Look at it this way. By saving seats you’re implying that your group’s time (being to pissy to be bothered with arriving early) is more valuable than the rest of the folks who actually are willing to take the extra 45 minutes out to sit quietly to see their child graduate. No matter how you justify it it’s a dick move.
I know, I know - I have seven family members coming (besides me; it’s eight total), but I hate to make everyone sit around for 90 minutes. Sure we could spend the time chatting, but we’ll be doing that later at our house over food.
I hate saving seats, at least more than two or three.
I’ve decided I’m telling everyone they need to be there early, and that we’ve been told saving seats is a big no-no.
Besides, it’s a huge place and even finding each other will be a chore.
Why can’t you drop the kid off and go back home for 90 minutes? That length of time in a hot, noisy auditorium will truly blow. Go home, futz with the food, and go back.
Yeah, that would be the sensible thing, but the place where the graduation is taking place is about 20 minutes away, and with gas prices the way they are, I didnt think it was worth it to go back home and then go back again.
My husband was going to bring his father and sister a bit later, and afterwards, we wouldn’t all fit in one car.
We could ride with my mother or father - it’s just a matter of playing phone tag.
My kids say folks were expressly told there was no saving of seats tonight.
We’ll see.
Assuming the weather holds, it will be held outside in the football stadium. I understand the stage will be at midfield facing the home stands, with kids sitting on either side and the band and choir behind.
Sounds like tickets were issued similarly to your sitch, Bib.
Graduations are just about the most boring events ever, so I’m not too concerned about getting a “good” seat.
It is less than a mile from our house, so we’ll walk - probably head over there 45 minutes ahead of time. I’m sure it will already be packed by then!
We did get a list of rules, but there was nothing on there about saving seats. The doors close at 9:45 and no one will be admitted after that.
The kids have to be there at 8:30 sharp and if they’re not there by 8:45, tough luck, they don’t get to participate. The diplomas of kids not there on time will be pulled. It sounds like they mean business, too. There are horror stories of kids who get there 2 minutes late who don’t get to walk.
There is to be no applause after each name, and no yelling or whistling. We’re to hold our appluase till the very end. This was in big bold letters - NO APPLAUSE UNTIL THE VERY END. It’s so everyone can hear their own child’s name being read.
There is to be no picture-taking or video-taping from the aisles - you cando it from your seat, but you must stay in your seat at all times. There is a photographer who takes a shot of each kid as they receive their diploma, and mails you a proof in a few weeks, which you can purchase for $15.00.
It’s a big class, and they have ceremonies all day long. They need to move us in and out as quickly as possible.
I’m with pseudo on this. If there’s plenty of room, I don’t mind sitting back a ways until your group assembles. If seats are scarce, time to stop telling people that you’re saving seats.
I was thinking about another situation where saving seats bugs me.
I HATE it when you go to a wedding reception or similar function with no assigned seating, and find many many tables with the chairs all tipped up indicating that they are “saved.”
I realize this is a different situation with several different dynamics.
But I remember one time when we and another couple arrived promptly - easily among the first 1/2 of people arriving - and we had significant difficulty finding a table with more than 2 available seats. This wasn’t a case where folks were up socializing, grabbing a drink, etc. Instead, groups had clearly sent a very few emissaries ahead, who simply tipped up chairs to reserve entire tables.
I readily admit we may not be the hippest, most popular couple around. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we want to sit at the back corner table with the (rest of the) boring misfits! 
I personally think there should be some limit in such situations as well. Perhaps 2 couples on site can save an entire table. But they have to establish some minimum presence - either a couple of them have to sit at or hover near the table, jackets and purses, half-empty drinks, or appetizer plates should be strategically placed, etc. But just tipping up the chairs is a mite selfish, in my book.
Actually, I’d look at it the exact opposite way. If I had to pay for tickets, it’s like a general admission show. Which, to me, means that if there is not a butt in the seat, it’s fair game (within reason, like someone getting up to go to the bathroom).
Is there a way to get another person with you to save the seats? As far as I’m concerned, one person saving seats for 4 others is nuts. One person saving for 2 others, however, seems fine to me.
Optimally, one person saves one other seat.
Okay, I guess we have it somewhat straightened out.
My mother and sister are picking me and the Biblio-Graduate up early. My mother and I will get in there and save the necessary seats, my sister will wait outside with the tickets for my father and step-mother (who have been forewarned to get there as soon as possible; they’re coming from out of town), and my husband will come soon after with his father (who doesn’t like to drive) and his sister and the littlest Biblio kid.
For those counting, yes, that’s nine. We were able to score one extra ticket for my SIL from one of my daughter’s friends who didn’t need it.
It really depends on the situation as many others have pointed out. Someone mathmatically inclined could probably come up with a formula for it (certainly won’t be me). 
IMHO: you get to save one set to each side of you at most, that’s it. If there is enough seating for everyone, then you don’t need to save seats for all your friends arriving late - they can easily find their own seat in your vicinity. If you think that your friends won’t be able to find seats in your vicinity, then you are trying to hog desirable seats that should go to the people who made the effort to arrive early enough to try to get one of those desirable seats.
For any “free resource” in short supply, we are always going to have problems.
One approach that kind of works is to ticket the event with assigned seats but not charge for them.
All the names go into a hopper and “the computer” allocates the resources in some sort of “random” fashion.
no need to waste time arriving excessively early and fewer fisticuffs and such over saved seats.
All unoccupied seats are released to those without tickets X minutes prior to the event.
Depending on the situation, individuals can only request a fixed amount of tickets and those who receive unneeded tickets need to be encouraged to return them for those on “standby.”
I saved 9 seats at my baby sister’s graduation. The ceremony was outside under a big tent.
1 for my mother who was helping said sister with her hair before the ceremony.
4 for the older sister’s family. The have two little boys, ages 2 and 4. They were just outside the tent trying to wear the kids out.
1 for my 92-year-old grandmother, who we weren’t sure should even come, but she wanted to. She was inside a nearby air conditioned building with my father (he son,) who would help her to her seat when it was closer to starting time.
1 for my aforementioned father.
2 for the other grandparents, who are a bit more spry. They were slowly wending their way from the parking lot. They eventually joined me and sat down. We all arrived on campus at the same time; they’re just a bit slower.
So there I was, just one peson taking up 10 seats. I certainly didn’t feel like a jerk doing this. None of our party showed up on campus just before the ceremony. We were all there about 2 hours ahead of time; we just weren’t all sitting in the tent. The two grandparents sat down after I’d been there about half an hour (bathroom break on the way,) so then we had 3 people taking up 10 spots.
This is in contrast to a row of seats that I saw when I arrived. They all just had a strip of masking tape with the writing, “Reserved for [name] party” on them. No one was even there.
Oh, the amount of seating wasn’t a problem; everyone could get a seat. No one could really see though. If there had been a problem with seating then the kids would have been on their parents’ laps.
This is what was done for my son’s recent First Communion. We had 46 second graders. That is 46 families (no twins). All names were put in a box and drawn at random. One pew per family. Any extra family could sit way at the back or negotiate with other families who had not filled their pew up. No getting there hours early, no arguing, no saving seats.
Of course some families were upset that they were in the back, but that’s the breaks.
I don’t mind if it’s a play or a movie or anything like that–something in a big theatre, where there’s plenty of space to move around. I only really care if the person is obnoxious about it–blocks off three rows for two people, takes your seat if you leave it for a moment, and so on.
Here’s a thread from about 18 months ago in which some Pitizens give their opinions on this thorny issue:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=285913&highlight=saved
Only if they are hot.
Jessalyn Gilsig approaching nakedness in a movie theater to save seats = acceptable.
Dennis Franz doing the same thing = unaccepable.
Didn’t seem to be an issue at the graduation.
The we dropped my kid who was in the band off 1 hour early, and the stands were already about 1/2 full, on either side of the 50 yard line.
When we got ther 1/2 hour later, the only seats left were in the uppermost corners.
I think the fact that it was so crowded, and the stadium benches and limited aisles made it a non-issue.
Oh yeah - it rained,