This candy dispenser holds tasty, personalized M&Ms! Fill your child’s machine with M&Ms reflecting his or her school’s colors, select some cute slogans to really personalize those M&Ms, and  you’ve got yourself one heck of a graduation gift your kids will cherish.

You can never go wrong with a sleek picture frame to hold a photo of your fave graduate. Bed, Bath, and Beyond always has gorgeous frames in stock, like this one. (Locations in NJ listed on Web site) Include a note that says, “Picture yourself…in high school/college,” for a little touch of “next step” excitement.

Not only are these notebooks totally cool-looking, but they’re eco-friendly. Decomposition Books are made with 100% PCW recycled paper, processed chlorine-free in a mill powered by bio-gas. These colorful notebooks for your aspiring writer are printed with soy ink and made in the USA.  I was a writing major in college and I really wish they had these back when I graduated! Oh, well. 

 Whether you’re 5, 25, or 65, I bet you’ve got a tender place in your heart for Dr. Seuss poems! Oh, The Places You’ll Go by the famous writer is a classic book about pursuing your dreams, staying positive and embracing yourself. It’s a great gift for a younger graduate. In fact, some parents buy the book for their pre-schoolers, and have every single one of their children’s favorite teachers over the years write a special message inside the book—the book is later presented to the teenager as they embark on their college journey. The sweet messages from past mentors will warm their heart and make for a nice, hardbound memory!

If you have a science-obsessed child—and let’s face it, science is pretty cool—these plush organs are a whimsical, unique gift for your aspiring doctor!  Or, if your graduate has a knack for chemistry, give them these periodic table blocks.

This delicate quote necklace is perfect for your daydreamy middle-schooler-to-be!

I just adore Party City and thankfully there are more than 10 Party City storefronts in The Garden State. This plush autograph hound is a wonderful grad gift for a youngster. Encouraging messages written on a pup? What’s not to love? I found this plush pup at the Hudson Mall location in Jersey City.

For your older graduates ONLY, what’s better than a copy of The Graduate movie? Except maybe the real thing? Oh, never mind...

Rock n’ roll has never sounded so good! This Bob Dylan-themed inspirational book with brilliantly colorful pictures is perfect for the young rockstars in your life—who will always be “Forever Young”. (Well, at least to their mama’s!) I found my copy for my cousin—who is graduating from 8th grade, yay!—at the Freehold Barnes & Noble.

Another goodie from Barnes & Noble, which has an awesome, underrated gifts section. Who doesn’t love inspirational quotes? This message box reminds tweens to relax and smell the roses! (And lift their heads up from their iPhones on occasion…)

I thought this paperweight was just so awesome for the starry-eyed grads in my life. It’s not available online, but I did spot this exact paperweight at the Barnes & Noble in Tribeca, NYC. Amazon’s got a bunch, too! 

This teddy bear is just so cute, looking all regal and classy in its purple cap and gown. A precious gift for a young graduate. And you can personalize it! Bonus!

Kindergarten graduates are special grads! Made them feel extra-loved with a personalized coloring book. OK, this is just too adorable for words—thankfully, there aren’t very many in the book, haha.