The following is a post from contributing writer Tonya Prater of The Traveling Praters.
My children don’t often feel that they are missing out on popular public school traditions. They’ve taken dozens of field trips, participated in classes, attended prom, played sports, and even have the option of graduating in a formal ceremony through our current homeschool group. Yet, there was one thing my son really wanted… a class ring.
Your child may feel the same way, but they don’t have to miss out. There are plenty of companies willing to take our money, including Jostens, Art Carved and, believe it or not, Walmart.
Though we purchased my son’s ring in the store (I just didn’t want to take the chance of any goof-ups on my part), convenient online ordering is available through Walmart and Jostens.
While most personalizations will differ upon the style of ring you select, there are a couple standard options that you’ll want to decide on before placing your order. These include:
- Metal options- what type of metal would they like their ring to be?
- What color stone do they want? This could be their birthstone or simply a favorite color.
- What type of cut do they like for their stone?
Not only are class rings personalized with stone colors and metal selections, a class ring also shows off your child’s interests and personality.
Here are a few more things to consider about ordering a class ring:
- Keep in mind that while you may not be able to use your entire school name (if you’ve chosen one), the vendor you choose to work with may have options available other then “Home School” or “Home Education.”
- Most styles will also allow you to personalize one side (possibly both sides) of the ring with a personal interest or activities design. Your child should consider what interest they want to highlight from the vendors options. Their interest could be a personal interest like “Rock-n-Roll,” a favorite class or skill, as well as horoscope signs (this one surprised me).
- There may be a space under the personal interest design with a crest for school colors. Your child should have two colors in mind when placing an order.
- Consider selecting a school mascot before you go to place your order. You can view these in advance online, or in the catalog that the vendor provides. We’d never thought about a school mascot so this one threw us a bit.
- If you haven’t already done so, you’ll want to determine what year your child will be graduating.
If you’ve dismissed the idea of purchasing a class ring because of cost, you may want to reconsider. A class ring does not need to be a huge expense or strain on the budget. My husband and I were able to purchase a basic, traditional ring for our son for $94, plus tax.
Finally, if you are purchasing the ring for a special gift, plan to wait 4-6 weeks for the ring to be completed, longer during the busy fall months, as many parents choose to order rings as a Christmas gift.
Would you consider purchasing a class ring for your child?
Tonya invites you to join her to learn more about the fun, family-friendly educational field trips and outings that she takes with her family at The Traveling Praters.
