Choosing a christening gift for a baby can be hard especially if you or the parents aren’t very religious. We know that the gift should probably be religious, but we don’t want to be fake or give something that we don’t believe in or that we think the parents won’t like.
A christening gift doesn’t have to be religious, but the best gifts will somehow help point the child to God as that is what baptism is all about – a relationship between the child and God. A simple idea is to include the child’s baptism date on your gift – reminding them that it is a special day.
Let’s look at some gift ideas that aren’t religious, but still convey the importance of the day. We’ll also look at some other factors that may affect the type of gift you pick. But first let’s clarify what we mean when we say “religious”.
What Does Religious Mean?
What do we mean when we say religious? This might mean different things to different people. Some people might classify anything to do with God or a higher power to be “religious”. I imagine a lot of people probably think of anyone going to church as religious. The Wikipedia definition of Religion is “a social-cultural system of designated behaviours… that relates humanity to supernatural elements.”
So if we classify religious or religion as something to do with set rules and behaviours, then absolutely no, I don’t believe a religious gift would be helpful to the child.
I think it’s much better to give the child a gift that is about a relationship. Baptism is often the start of child’s relationship with God. So a gift that celebrates the relationship between the child and God makes sense.
It’s interesting to note that the religious leaders were the group most often criticised by Jesus. He was often disappointed in their set ways and strict attitudes and lack of relationship with God. Jesus came to show a life of love and sacrifice, not rules and religion.
Reasons For Not Wanting To Give A Religious Gift
For the purpose of this post we will assume a “religious gift” to mean a “christian based gift”.
So there are a few reasons I can think of that might mean you don’t want to give a “religious gift”:
- You don’t believe in God – fair enough, everyone has their own beliefs and this is a totally valid reason for not wanting to give a religious gift. You don’t want to be fake or say something through a gift that you don’t mean. I respect that.
- The child’s parents don’t seem very religious – maybe you don’t think the parents would appreciate a religious gift and you don’t want to offend them. Maybe the baby has been christened as a kind of family tradition – not the best reason to baptise a baby, but I think it does happen a lot and it can make it difficult to choose a meaningful gift if there was no plan to teach the child about God after the baptism.
- All the religious gifts seem daggy – maybe you want to give a gift that is special and meaningful or modern and fun but everything you’ve seen seems a bit dated and boring.
For all of these reasons above I think I have some gifts ideas that might help.
Baptism Gift Ideas by Cost
Your relationship to the child will likely influence the type of gift you’ll give. A gift from a godparent will probably be a bit more involved and thoughtful than from someone just attending the baptism.
Here are some gift ideas sorted by… well… really how expensive they are and how much thought you want to put in. The top 6 gift ideas below can be personalised with the child’s name and baptism date to help them remember their special day and some can also include a short message.
| Gift Type | Gift Idea |
| Keepsake – expensive | Keepsake Box Jewellery Box Bracelet Wall Art |
| Keepsake – not so expensive | Name Letter Music Box Angel Figurine Photo frame |
| Something Practical for the Baby Now | Blanket Teddy DVD/ Music CD |
Let’s look at these gift ideas in more detail below.
Keepsake – Expensive
In the table above we mentioned a few gift ideas for godparents that aren’t overly religious – let’s look at them in more detail now.
Keepsake Box
A keepsake box is a great idea for something that they will have long term and it can be really useful. My 7 year old boy is always looking for containers to put his special things in – so this would make a really great gift for a boy.
I love this oak photo cube keepsake box by Treat Republic. This would make a fantastic gift as you can personalise the top with a message, and it is designed to hold photos on each side and the top. You may like to include a handwritten message or quote in some of these photo spaces before wrapping the gift to make it extra special.
Another great wooden keepsake box comes from Modo Creative. You can personalise the front with their name and christening date and also include an extra message on the back if you wish (for a small extra charge).
Jewellery Box
A jewellery box is a great idea. My daughter received one for her baptism from her godmother and she loves it. She’s now 9 and uses it to keep her precious jewellery in.
Here are some really cool jewellery storage ideas that can be personalised.
Bracelet
A baby bracelet is a really popular gift for christenings. I had a named baby bracelet when I was young. I used to love it! I remember being quite upset when the bracelet didn’t fit anymore, maybe around 5 or 6 years old or so. However, as I loved it so much when I was little it still is very special to me as it brings back good memories. Right now it has it’s own special spot with about 2 or 3 other special little things from my childhood.
If the baby bracelet is given as a gift a day or so before the baptism then it can also be worn by the child on her baptism day – adding a very special memory for the bracelet.
If you’re looking for a baby baptism bracelet – check this one out. It’s made from sterling silver and can be personalised with the child’s name and also possibly the baptism date if the first name is shortish. Free shipping available worldwide from the UK.
Wall Art
This is a great choice as it will be displayed in the child’s room. It can also be personalised with the child’s name and baptism date.
There are lots of cool, unique prints out there. Check out Etsy for ideas – they have some great prints.
I really love this personalised name print from Modo Creative.
If you’re looking for something that celebrates the relationship between God and the child a little more we have some great prints made exactly for that purpose. Check out our boy prints and girls prints that have been created especially for baptisms. These come framed and gift boxed – ready to tie with a ribbon and give.
Keepsake – Not So Expensive
Lets go through some idea suggested above:
Name Letter
A name letter is simply the first letter of the child’s name that can be used as an ornament in their room. Mostly they are carved from wood and can also be painted white.
I love this name letter from Modocreative. The child’s name can be engraved on the front and there is also an option to add a small message on the back of the letter.
Music Box
Ohh – music boxes. I remember being amazed at watching how a music box makes the music when I was young. A music box is sure to create beautiful memories and it would make a lovely gift.
Modocreative make music boxes that can be personalised with the child’s name and short message. There is also the option of choosing a music box that is sealed shut and one that can be opened with a latch to watch how it makes music when the handle is turned. The tune that these music boxes plays can either be “You are my Sunshine” or “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.
Angel Figurine
There are lots of angel figures that I’ve seen that would make a great gift. My youngest daughter has one that she received for her baptism that she really likes.
I love this guardian angel figurine from Willow Tree. I think it’s so beautiful. I gave it to my niece for her baptism.
Photo Frame
This is often a popular gift for christenings. There are lots of photo frames that mention baptism or christening day on them, but often they’re not the type of frames that suitable for a child’s room as they grow and their tastes change.
I personally think it’s a really good idea to get a classic, modern frame or maybe something a bit funky that will last. Then on the back of the frame you could write a personal message and mention their baptism day. I think that would be really appreciated as a gift and would last a lot longer.
A Practical Gift for the Baby Now
There are many practical gift ideas to choose from including baby blanket or wrap, teddy, book.
Often you will find christening gifts in newsagencies, post office shops, gift shops, chemists and other department stores. There are some really lovely ones around.
If you are looking for something that will help the child to know God then maybe checkout your local Christian bookshop. There are loads of fun and helpful books and dvds made for kids of all ages. A suggestion for young kids is anything from the Veggietales range. They are really quite funny for both young kids and their parents. If you haven’t seen it before check it out here. Any of them are good, but I would recommend the dvd “A Snoodle’s tale”. It’s my all-time favourite Veggietale story.
