Making Your Graduate Feel Special

I really feel for everyone missing major life milestones, celebrations, weddings, graduations and everything else in between due to Covid. While we are so thankful to have our health and family’s health, I can only imagine the disappointment after working so hard for something or spending hours planning a wedding to have it be postponed or canceled.

That said, I wanted Chris to feel special as he just finished his MBA program at University of Michigan; not an easy feat working full time, traveling a ton and with two babies at home. It was a long two years for both of us and with his graduation and our trip to Michigan cancelled, I wanted to properly recognize all of his hard work.

However, it’s not exactly easy to throw a party right now! Shocking, I know. But I managed to pull off a surprise socially distanced back yard pizza party and I really think it was a hit. Here’s what I came up with that didn’t require any extra trips out of the house and allowed for social distancing:

• Pagliacci pizza and salad
• Ice cream bars for dessert
• Beer, wine, and Frozen Gin and Tonics (Chris’s favorite)
• Michigan plates, napkins, and cups from Amazon
• Graduation caps and straws from Amazon
• Dollar Store graduation headbands, beach balls, signs, mugs, hats (I did not plan on this but thankfully my Mom stopped on the way home from a doctor appointment and ended up saving me because a lot of my Amazon orders were delayed! She said they had everything you could possibly need for a graduation party)

It was a team effort! I couldn’t have pulled it off without my Mom and Megan’s help. Even Joe pitched in and made a sign that served as a table runner :). Now off to plan Jack’s first birthday party…..