Christening Gifts

What a christening is, and what is traditionally given

A christening is the church service that welcomes a child into the Christian faith, usually as a baby or young child. Godparents stand with the parents at the service and promise to support the child as they grow up.

Christening presents are traditionally things to keep rather than to use up. Silver has long been a favourite choice, and a framed photograph or a first money box follows the same idea: a piece the child grows up with and keeps.

Christening gifts from godparents, grandparents and guests

Who is giving tends to shape the choice. Godparents often look for something lasting, such as silver, perhaps with the child's name on it. Grandparents might choose a frame for a photograph of the family together, or a money box for the child's first coins, while a guest could bring a keepsake box for the order of service and the cards.

Some of ours are intended for a child up to the age of three, and some suit a birth or a baby shower just as well as a christening. Some are meant for the parents rather than the child.

Frames for a photograph of the day

Photo frames are among our christening gifts, and the first thing to settle is the print. Check the size of the opening, then have the photo printed to match. Some of our frames hold a single photo, and a few take a 6 x 4in (15 x 10cm) print, a standard size for photo prints. Some have no mount, so the photo fills the opening, while a mount puts a border around the picture.

A few hold the picture upright, in portrait, which suits a photo of the baby in a christening gown or in a godparent's arms. Some are freestanding, so they sit on a shelf or a chest of drawers with no need for a nail in the wall.

Real silver plate and white finishes

For a traditional look, some of our christening gifts have a silver finish. Some are real silver plated, with a thin coat of real silver laid over a base metal. Silver plate tarnishes just as silver does, but a gentle polish brings the shine back. You will also find metal and metal alloy pieces among them, and a few with a shiny finish.

If silver feels too formal for a nursery, some come in white, which sits quietly alongside painted furniture and pale walls and suits a room that will change as the child grows.

Engraving a name and a date

Some of our christening gifts are engravable, and an engraving turns a present into a record of the day. We do not engrave, so the pieces come plain, ready for your own engraver. Keep the wording short: the child's first name, the date of the christening and perhaps the name of the church are usually enough, and a short line reads more clearly than a long one. Check the spelling of the name and the date with the parents before anything is engraved, as an engraving cannot be undone.

Looking after silver plate and keepsakes

A soft, dry cloth is enough for regular dusting. For silver plate, use a silver polishing cloth gently to lift tarnish, and avoid abrasive pastes and scouring pads, which can wear through the thin layer of silver. Wrapping silver plate in acid-free tissue when it is put away slows tarnish, and so does keeping it out of damp rooms.

Wipe white and cream finishes with a barely damp cloth and dry them straight away. Keep photo frames out of strong direct sunlight, which fades prints over time, and store paper mementoes such as the order of service in an acid-free envelope. These are keepsakes for a child's room rather than playthings, so a shelf or a chest of drawers out of a baby's reach suits them best.