DH's nephew just graduated HS. Saturday is his graduation/ 18th B-day party. I've been trying to think of a nice gift for him but we are low on funds right now.

I have 2 tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood that I received at my company holiday party. They are valued at over $50 each and they expire 12/31/11.

Nephew has a girlfriend who just graduated with him. He also has access to a car. Universal Studios is about a 30 minute drive from his house and to my knowledge he has never been there.

My question is.... is it cheesy to give him something like that? Something I received at a company party that has an expiration date? His mother and grandmother jump at the chance to be critical of me so I hope they don't think this is a tacky gift. What do you think? Thanks

I don't personally think it's bad. Would he and his girlfriend enjoy the gift? If you think they will, then that's all that matters. Not what anyone else has to say about it.

I just wouldn't go saying how you got them at work or anything. Just give the gift with a card containing well-wishes. I'm sure it'll be fine.

It sounds like a nice gift to me. It's the thought that counts in my book and you thought enough of him to give a gift. As far as those being critical-I always say those in glass houses.......

I think it's a great idea! I know some people aren't fans of re-gifting, but it sounds like the perfect solution to me. It's near his home, he hasn't been there, the cost of the tickets is appropriate for the gift, and it's a celabratory type of thing too! Like Lovely said, I wouldn't mention how you got the tickets, but that's really no ones business anyway. You could write a nice note in the card mentioning that after his years of hard work he has earned a day of play.

I think the tickets would be a lovely gift for the lad. Don't worry about it, just do it.

I think it would be an awesome gift as long as you think they'll have a good time!!

Um, if someone gave me those, I'd love it. I think you shouldn't be concerned about what others think. I think your nephew will love them!

The best way, imo, is to give a gift of cash (amount you would have spent anyway) in addition to the tickets, to help defray costs of going since this regifting will actually require additional money spent to use them (gas, food). Regifting something is not that bad, but personally giving someone something that will require extra spending, whether you paid for the item or not, can be tricky, and since family members are quick to jump on you, giving enough in cash to cover expenses needed to use the tickets makes it a true gift. Sorry to be the only one to not wholeheartedly vote for them being a great gift.

I also think that would be a super awesome gift, way better than just some statue with the year on it that you can't really use.

I think it's a great gift - age appropriate and just in time to kick off a summer of fun. No one has to know where the tickets came from and I agree with the others include in a card with a nice note about earning some fun and enjoy. If your budget allows a bit extra to cover lunch, add some cash but I wouldn't go stressing over it. Hope he appreciates the gift!

I would agree about defraying additional expenses if this were further from his home. If someone gave hubby and me Universal Studio Tickets with a December 31 expiration date, it would be a crappy gift because we have no way to get there or pay for transportation, lodging and food, and there'd not be enough time to save for the trip. As a gift, it would suck.

However, if we lived 30 minutes away, it would be an awesome gift, with or without additional fundage.

Sure a $10-$15 gift card for gas or to an inexpensive restaurant, or one of those generic Visa or Mastercards (if you can't find them in a small denomination, many banks will fill them with whatever amount you want to) would be a nice added touch, but I think for something this local, it would be fine to let the kid fund the rest of the trip (now if you know he has and will have absolutely no money to fund the trip, then it it's worse than a tacky gift, it's an unuseable gift - and that would suck).

Regifting works if you don't broadcast that you're regifting. If everyone in the family already knows that you got the tickets as a gift (make sure hubby hasn't mentioned it to anyone in the family, too) then you're free and clear.

If they do know, it can be a little trickier. If they do or might know, even a small gift card along with the tickets would show that you did actually think about the kid, and didn't just pass along something you didn't want (that's the regifting dilemma that bothers people. Are you passing along a gift because you know the person will love it as much or more than you would have, or are you passing it along something you you hated, and don't care enough about the recipient to choose a gift specifically for them - hey you might as well have wrapped up the contents of your junk drawer).

Ultimately though, even when it's family, you can only do what you can do. If money is tight enough that a $10 gas card would be a hardship then give what you can and want to, and the heck with what the relatives say.

My husband and I are on disability, so our budget is rather tight. We gifts according to our budget, which means the gifts are often handmade or from second hand stores (some relatives looked down on this, until we stopped identifying the specific source, and started saying "an adorable antique and gift shop we found," and started talking about our hobby of visiting second-hand stores as "going antiqueing)."

The real key to any gift is whether it's a gift that will be appreciated by the giftee. Most people would rather have an inexpensive gift that was chosen because the gifter knew the giftee would like it. No one wants a gift that was given out on only the social obligation.

Giving 90 year old grandma tickets to Universal Studios would be tacky (unless you knew she'd love it and had the ability to go), but to an 18 year old boy with a girlfriend, I think it's perfect (especially since he has a girlfriend. Inexpensive date opportunities aren't always easy to find).

I think it's awesome and very nice of you to even think of doing that for him! When I graduated I got cards and 20 bucks- I was happy with that! Anything extra is fantastic. Many of us just get cards, even though it was something you didn't buy isn't the point. I firmly believe it is the thought that counts, and it's great of you to even think of doing that! He's a great age for it too. I bet he'll love it! I second the inexpensive date thing kaplods said!

I disagree with giving the same amount the tickets are worth since they only live 10 minutes away and it wont take much gas to get there. Also you already stated that you don't have a lot of cash to spare, but I do agree you should add a bit of $$ for a bit of gas or a meal just so its not the tickets alone. A meaningful thoughtful card will go a long way as well.
If he's going to collage this fall, this will give him an oppertunity to go have some fun during the summer.

I don't think an 18 year old boy cares much about etiquette rules. I'm pretty sure though, he will enjoy tickets to impress his young lady