Fun and unique gift ideas for graduates

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As students don their caps and gowns, family members will be spending $5.4 billion to shower them with gifts. Technology is one of the more popular items this year.

"Whether you're buying a video game console to play video games you can still use it to watch a lot of television on demand app's. If you're going to be walking around campus, headphones are great because sometimes you want to be left alone," said Mike LeClair, Best Buy sales manager.

LeClair said portable speakers, fitness bands, and smart watches are also desired items. He also sees families coming together to buy an expensive gift like phones or laptops.

"Those are fairly expensive gifts so it's a nice thing for everyone to chip in on and send them to college with something that will last them at least the next four years."

And technology extras can sweeten the gift.

"Everybody loves Spotify, it's one of the easiest ways to listen to music. Gift Cards for Spotify pay for six months or a year of that for the student," said LeClair.

Over at The Foundry Collective, shoppers also have grads in mind. Employee Taylor Thatcher suggests gifts like planners and calendars to keep organized. She said usable and fun items are also a hit.

"I really like the Corksicle water bottles, they keep everything cold for 25 hours and going to Fresno State in the middle of August is a very hot time so I always love having a water bottle with me and they come in a bunch of fun colors."

You can celebrate the year 2017 with handmade jewelry or give your student a piece of home.

"The Natasha Hill and Studio, we have maps of Clovis and California and the whole Central Valley that she hand paints. They're fun to put in picture frames to send with your grad if they're going away to college," said Thatcher.

If you are out of time or ideas, experts say cash is always king. More than 56-percent of people will give some green to kids to start a new chapter on their lives.