Godfather gift?
November 2, 2015 6:59 PM   Subscribe

I'm going to be the godfather for my good friends' little girl. What would an appropriate gift be?

I want to get something keeping in the theme, so to speak, but not something that is super religious. (So, no Bibles or prayer books.) Ideally, it would be something that she would be able to keep for a long time. I was trying to find a nice wooden Noah's Ark toy set, but all the ones I have found are either inexpensive Melissa & Doug type things or insanely expensive, hand-crafted ones (that wouldn't ship here in time, to boot).

Other possibly pertinent details: it's a Catholic baptism. My wife's not the god mother (the mom's twin sister is).
posted by synecdoche to Shopping (19 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Whenever I've seen someone be a godparent (I opt out, as I'm no longer Catholic), they tend to get the child crosses on a small chain they can wear later in life.
posted by xingcat at 7:03 PM on November 2, 2015


Something silver, or silver-plated? We are agnostic/atheist and got a baby drinking cup, engraved with godbaby's name and date of birth. We thought it was a nice balance of keepsake and meaningful, without feeling inappropriately religious on our end.
posted by stillmoving at 7:15 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


I was given a little engraved heart with my name and date of my christening by my godmother. Obviously I don't remember this but the gold heart has my little teeth marks in it. I still own it and wear it many decades later.
posted by kariebookish at 7:16 PM on November 2, 2015 [4 favorites]


Another traditional Catholic baptism gift is a gold or silver Saint Christopher medallion. He's the patron saint of travelers and travelling and also provides protection against sudden death. Or perhaps if you know which saint is associated with this baby's birthday, that might give you another idea.
posted by carmicha at 7:24 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


Maybe do an add a pearl necklace? Start with a small gold chain and an 8 mm pearl (don't get the kid size). For special days in the future, you and other family members can gift her additional 8 mm pearls. When she is grown, she will have a lovely, impressive set of pearls made by her family. You can buy the tiny, kid size of these but they don't last the girl into adulthood. That's why you do it yourself with an 8 mm. This is a very Southern thing but makes a lovely gift and such a sweet heirloom to pass down.
posted by pearlybob at 7:29 PM on November 2, 2015


A lace handkerchief that her mother can use during her baptism, that can then be saved for her to use for her first communion and her wedding day.
posted by myselfasme at 7:40 PM on November 2, 2015


I spent far too much on wooden toys. They were overpriced, underused, easily damaged. But this Playmobil 123 ark is pretty much heirloom-quality, and it will be extensively played with, unlike a lot of wooden things that look great to grown-ups.

The Folio Society has really beautiful books of fairy tales. Normally I scoff at books put out by associations that do nothing but put out books to buy, but their book design is so good and their editing so tight that I really enjoy every Folio Society anything I've ever picked up. I bought, and enthusiastically read, a number of their fairy tale collections as an adult. Not religious, but, keep-able and usable for the next generation. Write some best wishes in it with the year; I have a volume of Winnie the Pooh that was given to my grandfather, my mother, me, and now my kid, with a little scribble for each passing-down; it's a nice thing to have.
posted by kmennie at 7:54 PM on November 2, 2015 [2 favorites]


A close friend and the godmother of our kids got us In Every Tiny Grain of Sand: A Child's Book of Prayers and Praise. We are an interfaith family (one atheist raised Hindu + one Catholic) and I thought this was a really nice and appropriate gift, spiritual without being proselytizing. It's out of print now, but you can still track down a copy, or look for a similar book.
posted by chickenmagazine at 7:59 PM on November 2, 2015


Whatever else you get, get ahold of one of those plastic bottles for holy water or something like it and fill it with water from the baptismal font. Then write their name and baptismal date on the side. Calendar the date in a way that works for you. Each year just before the date of their baptism you can send their parents, and later the child, a note reminding them of the date. Their parents can bless them with the water or they can bless themselves. It should last the rest of their lives and they can use it before other big dates (first communion, weddings, surgeries or illness, etc.).

Have lots of godchildren and they and all the parents have always loved this.
posted by resurrexit at 8:09 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


If you can't get a holy water bottle in time online, any Catholic gift store (some bigger parishes have these) will carry them. And really it's just a hideous plastic bottle so anything will do, like those little plastic bottles in the travel-size toiletries section at Target or Wal-Mart.
posted by resurrexit at 8:12 PM on November 2, 2015


We always gave US Savings Bonds in our family.

Not really shiny or playful, but it kind of sent a message you were thinking about their future. Given the rates these days, maybe it's not a good idea anymore.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:14 PM on November 2, 2015 [2 favorites]


Whatever else you get, get ahold of one of those plastic bottles for holy water or something like it and fill it with water from the baptismal font.

That's a sweet idea, but I wouldn't assume the priest will be cool with it. You'll want to ask first.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:18 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


I asked my mother (the arbiter of all such things) right before I became a godfather. She recommended a silver christening cup. A more secular alternative, she said, was a savings bond for the child.
posted by wjm at 12:36 AM on November 3, 2015


I now do a book of poetry. A big hardback children's anthology - Caroline Kennedy does some good ones - with beautiful illustrations and a dated inscription in the front wishing them poetry, love and beauty in their lives etc. Every kid should have a book of poems for parents to read and later for them to explore.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 1:53 AM on November 3, 2015


Best answer: I got this idea 23 years ago and it was one of the best presents ever: a cast iron skillet.

A cast iron skillet? That's bananas, right?

When each of my kids was born, I got a new cast iron skillet for them, and kept them in rotation all of their lives.

As they turned 21, they got to keep the skillet, which was seasoned with their childhood. Very cool.

Also, savings bonds are good.
posted by kinetic at 3:13 AM on November 3, 2015 [4 favorites]


My godmother gave me a christmas tree ornament every year. My godfather gave me a tool. So when I moved out on my own, I had a bunch of nice christmas tree ornaments and a tool box of great tools. So I give my godchildren, at their baptism, a tool box with a nice ornament inside, and usually something religious.
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:39 AM on November 3, 2015


How about a set of children's flatware? I gave them to my godchildren, engraved with their first name, and they have been using them for years. Examples: one, two, three.

The parents loved the present, and the children started using the spoons when they were still little, the knife and fork a little later. Now they're in elementary school and still use them every day.
posted by amf at 7:47 AM on November 3, 2015


A silver rattle is a lovely keepsake.
posted by bq at 8:27 AM on November 3, 2015


Response by poster: Thank you to everyone for the suggestions, but Kinetic, a cast-iron pan! That's absolutely perfect for this family.
posted by synecdoche at 4:46 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]


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