In the UK, regardless of whether a family is an active part of the Christian community or not, it’s not uncommon for a child belonging to that family to be Christened. There are various reasons behind the practice, for example my own parents who are not religious decided to have me Christened “just in case”.
Photo of a Christening balloon by Sarah & Austin Houghton-Bird via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
The birth of a child is always a good thing; it can bring families together and instill us with hope for the future. As a result of this a Christening can be a wonderful chance for a family to get together and celebrate. Of course as a guest to a Christening it’s important to bestow gifts on to the child, no matter how involved in their life you may be in the future. It’s common for this practice to happen and the gifts given usually take on all shapes, sizes and budgets.
Christianity is not alone in celebrating a baby’s birth. Naturally within all communities ancestrally the birth of a child has been a thing to celebrate and the world’s religions reflect this, even if sometimes the specific customs differ quite a lot.
As a guest to a Christening, choosing a good gift can be important. It’s not uncommon for close family members to set up savings accounts for the child’s future or give them luxurious gifts including trinkets and jewellery. For most guests, a practical gift is a good way to go; a gift that will be helpful to the child’s parents is always welcome. On occasion parents do sometimes prefer something symbolic for their child however.
Should you decide on giving a more symbolic present then something like a piece of nice jewellery, like a Danon piece, or a personalised trinket box or music box is a good choice. Of course the child will only get the full benefit of these kinds of presents as they grow older. The alternative is to buy something more practical, like clothes. You can still make these personal by choosing to use a personalising service; there are many companies to be found online who will print and embroider to your specifications.