Attending a christening can be a confusing experience especially if you’ve never been to one before. One aspect people worry about is christenings gifts. Do you need to get a gift? How much should you spend? What gifts are appropriate? We’ve put together the low down so if you’ve got a christening coming up, you’ll know exactly where you stand.
Christening gifts are something that’s designed to be a lifelong treasure for the person getting christened. Usually a person is christened when they’re a baby, often within the first year of life. A christening (or baptism) represents the cleansing of original sin from the baby, and the initiation of the baby into the church. Parents and godparents accept responsibility on the baby's behalf, for the child's acceptance of the beliefs of the Church.
Christening gifts would often reflect this traditional belief and may have Christian connotations. As a result, they may feature the cross or other emblems associated with the church. That said, if you yourself aren’t a follower of Christianity, you may choose to avoid any religious representation in your gift.
While giving a christening gift isn’t necessary, it is customary, especially if you’re closely related to the person being christened or you’ve been chosen as a godparent. Good etiquette would dictate that if you’ve been invited to attend a christening, that you’ll give a gift as a token of your appreciation. And while that gift doesn’t need to be extravagant, it is usually something that can be treasured for years to come either by the parents of a child or the individual themselves.
With so many gifts out there to choose from, there’s no surprise that you might find yourself at a bit of a loss when it comes to deciding. Below we have put together a list of christening gift ideas and the reason why we think they’re a great choice.
Photo frame - As it’s common to give a christening gift that’s designed to be a keepsake, a photo frame that’s designed to house a picture of the person being christened at their christening is the perfect gift for commemorating the big day. Not only is it something that should last a lifetime but it’s something that’s easy to display too.
Money box - Many parents will start saving for their child's future from the moment they’re born, but a money box is one of those gifts that will allow them to do their own saving, teaching them the value of money from a young age. Giving a money box as a gift is a great way of saying “I care about your little one’s future” without saying it. Don’t forget to drop a couple of pennies in there for good luck, too!
Blanket - If it’s a young child that’s being christened, a blanket will not only be a beautiful gift, but a practical one too. Often, children will grow up still holding their favourite blanket dear, and depending how well kept it is, there’s a chance it could be passed down to the next generation, for them to enjoy too.
Silver coin - The tradition of giving a silver coin to a young child for their christening goes back centuries. It’s said that a silver coin symbolised good luck, but it also served the practical purpose of setting up a nest egg for the child.
Jewellery - Much like with the silver coin, giving silver jewellery is not only seen as good luck, but it can also be treasured for years to come. If you’d like to give a gift that will appreciate in value, silver jewellery such as a bangle or necklace will see that they have something that holds more than sentiment as they grow older. Buying silver jewellery can be quite costly though, so if you’re on a tight budget, it may not be a viable option.
A book - These days, having traditional story books personalised is quite simple and can make a lovely, thoughtful gift for a christening. That said, if you’d like to stick with tradition, an early edition of a children's book is a lovely gesture and often quite a unique one.
A bible - If the religious aspect of a christening is an important part of the reasoning for the parents, then the bible is a fantastic gesture to make and is one gift that is likely to be highly regarded for life. You can also have the bible personalised for that extra special touch.
If you’d prefer to give money instead of a physical gift, then doing so is likely to be appreciated. Giving cash can be a bit of a minefield, though. Knowing how much to give is tricky, firstly you don’t want your generosity to outshine those that are closer in relation to the person being christened, in the same way that you don’t want to come across as tight or lazy with your gift.
Though in reality no one should expect it, how much give as a christening gift often depends on the closeness of your connection to the child. If you are to be their godparent, you might be expected to give a significant gift of £50-100 or even more if you can afford it. If you are another close relative, £20-30 should be an acceptable amount and will likely reflect how much you’d spend on a physical gift.
A naming ceremony differs to a christening in the sense that it’s not religion based. Instead, the premise of a naming ceremony is to congratulate parents on the arrival of their new addition and officially welcome them into the world without the promise of raising them Christian. That said, this is essentially where the differences end.
A naming ceremony is still an occasion for friends and family to come together to celebrate a child and show your support as they continue on their journey through life. Due to this, there would still be an expectation to buy a gift; though, the gift wouldn’t have the same religious connections that a christening gift might have.
If you’re about to attend a christening and you’re struggling with what sort of gift to buy or how much to spend, then finding the right gift can become somewhat of a chore. We hope our handy guide has helped and we’re certain that whatever you choose, it will be cherished for many years to come!