Mom's unique 'open when' high school graduation gift for her daughter is incredibly thoughtful

Graduating from high school denotes the beginning of a new chapter for kids and parents as it brings a big change in their lives. It's a time when parents who once send their kids to kindergarten, and later through the different stages of school, prepare to support their children through another adventure. A lot of parents wreck their heads on what would be the perfect gift for their children as they reach this milestone. Some gift a new car or a gift card to buy whatever their child wants once they move away for college. However, a mother, Erin Percy (@erinpercy60 on TikTok), had an amazing graduation gift idea that everyone has been raving about.

Percy shared a video on TikTok showing a basket filled with wrapped gifts. She made it personal and fun for her daughter by attaching an "Open When" note to all of the presents. As the video plays the musical score from the Pixar film, "Up," in the background, Percy shows what's written on each of the gifts. The overlay text reads, "Graduation Gift for my daughter." The first gift note reads, "Open me when it's cold outside" and the next note says, "Open me when you catch a cold." The following ones read, "Open me when you need a little me time" and "Open me when you need to break the ice with new people."

The mom thought about different situations that the new college freshman may face. Other cards read, "Open me any day but Sunday," "Open me before midterms," "Open me when you need a little jolt," "Open me when you get your first A" and "Open me when we say goodbye." All the gifts were kept in a laundry basket which would come in handy for the student later in life.

The viral video has garnered over 1.2 million views and 109k likes on TikTok. Many on social media loved the mom's idea. @loracroftcheck commented, "The goodbye one broke me." @braveheather wrote, "You’re KILLING ME. I’m dying to see what’s inside. My daughter is off to university in the fall and I’ve been thinking about the care packages." @callme.nickey shared, "I love this Erin! Can I steal, my little one just graduated Monday and this is a great idea." @amodernmidwife expressed, "We’re all crying over here on this side of Tiktok." @user4600121073741 wrote, "That is the sweetest idea ever. I hope she has a great first year!" @snippysnsparkles commented, "Not me saving this to my memory and my daughters are 3 & 5. This is so sweet!"

A graduation day is special for parents as much as it's for the children. In a heartwarming post shared on Instagram, Debbie Ly showed her gratitude towards her parents by dressing them in her graduation cap, gown and stash. She said, "I wanted to thank you for putting me through school and this is for you." In a video she shared online, she is seen giving her father the stash and her mom the gown. "I know you put me through school and it was really hard and thank you for all the sacrifices you made," she tells her parents in the clip.

Ly captioned the video, "I am beyond grateful for my college degree, but even more grateful for my incredible parents who made it possible. My mom and dad are both immigrants who fled their homes for a better future. They've worked their entire lives and didn't get the opportunity to attend college. They sacrificed everything to give me a life they never had. I chose to wear this traditional áo dài in commemoration of my parent's hard work and perseverance. As a first-generation college student, I'm proud to say I've made their dreams a reality. Thank you, Má and Ba, for your unwavering love and support and for teaching me the value of hard work and determination. This is not just my graduation, it's ours."