Class Ring

I had to pay for mine with my babysitting money. I wore it until it was stolen by my ex-boyfriend that I didn't start dating until a couple years after I graduated high school. I would have worn it a lot longer had it not been stolen. I tried for years to get it back from him after we broke up. It still makes me angry, can you tell.
I still have all my paperwork and the bag it came into.
It really meant a lot to me to have gotten one.

My parents bought mine in HS and I wore it into my 20's I'd prob still wear it if I hadn't lost it when my sister accidentally knocked it out of a 2nd story window when I was visiting.

I wore mine all senior year, and well into my 20s. Now it is in my jewelry box, but only because it does not fit on my fat fingers! If it fit, I would probably still wear it from time to time, it is a part of my past after all. I got mine as my Christmas gift my jr. year.

I wore mine into my early 20s until it fell down a sink drain :(

My mom didn't really give me the option of her purchasing one for me, but also, I didn't want one. I had not gone to the high school all 4 years so it really had no special meaning to me. My husband on the other hand wore his until we got married (at age 21). He still keeps it in my jewelry box and he feels it is very special.

My son paid half and then lost it his senior year. I will have my daughter pay half next year, she'll probably wear hers.
I wore mine until I had to have it cut off while I was pregnant with my 3rd child. It now sits in my jewelry box.

my dad paid the 50 deposit on it and i paid the rest of the almost 400 for mine traded it with my now x while we were dating and i had his, but as soon as we married i got it back and continued to wear it until my first child, havent been able to wear it since but i keep it in a jewelry box and it is a kind of special step thru life i plan on doing the same with my kids paying the deposit but they have to pay the rest.

My daughter is a senior this year, no we did not buy her one. She isn't a real jewelry wearer and she thought is was a waste of money.

My children all had class rings. BUT and a big BUT here. We paid the $50 down payment and they had to pay the rest. So if they wanted it they had to work for it. Then if it got lost, stolen, left in a jewelry box we didn't care because we didn't pay for it. I know when I got mine as a highschool sophomore I was so excited. But it got stolen out of my gym locker the first year I had it. I replaced it and had to pay for it myself. it was a sure bet I was much more careful with the one I paid for than the one my mom did.

Yes, we purchased the ring for our daughter. Actually the grandparents all wanted to help pay for it, instead I asked them to hold off and help us pay for her College Application fees..

When my husband and I were in high school, we purchased our own since our parents did not have the money.. I still have mine..

My parents bought my class ring. I still have it but can't wear it cause my fingers are too fat. It is the only thing they paid for. I paid for all of the other senior stuff (invitations, memory book, cap and gown, pictures, etc). I intend to purchase my boys their class ring. I think it is a personal decision but it is a big deal here where we live. They have a ring ceremony where they present the students with their rings. I couldn't imagine not having one.

My kiddos aren't even in school yet, so I can only answer what I intend to do. I would like to get them their class rings. Mostly as a keepsake. The only thing I have of my late aunts is her class ring. I smile every time go into my jewlery box.

Lucky me, my sons didn't want one. But my daughter will in a few years and she has very very good taste, sigh.

My parents bought my high school ring, but I bought my college ring. We had that discussion when they bought my HS ring. They told me they would pay for one; if I went to college and wanted one there, I would be responsible for it.

I teach high school, and class rings are a big deal at that age. I wore mine from the day I got it until I got my college ring. My husband did the same thing,

I think that is something a child purchases for his/ herself. There is no reason a 16 yo couldn't make $230 over the course of a year. If she buys it it will mean so much more. If it's not worth it and she buys it, it will have been a great lesson in spending vs. saving and it will teach her the value of her time. She can sell her stuff on e-bay or get a job over the holiday season. She can get a part time job, even for just a little while. She can work for you running errands after school.

If she has to spend her own money she will think long and hard about what it is worth to her, and you won't have to worry if it was a waste or not.

I remember putting down a $20 deposit on my ring and never going back for it because in the end, I didn't care to waste any more money on it. Great decision. I can't imagine I'd still care about it.

I have not purchased for my children-we homeschool and the oldest decided he didn't want one, my dd is undecided. I can speak for me. My arrangement with my parents was that I would pay half and they would pay half. Due to a neighbors allowing his nephew to plant some not approved for cows greenery i lost a large part of the garden that was to pay for my half. I had to redesign my ring and find other ways to pay. I ended up paying for it in full. It wasn't just that I did that on my own, but it did play into being proud of that ring. I did marry the first time in high school but would have worn it anyway. I wore it the entire marriage and post marriage. I still wear it off and on today ( I have one dh gave me I swap it out with) Sometimes I wear his and mine on a chain under my shirt when I have that 'midlife crisis' moment. It has a beautiful saying on one side that says "Today's dreams are tomorrow's future"
I am a grandmother now and still wear mine:) I believe if dd chooses to have one made she will wear it for quite some time. How long I don't know but a few years.
Talk to your daughter and see how she feels and if she thinks she would outgrow and tire of it. You might be surprised:)

I wish I would have gotten one! My sister got one and she still wears it and she is 26. . . (I think) I second the pay for part of the $50 and she pays for the rest.

When I was in high school, my class ring ended up being a gift from my grandmother - I still have it as a keepsake, but don't remember how much it cost.

My one stepson got a class ring and the other is getting one this year (you have to at least be in 10th grade). I think their mom just paid for them herself and the ones they got were like $400 each. Personally I think that is just crazy but she has always been one to just buy them what they want instead of at least trying to meet them halfway (they do save up for other things though). My daughter is only 3 so I don't have to think about it too much yet. But what makes the most sense to me is to be willing to chip in whatever amount you think is reasonable ($100, $200, etc.) and then have them pay for the rest out of their savings/job earnings - the more expensive of a ring they want, the more they have to contribute.

On a side note, I can't believe all the different design options they have for class rings now. When we got ours 20 years ago, they came in one color scheme (our school colors were green and white, so it was a silver ring with a green stone) and there was 1 guy's ring and 1 girl's ring. And you could have your name, your graduation year, and the designs on the sides were limited to extracurricular activities in school (football, marching band, etc.) Now you can get all these different metals, stone colors, settings, etc. and the designs on the sides include Confederate battle flags, deer hunting, Yin-Yang symbols, skateboarding, you name it.

I paid for my own and bought the cheapest option (not real white gold). I still wear it (except for later in my pregnancies when my fingers swell.)

My parents paid for senior pics & our graduation announcements, but we all had jobs in h's and had no problem saving for it. I wish I would have gotten genuine gold.