Give your favorite high school grad a reason to get excited about checking their mailbox when they get to school! I'm happy to finally share my Care Package Gift Certificate graduation card on sale for the class of 2017 and onwards!

This is the perfect card and gift for that student who is graduating and getting ready to move away from home for the first time. The beauty of this card is it does not have to be accompanied by any gift at the time of graduation. Instead, you give them this card when they graduate, and then have all summer and into the start of the fall to collect care package goodies. If you have a gaggle of graduates this year, it's a great way to spread the gift giving over the fall and also ensure that your picks will not be compared side-by-side but enjoyed individually when they land at their respective colleges.

how does it work?

Before giving this graduation card (a flat, 8x10 graduation card that features a small A1 card inset in the bottom right of the design), you need to write your own name and address on the smaller envelope and add a stamp so that the certificate can easily be returned to you for redemption. Then when your recipient gets to college and is ready to get a package of goodies from you in the mail, they fill in their mailing address and send you the card.

What should I include in my care package?

This is the fun part! You can totally customize each package to the recipient and send something that you know they will love (even if you have to do a bit of sleuthing among family and friends). Reliable favorites include, but are not limited to: homebaked goodies, regional specialties, seasonal items or dorm room decorations, notecards and stamps, a fun mug with tea or hot chocolate, nuts, gift cards (for iTunes, Amazon, etc.), or even some cold, hard cash! Personal additions like a box of their favorite cereal or an inside joke, are always welcome, too. Keep on the lookout for fun items, especially if you travel, and stockpile small goodies before you get that card in the mail requesting a package so that you don't have to race around looking for much at the last minute. Ultimately, most college kids would be happy to get some fresh cookies with an encouraging note, so you don't have to set the bar too high.

Congratulations to this year's graduates! Care Package Gift Certificates are for sale here on Etsy.