ike]

send cash. but not that much.

[IB4OU2]

So, I have a cousin that I have not seen in at least 20 years. We got a high school graduation announcement in the mail for his oldest daughter, whom I have never met. No letter from the folks saying "Hey how have you been," no update on what is going on in their lives, I have no idea what his daughter is even into.

For any Miss Manners oficiandos on the board, what is proper etiquette in terms of what/how much to spend?

Get her a video Ipod....she's family.

[sooner n houston]

Cash. 20/25 bucks.

Yep, that should do it! :D

[Howzit]

So far I'm liking the new silver dollar ideer.

[slickdawg]

Do you normally get christmas cards and such from them?

[Howzit]

Do you normally get christmas cards and such from them?

I think we've gotten a few over the years, but it's been a while.

[slickdawg]

I'd probably just send a card at best then.

[sooner n houston]

It's family, send a little cash!

[Osce0la]

Send Stanley to her post-graduation party
YWIA!:D

[1stTimeCaller]

the beauty of the silver dollar is that they're not that expensive and it will have their graduation year on there.

[Howzit]

Yeah I'll send something, I was thinking about $50, actually.

To tell you the truth I would rather send a $50 iTunes card, but I don't know for sure if she has an iPod.

[Osce0la]

Yeah I'll send something, I was thinking about $50, actually.

To tell you the truth I would rather send a $50 iTunes card, but I don't know for sure if she has an iPod.
who doesn't have an Ipod?







wait...I don't

[slickdawg]

It's family, send a little cash!

But you should hear from family more than once every 20 years or so.

[slickdawg]

who doesn't have an Ipod?







wait...I don't



me neither

[Osce0la]

Yeah I'll send something, I was thinking about $50, actually.

To tell you the truth I would rather send a $50 iTunes card, but I don't know for sure if she has an iPod.
Uncle Howzit...It's me, your long lost nephew. I'm graduating in a couple of weeks. Peem me and I'll give you my address, I can expect your $50 gift in 1-3 weeks, right?

[nmsoonergirl]

How old are your kids? And do you have more kids than they do? Cause, if they only have three kids, and you have four, and you all send 50 bucks for each kids graduation, you'll end up 50 bucks ahead. Not that I think about that sort of thing...
50 bucks is pretty generous for someone you don't know. Can I have your address so I mail you a random "send me a gift" announcement?

[Mjcpr]

What she really wants is for you to be there along with your family. Any gift you might send her would only be a disappointment.

[slickdawg]

How old are your kids? And do you have more kids than they do? Cause, if they only have three kids, and you have four, and you all send 50 bucks for each kids graduation, you'll end up 50 bucks ahead. Not that I think about that sort of thing...
50 bucks is pretty generous for someone you don't know. Can I have your address so I mail you a random "send me a gift" announcement?


Yeah, and don't forget that nmsoonergirl and I both just celebrated our birtdays.

We luv ewe unkill howzitt!!

[Osce0la]

What she really wants is for you to be there along with your family. Any gift you might send her would only be a disappointment.
I would've rather had the money than have people at my graduation...That's just me though. Most of my graduation money ended up going to beer anyway though.

[n8v_ndn]

Draw these out for her on a card (12 for each year completed) and call it grace: http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.soonerfans.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif

[1stTimeCaller]

OK for $50, send 4 rolls of quarters for the washing machines and dryers when/if she goes to college and some detergent.

The coolest gift I got was a 12 pack of Coors Light that had a $2 bill wrapped around each can of beer. Of course my older brother got to drink the beers.

[Beef]

Condoms. Your cousins will never ask you to send them gifts again and she gets something she will probably need on graduation night.

[Mjcpr]

I would've rather had the money than have people at my graduation...That's just me though. Most of my graduation money ended up going to beer anyway though.

It was a joke, but don't tell Howzit.

[Osce0la]

I still say send Stanley...He'll do it for free, so that saves you $50 right there.

[Howzit]

How old are your kids? And do you have more kids than they do? Cause, if they only have three kids, and you have four, and you all send 50 bucks for each kids graduation, you'll end up 50 bucks ahead. Not that I think about that sort of thing...


I only have one daughter and she is 15. I have no idea how many kids my cousin has. I think at least two, maybe three.



50 bucks is pretty generous for someone you don't know.

That's the kind of person I am. Always thinking of others.


Can I have your address so I mail you a random "send me a gift" announcement?

You first.

[Beef]

That's the kind of person I am. Always thinking of others.
I love you.

[BeetDigger]

How about a subscription to the Jelly of the Month club. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

[1stTimeCaller]

don't give away all of your money, you promised that you'd hire me as your pool boy over the summer to take care of things while you're on the road.

[crawfish]

Howzit's such a sweet guy. I'm giving him some spek.

[slickdawg]

Condoms. Your cousins will never ask you to send them gifts again and she gets something she will probably need on graduation night.

you beat me to it.


gak.


:texan:

[Howzit]

don't give away all of your money, you promised that you'd hire me as your pool boy over the summer to take care of things while you're on the road.

Right. And by 'things' you mean 'Mrs. Howzit.'

[IB4OU2]

OK for $50, send 4 rolls of quarters for the washing machines and dryers when/if she goes to college and some detergent.

The coolest gift I got was a 12 pack of Coors Light that had a $2 bill wrapped around each can of beer. Of course my older brother got to drink the beers.

$2 bills that's queer?

[1stTimeCaller]

d00d, that's $24

[nmsoonergirl]

[QUOTE Howzit][You first/QUOTE Howzit]

But see, I'm not generous....

[Boarder]

Give backpacks. They're handy and a neat gift.

[walkoffsooner]

chilies gift certificate

[Hamhock]

$50 is a lot. $25 for a never-talk-to-relative.

Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Suess....It's kind of a cop-out, I didn't want to give you cash, gift, but still kinda neat.

[proud gonzo]

i'd send a card and $20. It's not the kid's fault you haven't heard from her parents forever

[TopDaugIn2000]

Before I read anyone else's post, I though "$20 cash". I see that others are thinking the same thing.

Don't worry trying to buy a gift. Even if you knew the kid, it wouldn't be right and she'd much rather have the cash. 50 is too much for a person you don't know. less than 20 is cheap. So 20 it is.

[C&CDean]

Timeout. Are you ****ing kidding me?

I've probably received 25 graduation notices from relatives over the years. Some are relatives I know, some are not (we come from a big family - 11 kids on mom's side, 8 on dad's).

Of those, the only ones I attended were my own kids. Of those, the only ones who got any kind of gift were my own kids. What kind of cheesy, cheap, no-account son of a beyoncho sends a grad notice to a long-lost relative - who they obviously couldn't give a **** about - in hopes of copping a few bucks from him? Hell, your niece probably doesn't know your name, and wouldn't **** down your neck if your belly was on fire.

And what kind of a suckah would send $$ to these grubbers?

If you're a really supa nice guy, spend the $1.75 and get her a card. Just address it to "the anonymous daughter of my no-account cousin who couldn't give a **** whether I breathe or die."

$50? You must be mad.

[Howzit]

$50? You must be mad.

Plenty of precedent to support that.

No way I'm sending less than $20 or $25, though.

[C&CDean]

Plenty of precedent to support that.

No way I'm sending less than $20 or $25, though.

A fool and his money are easily parted........

I just don't get the "why." Why are you sending her money? Why would you send hard earned $$ to a total stranger? Hell man, you know me, and I'm a recent graduate of the school of hard knocks, how much do I get?

[SoonerInKCMO]

If it were me, I'd toss the invite in the trash and forget about it. Seriously. Never met the kid - who cares if they graduated?

[Osce0la]

A fool and his money are easily parted........

I just don't get the "why." Why are you sending her money? Why would you send hard earned $$ to a total stranger? Hell man, you know me, and I'm a recent graduate of the school of hard knocks, how much do I get?
:dean:'s got a point

[Howzit]

A fool and his money are easily parted........

I just don't get the "why." Why are you sending her money? Why would you send hard earned $$ to a total stranger? Hell man, you know me, and I'm a recent graduate of the school of hard knocks, how much do I get?

Two reasons:

A. She is family, even though I've never met her.

2. Howzit Jr will be sending announcements herself in a few years.

Your check's in the mail.

[Boarder]

Check? I thought you were sending money!

[IB4OU2]

Your check's in the mail.

For three fiddy?

[TopDaugIn2000]

Two reasons:

A. She is family, even though I've never met her.

2. Howzit Jr will be sending announcements herself in a few years.

Your check's in the mail.

word. my mom kept track of who she bought for over the years. and you bet your arse they got an announcement from me when my time came around. and she's a teacher, so she gets a TON of them.

in fact, I still have that list and she still calls me now and then to ask what so-and-so gave me, cause she just got one for their kid.

[Oldnslo]

Howzit's such a putz. I'm sending him invitations for all my family's "events" from now until death.
Yeah, me too!

Take the supa.high road and send, maximum, 29.99.

I just got appointed to an organization's board of directors. Chairman, with whom I am acquainted, felt at liberty to send me an invite to his son's bar mitzvah. Kid's getting a pen. Same price limit.

And you can be damn sure Mr. Chair will be recognized when my kids have their bar/bat mitzvah.

[SoonerInKCMO]

word. my mom kept track of who she bought for over the years. and you bet your arse they got an announcement from me when my time came around. and she's a teacher, so she gets a TON of them.

in fact, I still have that list and she still calls me now and then to ask what so-and-so gave me, cause she just got one for their kid.

That sounds like a lot of damn work. My method's a lot simpler - outside of my parents, I don't give gifts and I don't ask for them. Cheap and easy.

[C&CDean]

Two reasons:

A. She is family, even though I've never met her.

2. Howzit Jr will be sending announcements herself in a few years.

Your check's in the mail.

A. This might possibly be the dumbest thing I've ever read. Just because some of the blood coursing through her veins might possibly be matched to yours means you owe her something? If she's starving to death or in need of shelter then by all means, help her out. Whether she's family or not.

2. Don't you dare be a money-grubbing pimpazoid when Miss Jr. graduates. Save all the cash you were going to send to all the relatives who don't give a **** about you and give it to Jr. That way you won't have to beg any off your distant relatives.

That means I can expect my check tomorrow, right?

[Howzit]

A. This might possibly be the dumbest thing I've ever read. Just because some of the blood coursing through her veins might possibly be matched to yours means you owe her something? If she's starving to death or in need of shelter then by all means, help her out. Whether she's family or not.

2. Don't you dare be a money-grubbing pimpazoid when Miss Jr. graduates. Save all the cash you were going to send to all the relatives who don't give a **** about you and give it to Jr. That way you won't have to beg any off your distant relatives.

That means I can expect my check tomorrow, right?

Dude, we just define family differently. Ain't no thang.

Right. Tomorrow. If it doesn't come it's the ****ing post office's fault.

Pluuus, this was addressed to Miss Manners officionados. Butt out. :D

[C&CDean]

Dude, we just define family differently. Ain't no thang.

Right. Tomorrow. If it doesn't come it's the ****ing post office's fault.

We're all family amigo.

Go ahead and send your $$ if it makes you feel better. Just remember though, you can't buy your way into heaven or your niece's heart.

And if I receive a begging notice from you when little missy graduates, I hope she will completely understand she ain't gettin' ****. Not so much because of her, but more because her dad's a panhandler.

[NormanPride]

Man, it would suck to be one of Dean's cousins.

[salth2o]

I would send her some scratch off lottery tickets.

[C&CDean]

Man, it would suck to be one of Dean's cousins.

pffffft. I've got over 80 of em'. Met maybe 40 of em'. Couldn't give a **** about most of em'. The only time you hear from them is when they want something. Kinda like Howzit's deal here.

I value all of my friends more than I value any of my cousins. Except the couple who are my friends too. But I don't value them any more than my non-blood friends because to me, the whole "blood" thing is bull****. I love my kids dearly, but if I caught one of them murdering somebody, I'd personally carry him to the closest police department and testify against him.

I just don't go for the whole "anything for family" thing. I ain't gonna lie for my kids just because they're family. Cousins? **** em'.

[Boarder]

Dean = Worst Mobster Ever.

[proud gonzo]

I'm going to send :dean: a graduation announcement in two years. and it's going to have a note in it that says "give me money, bitch"

;)

[C&CDean]

I'm going to send :dean: a graduation announcement in two years. and it's going to have a note in it that says "give me money, bitch"

;)

And right next to Benjamin's head on the bill I'll write "cause you're my friend."

[KC//CRIMSON]

So, I have a cousin that I have not seen in at least 20 years. We got a high school graduation announcement in the mail for his oldest daughter, whom I have never met. No letter from the folks saying "Hey how have you been," no update on what is going on in their lives, I have no idea what his daughter is even into.

For any Miss Manners oficiandos on the board, what is proper etiquette in terms of what/how much to spend?

We had a distant relative send an annoucement this week as well. Same circumstances as your's described above. Guess what we're sending?

nothing.

[crawfish]

You should give her the link to the SO, so she can come here to get advice after she graduates.

[NormanPride]

You should give her the link to the SO, so she can come here to get advice after she graduates.

IN.

[leavingthezoo]

send a self addressed stamped envelope and ask her to remind you who she is again.

[Stanley1]

Send Stanley to her post-graduation party
YWIA!:D

Pic? ;)

[Stanley1]

Wish I'd know Howzit when I gradiuatttted. HS and college, prolly could have gotten $100 out of him.