Naming Ceremony and Christening gifts - Finding the perfect present

Naming ceremony and christening gifts – finding the perfect present

Finding the right gift – things to consider
Christening gift traditions
Godparent/Special Adult gifts
Types of christening presents
Gift lists to make life easier

Finding the right gift – things to consider

If you’ve been invited to a baby celebration – whether it’s a christening, thanksgiving service or a naming ceremony – you’ll need to buy a gift. Much like a wedding gift, a christening gift is no ordinary, run of the mill present. It takes careful thought. Some of the things worth considering are:

Your role: Are you a godparent or a specially named mentor to the child? If you are, you’ll want to either spend more or make the gift more personal, memorable or traditional than if you were just a regular guest.
Traditional vs Practical: Many of the traditional christening presents aren’t always practical. Think about the family you’re buying for. Do they tend to be quite traditional or are they more modern and practical in nature? A silver rattle for example might be viewed as a dust collector by a more practical, contemporary family while families with a traditional outlook will treasure it as one of their child’s keepsakes.
Longevity of the gift: Think about what you want the gift to mean to the child once they grow up. Is it a gift that they can use and keep as an adult – for example, silver cufflinks, tankard or a financial investment - or is it something that is only really suitable for use as a child – for example a toy, book collection or item of clothing?
Religion: A popular christening gift for babies is a First Bible or book of religious stories, as it’s their introduction to the Church. However, if the family isn’t religious and is opting for a naming ceremony, a gift like this would probably be inappropriate. A more contemporary gift might be more relevant.
Personal and unusual: If you want your gift to stand out, consider personalising it. Just about anything can be personalised today – from engraved silverware to embroidered nursery items and named stars!
Budget: As christening presents tend to be slightly more special than the average gift, people usually spend a little more. However, it’s possible to get beautiful gifts for under £20 if budgets are tight. The norm is to spend between £20 and £50 is you’re a regular guest and between £50 and £100 if you’re a godparent or named mentor. However, the sky’s the limit and you can splash out on gifts of enormous value.

Christening gift traditions

There are many different traditions and customs depending on your religious background and country of origin. Some of the key traditions from the UK are:

Caudle cups – two handled china cups - were used many centuries ago by parents of newborns. The cups were filled with a mixture of spiced oatmeal gruel flavoured with madeira and served to the parents for three days after a child’s birth. The cups were only used for this purpose and were often handed down through the family for generations. Some believe that the silver christening cups of today hark from this tradition.
Christening cups – another take on the idea of giving a silver cup as a christening gift is that it is reminiscent of the ‘silver chalice’ used at the Last Supper by Jesus. The cup represents that the new baby is an empty soul, waiting to be filled with purpose and goodness. In the Catholic faith, a silver christening cup is typically bought by a godparent. It is used to pour the baptismal waters over the baby’s head three times as a symbol of the holy trinity.
Apostle spoons – these are silver spoons with the image of one of the twelve apostles on the handle. Wealthy benefactors would give a baby the entire set of twelve, while those less well off would give four spoons (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) or possibly just one with the saint whose name the child had been given. This custom started in Tudor times and was a sign of a wealthy family and is thought to have given rise to the saying: Born with a silver spoon in your mouth. The giving of Apostle spoons has become less common, but the giving of silver remains.
Silver – silver was a valuable currency, so giving something silver was a way of setting up a nest egg for a new baby. The Victorians adapted the silver pieces and silver spoons to anything silver and of use – like rattles, teethers, cutlery, egg cups and napkin rings. These days, giving something silver is the most commonly accepted tradition for christening presents.

Godparent/Special Adult Gifts

The godparent-godchild relationship is a special bond directly between you and the child. Aside from any religious aspect, the relationship with a special adult nominated in a naming ceremony is exactly the same.

Our Godparent Gifts section gives suggestions for how your christening or naming ceremony gift could symbolise what that relationship means to you, setting the tone for how you would like that special bond to develop in the future.

Types of christening presents

There is a vast array of christening gifts with something to suit everyone. We’ve created a list of the most popular gift types, from traditional to more unusual ideas for something truly memorable. You can find anything from financial investments to ride on toys, books to silverware – something for every budget. Browse our categories for ideas and inspiration, and link directly to companies to buy your gift, saving you hours of pavement pounding or last minute panic.

Alternatively go direct to the new My Baby Celebration online shop which has a great range of some of the most popular gifts - all at fantastic prices!

Gift lists – to make your life easier

It can be hard knowing what to buy as a christening present with so much to choose from. There’s also nothing worse than receiving three different silver napkin rings! We’ve created a gift list for parents wishing to make life simpler for their guests. Much the same as wedding gift lists, parents pre-select gifts they think their child would like or find useful. Guests simply have to pick something off the list, knowing that they won’t be buying duplicates or something unwanted. It’s a huge time saver too and you’ll know that you’re buying something the child and its parents will value.