What to buy for graduation this spring

With weddings, baby showers, graduations and Mother’s Day around the corner, spring can be a busy gift-giving season for many of us. To help you get a head start on your shopping, we’ve put together four mini gift guides that are equal parts thoughtful and fun.

For a new graduate, ready to start their career and explore the world, these practical yet stylish gifts will be appreciated long after convocation.

Apple’s very portable iPad Pro is a splurge gift that would help a new grad stay connected, and get work done, from basically anywhere. You can even get it engraved with a special message to commemorate the occasion. Apple iPad Pro, from $1,099 through apple.com.

Great for short road trips and outdoor adventures, Away’s smallest duffle bag is abrasion- and weather-resistant, and made from recycled materials. It can also be used as a carry-on bag for most major airlines. Away F.A.R. Duffle 40L, $190 through awaytravel.com.

For new graduates, this can be a time of big changes and decisions. Life coach and personal finance expert Shannon Lee Simmons’s latest book is designed to help readers navigate any decision crisis. No-Regret Decisions: Making Good Choices During Difficult Times by Shannon Lee Simmons (HarperCollins), $23.99 through chapters.indigo.ca.

Offer them an upgrade from the basic ballpoint pen. Made in Switzerland, this elegant fountain pen features a lightweight, aluminum body and stainless steel nib. Caran d’Ache Lacquer 849 fountain pen, $85 through simons.ca.

For someone who might be living on their own for the first time, a new set of luxe sheets is a welcome gift. Available in a range of muted colours, these 200-thread-count percale sheets are made with organic cotton. Coyuchi sheet set, from $229 through resthousesleep.com.

Now that office commutes are a thing again, a sleek backpack that’s also comfortable is handy for someone about to enter the work force. This one is made from recycled polyester, and roomy enough to fit a 15-inch laptop. Everlane ReNew Transit backpack, $150 through everlane.com.

Ideal for caffeine fiends with small kitchens, the new Vertuo Pop is Nespresso’s smallest – and cheapest – Vertuo coffee machine to date. Nespresso Vertuo Pop coffee machine, $169 through nespresso.com.

Some Gen Z and young millennials are wearing, and even collecting, analogue watches these days. This camouflage floral style from Swatch is water-resistant, fun and costs less than the trending MoonSwatch, a collab between Omega and Swatch that’s especially buzzy. Swatch Camoflower Green watch, $140 through swatch.com.

Small and simple to use, this handheld iron and steamer hybrid is an office wardrobe essential. It can be used on any fabric except leather and suede, so grads can save on time and dry cleaning. Steamery Cirrus 3 iron steamer, $250 through holtrenfrew.com.

This Toronto-based company’s supplements are made in Canada using organic, plant-based ingredients, and gift subscriptions are available for any of the products or bundles. Well Told Health bundle, $239.94 for a six-month subscription through welltold.ca.