Christening Gifts: What To Give And What To Spend

If you are wondering what to give as a christening gift, the ideal choice is something meaningful that lasts for years. Finding the best christening gifts depends on your budget and how well you know the family. Our guide covers traditional keepsakes, modern options, and budget-friendly christening gift ideas to help you choose a beautiful, lasting present for the special day.

A christening gift is judged on one thing: whether it's still in the house in twenty years. That's why silver, books and keepsakes have survived and why plastic toys haven't.

Below: ideas split by who you are, what people actually spend in the UK, the traditional gifts and what to do if you'd rather give money.

If you're the godparent, your gift carries more weight than anyone else's - there's a section for that specifically.

Traditional christening gifts

If you want to stick with custom, classic ideas for christening gifts are always well received by the family. Traditional items are chosen for their longevity, often designed to be treasured long after the day itself. These timeless keepsakes focus on quality materials and heritage, ensuring they remain in the family for generations.

• Silver: a christening spoon, a napkin ring, a photo frame or a keepsake box. Still the classic, still from a jeweller rather than us.
• A children's Bible or a book of prayers, inscribed with the date.
• A money box, ideally one that isn't easy to open.
• A first piece of jewellery, kept for later.
• A christening candle, lit each year on the anniversary.
• A hand-drawn print with their name and christening date, framed.
• A memory box for the gown, the order of service and the cards.
• Premium Bonds or a savings account paid into - unglamorous, appreciated later.

Keepsake gifts that get used

While traditional silver is beautiful, a good christening gift can also be something practical that fits naturally into modern family life. These contemporary options combine the sentimental value of a keepsake with everyday utility, making them highly appreciated by parents who want something both meaningful and useful for their child.

• A personalised print for the nursery wall.
• A candle for the parents - genuinely the most-used gift on the table.
• A coaster set for the family home, dated.
• A photo album or a first-year journal.
• A hand-written letter to be opened on their eighteenth birthday.
• A tree planted in their name, or a rose bush for the garden.
• A star map or print of the sky on the day they were born.

Gifts from a godparent

As a godparent, your role is unique, meaning your choice of a christening gift carries extra sentimental weight. This is your chance to offer a landmark token of your lifelong commitment to the child. Opt for something highly personal that will grow in significance as they get older.

• Godparents traditionally give the biggest and the most lasting gift.
• Something engraved with your name as well as theirs, so they know who it came from.
• A book you loved, with a letter inside about why.
• A savings account or Premium Bonds you keep adding to each birthday.
• A keepsake box you fill over the years rather than a one-off object.
• A letter written on the day, sealed, to be given at eighteen. The single best godparent gift there is.

Gifts for the parents

When looking for christening present ideas, people often forget about the parents themselves. After weeks of planning, hosting, and keeping a young child calm, the parents deserve a thoughtful gesture too. A small, relaxing treat or a practical offer of help can be the most appreciated gesture of the entire day.

• A candle - they've had a fortnight of catering and cleaning.
• A framed print of the family name and date.
• A photo book made from the first six months.
• An evening of babysitting written on a card, redeemable any time.
• A hamper of the things that never get bought for the house.

What to spend at a UK christening

Deciding what do you get as a christening gift often depends on how much you should spend. While there are no strict rules in the UK, typical budgets vary based on your relationship to the family. Having a clear idea of standard spending guidelines helps you choose a suitable option comfortably.

• Guests and colleagues: £10 to £25.
• Close friends: £20 to £40.
• Family: £30 to £50.
• Grandparents: £50 to £100 or more, often as savings.
• Godparents: £50 to £150, usually the keepsake gift of the day.
• Nobody is counting. A thoughtful £15 print beats a rushed £60 anything.

Giving money

Many people wonder if cash or savings make good christening gifts, and the answer is a resounding yes. Giving a financial contribution is a highly practical way to support the child's future, especially when paired with a lovely card that explains your hopes for their savings.

• Perfectly normal, especially from family and godparents.
• Say in the card what it's for - savings, a first bike, whatever you intend.
• Junior ISA or Premium Bonds if the parents have set one up; ask first.
• Cash in a card is fine for smaller amounts. Use a card with space to write properly.
• A small keepsake alongside the money means there's something to unwrap.

What not to give

When narrowing down what do you get for a christening gift, it is just as helpful to know what to avoid. Some well-meaning presents can unintentionally cause headaches for the parents or be quickly outgrown. Steering clear of these common pitfalls ensures your gesture is remembered for all the right reasons.

• Anything that needs batteries and makes noise. The parents will not forgive you.
• Clothes in newborn size - the baby is usually months old by the christening.
• Another photo frame. There will be nine.
• Anything the child will outgrow within the year.
• Religious items for a family that's having a low-key or cultural christening. Ask if you're unsure.

If you're a guest - £10 to £25

• A card with the date written under your name. On its own, this is genuinely enough.
• A scented candle for the parents rather than the baby - they're the ones who've done the work.
• A coaster or small print with the christening date on it.
• A hardback picture book with a message written inside the cover.
• A keepsake box for the cards, hospital bands and the order of service.
• Skip: clothes in newborn size, and anything that needs batteries.

If you're wider family - £20 to £40

• A framed print with the full name and christening date, ready to hang.
• A candle plus a card, which covers both the day and the house.
• A book of the year they were born, inscribed.
• A money box with the first note already in it.
• A set of coasters the parents will still be using when the child is ten.
• Something for the parents too - a bottle and a card goes further than people admit.

If you're a grandparent - £50 to £100

• A savings account or premium bonds, opened after checking with the parents so nobody doubles up.
• A framed dated print for the nursery wall - the gift they'll photograph.
• A piece of family jewellery put aside with a letter about who wore it.
• A time capsule box, sealed, to be opened at eighteen.
• A sealed letter written today and given at their eighteenth. Costs nothing, lands hardest.
• Say in the card what the money is for, or it quietly becomes the food shop.

If you're a godparent - £50 to £150

• This is the gift the child still owns at eighteen, so buy for eighteen, not for eight months.
• A dated keepsake print or engraved piece that marks the promise you made out loud.
• A first bible or children's bible if the family is churchgoing.
• Savings paid in monthly rather than a lump sum - £10 a month for eighteen years is a proper gift.
• A yearly tradition instead of a thing: a book each birthday, inscribed and dated.
• Silver, christening spoons and engraved tankards are traditional - we don't make those, a jeweller will.

Gifts that get kept, and gifts that don't

• Kept: anything with the full name and the date on it.
• Kept: books with a written message inside the cover.
• Kept: money in a named account, if someone explains what it was for.
• Not kept: soft toys. Every christening produces six.
• Not kept: newborn clothes, because the baby is already out of them.
• Not kept: anything the parents have to store for you until the child is grown.

Key things to remember

• Date and sign everything you give. An undated keepsake loses half its meaning in ten years.
• Ask the parents whether they've opened a savings account before buying another object.
• The card matters more than the gift. Write it properly and sign your full name.
• Put the date on it. It's the single thing that separates a keepsake from clutter.
• Check with the parents before opening savings so godparents and grandparents don't duplicate.
• A card with a real message beats an expensive gift with a signature on the label.

Frequently asked questions

What is a traditional christening gift?

Silver keepsakes, a children's Bible, a money box, a christening candle or a first piece of jewellery. All chosen because they last rather than because they entertain.

How much should you spend on a christening gift?

In the UK, guests typically spend £10 to £25, close family £30 to £50, and godparents £50 to £150. Grandparents often give savings instead of an object.

What should a godparent give?

Something lasting and identifiable as yours: an engraved keepsake, a savings account you keep adding to, or a sealed letter to be opened at eighteen.

Is money an acceptable christening gift?

Yes, and it's common. Put it in a card and say what you intend it for - savings, a first bike - so it doesn't just disappear into the week's shopping.

Do you sell silver christening gifts?

No. We make cards, candles, prints and coasters. For silver keepsakes and christening jewellery you'll want a jeweller, and we'd rather say so than sell you something else.

Where to shop next

• What is a christening?
• Baptism gifts
• Godparent gift ideas
• Holy Communion explained
• First Holy Communion gifts
• Confirmation gifts
• Naming ceremony guide
• What to write in a christening card
• Christening card messages
• Christening cards
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• Godparent gifts
• First Holy Communion cards
• Confirmation cards
• New baby cards
• Scented soy candles
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• Christening celebration ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
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• What to write in a baptism card
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Cards for the day

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