No, my parents didn't buy me a headstone. Instead, they taunted me several days after graduation with The Box. It was a good-sized box - 18 inches by 18 inches and maybe 6 inches deep. Plus, the fact that they said it "wasn't ready" on graduation day implied greatness, right? Something worth waiting for?
With great anticipation, I opened The Box. Inside, an assortment of items. Aspirin, for study headaches. Clips for bags of chips. Little rings to keep socks together in the wash. Quarters (for washing machines). A bar of soap. And stamps. It was really more of a gag gift of items I'd need for college.
What a disappointment. (Kinda like The Box, as in the movie, because that's a whole lot of suck as well.)
At the time, Joe and I had been dating for about a year and I remember calling him, sobbing about "the box".
To this day, I can't hear the words "the box" without thinking back to THAT box. For those of you purchasing graduation gifts, please, no boxes. And no headstones either. I'd say both of those gifts are in bad taste.
P.S. The box is second only to the trashcan that served as the container for our wedding gift. I kid you not. But that's another tale for another day.
13 comments:
1. I saw that picture too, and it was so sad to me. A girl from my town was killed last weekend in a car crash and will actually get getting a headstone for graduation. (I didn't know her but I am still sad.)
2. A BOX?! Are you frickin' kidding? I am with you on the sobbing disappointment.
I just re-read my comment. I should really proof read before I hit publish. (I am a knucklehead)
That sucks!
Did they at least give you something better afterwards? Because it wouldn't have been too bad of a gag gift if they gave that to you, then later gave you something cool.
On second thoughts, forget I said anything... They probably didn't give you anything else later that was totally awesome and made up for "the box"... From what you've said, they don't sound like the kind of people to do a cool thing like make you think you've been disappointed then surprise you with the most awesome gift in the universe.
And I thought the luggage I got when I wasn't taking a trip was bad. You win.
Note to self: Cancel the graduation headstone for my niece - this is not a good gift.
Taking this in a different direction...
I think most headstones are just, well, kind of tacky. I'm not sure what I'd want, but I think I'd prefer not to have any flowers engraved in it. There's something nice about the simpler headstones of days past....
I really didn't mean this to be morbid, but it kinda is, huh?
I didn't have a lot of money to get my son a really cool gift for his college graduation, so I'm giving him a rent-free summer (and maybe beyond, we'll see). He's supposed to pay me $200 a month rent.
For my graduation, I got a piece of luggage.
wow...a trash can for a wedding present. And it's terrible the headstone ad was real. I also agree with your assessment of the movie...it way sucked!
Wow...a large gag gift that had an extended time frame before the presentation....that sounds like the worst present I've ever heard of.
I actually can't remember what my parents gave me, but I am pretty sure it was nothing as horrible as your box story, but it was probably nothing worth sharing either...
I can't remember what my parents got me for HS graduation. Probably money. I remember pizza afterwards...before the party I was going to but they weren't invited! lol
They never gave me a birthday party. But they did give me a little party of sorts after college graduation.
My mom is not the best gift giver...over the years, my sisters and I have giggled over some of the atrocities that she's given us. She really is a great person, though.
Wow. I know I am going to sound like a total bitch here but...here goes. I got nothing for my graduation. My parents felt that they had paid for my education and that was plenty. And to be honest, it was so expensive that I couldn't really argue with them. It didn't occur to me that they should even buy me anything.
Anonymous - if you thought you were going to sound like a bitch, why bother posting? Anonymously even.
It's lovely that your parents paid for your education and I'd argue that they probably DIDN'T need to buy an extravagant gift at graduation. My parents didn't pay a dime towards my college. Also, this post was about high school. Consider yourself blessed that your parents gifted you with education (if not manners or accountability) because not all of us are that fortunate.
Touchy, touchy! I had no idea you were so defensive. Wow.
Here's the thing: when you put this kind of stuff out there, you risk people responding in a way you might not prefer. That's the downside of a personal blog. If you can't take that, make this blog private. Grow up or grow a pair. Both would be smart.
Why bother posting? Because quite honestly I thought your original post seemed a little ungrateful and really immature. (Doesn't matter that it was high school, by the way. Same difference.) I wasn't going to go out of my way to spell that out until I read your response to me. (Talk about shitty manners! I never claimed I wasn't fortunate or that I wasn't blessed! If anything, that was my point, that I was so fortunate, I didn't want or deserve some token gift.)
So there, you've now made it even worse for yourself. Congratulations.
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