Class of ?09 gift guide

By Ed Biado

It?s that time of the year again. Tweens are set to begin their high school experience in a few months. Teens are on their way to leave the carefree life of high school and enter the intimidating world of college. At the same time, young adults are leaving the college grounds to join the vicious workforce. Make the transition a wee bit easier for them by showering them with presents. And we got some ideas:

Customized shoes ? For as low as $75, Zazzle.com offers Class of 2009 Keds sneakers that you can almost fully customize using their online application. You get to choose the colors of the stitching, lining, binding, midsole and gore of the shoe; and also the design.

Digital SLR cameras ? An improvement from the SD14 model, the 14-megapixel Sigma SD15 DSLR camera makes a great grad gift for active photography enthusiasts. It?s tough and feels very old school. And with all the hype on SLR cameras these days, it?s something most young folk would appreciate.

Inspirational books ?The writing of the inspirational book, Just Who Will You Be?, is inspired by a speech author Maria Shriver made at her nephew?s high school graduation. In the book, she speaks about her life in transition when her husband became governor. It?s about change and being a work-in-progress.

College rings ? Silver college rings are available everywhere, you just have to know where to look. For about P2,000 apiece, you can get yourself a nice handcrafted traditional ring. If you want something personalized, many independent jewelers are offering such services for a low additional charge.

iPod accessories ? The iHome Shower Station is essentially an iPod dock for the shower. It has a water-resistant case and stereo speakers. It?s perfect for any iPod owner who can?t enough of their music.

Laptops ? Who wouldn?t want a new laptop? The Dell Inspiron 1420 is a fashionable notebook PC with wild solid colored exteriors. Features include a 14.1-inch screen, integrated mobile broadband, a 160DB hard drive and ergonomic keyboard and mouse. Webcam and Blu-ray drive optional.

Champagne and truffles ? Nothing says party more than the champagne-truffles combo. We recommend a bottle or two of proseco (which is the new champagne) and some Lindt Lindor Truffles. Graduation party, here we come!

College T-shirts ? If your graduate is from the University of the Philippines, graphic/statement tees depicting their UP life is suggested. We found some at yoopee.multiply.com like the ones with ?I ikot UP? slogan and the Blue Book Shirt.

Stationery packs ? Something for the soon-to-be college freshman, perhaps? Papemelroti has sets of paper products (all 100 percent unbleached and recycled) like the Drama Pack that includes a Drama cover theme, kraft notebooks, paper packs, Everyday Good Things cards and pads in a box.

Gift certificates ? It?s the most convenient thing to do these days. Almost every establishment has GCs. If you don?t know which one to get, why not the Ayala electronic gift card in P1,000 through P10,000 denominations? That way, your graduate can shop at virtually anywhere within Ayala Malls.