Christening gifts

[Happiness2017]

Please can you guys help! I'm totally stuck!

What can I buy as a Christening for a niece?

We are quite close, I have a budget of around £100 but more if its something special.

I know jewellery etc is usually the done thing however she will get a lot of that from others.

I also bought a Noah's Ark for our son but it was a bit too fancy for him to play with so not my best decision.

I gave a relation this lovely wooden aeroplane which was really well played with www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-Plane-Luggage-Carrier/dp/B007RY5QYW?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I love the idea of a book subscription such as smallprint-online.com/collections/book-club or classic books with a special cover e.g. www.penguin.co.uk/articles/find-your-next-read/reading-lists/2015/dec/clothbound-classics/, or a box set e.g. Harry Potter. We were given the Beatrix Potter set and loved it (usually good prices on The Book People)

My daughter recieved a Charlie bear - a look one, from her godfather it really is lovely www.teddystation.co.uk/charlie-bears-linus-plush-lion-teddy-p-1090.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwqcHLBRAqEiwA-j4AyEP0rylJzhq4nSpAGh1CLqtlHt8vUijeZDv7W675LSVdflsUBy_0URoCM2QQAvD_BwE

I didn't quite have your budget so I got a lovely piggy bank and I put a coin of each denomination from the year of my goddaughter's birth. (The £1 will be useless soon though!)

The personalised 'lost my name' books are gorgeous ( www.lostmy.name ) as are the 'all the things I wish for you' books ( www.papier.com/all-the-things-i-wish-for-you )

Our daughter's Christening is coming up and we would be very happy with books. I wasn't actually expecting presents off our guests but I'm told most will oblige. I am a bit concerned about receiving 10 trinket boxes for first teeth and curls so maybe stay away from those!

My DS got a lovely links of London baby friendship bracelet. The newest edition comes with a silver plate so can be engraved. DS's christening date & name is engraved. Get loads of compliments about it.

Egraved wooden swing for a tree in the garden?

100 Year diary?

A cashmere blanket?

Minimum cost of a premium bonds is £100 and then keep your fingers crossed !

I was given a beautiful silver charm bracelet for my christening and charms every year to add to it

At my sons christening he got a set of Winnie The Pooh books in a lovely box, and also a bottle of whisky. Unusual but a cool gift, we loved it

I gave my niece a silver bookmark.

We got our godson a woodland dedication. It was in a forest nearish to where they live, and it is an actual section of the forest that you can go and look for. It was about £70 I think. There was a nice gift certificate with all the details on it.

One of my favourite gifts at my sons christening was a baby blanket with his name and christening date embroidered onto it. I have it framed now.
For my first daughter my favourite was a box frame for her first shoes so we have her christening shoes in it.
My second daughter was a silver photo frame for her first year.
I'm a very sentimental and keepsake person so these where all perfect gifts

This is totally outing but who cares really...

Boy1 received a set of three fruit trees that spelt out his full name (think along the lines of Williams pears) from one godfather (the advantages of having worked together in the National Fruit Collections). From his other godfather he received a wooden chest with items to guide him through life. These included a decent compass, a small bible and a horoscope. I much prefer these to silverware or classic books that would never be read past a young age.

It's surprising how many christening gifts seem to end up in charity shops! I try to go for something practical. I've never spent £100 I have to admit, but the last christening gift I bought was a silver photo frame and some personalised wooden coathangers which I think came from Notonthehighstreet. Once I bought a tree from the Woodland Trust as well.

I always buy the annual Harrods teddy bear which usually goes down well (particularly if the christening is held in the same year as baby's birth)

Not in the high street- personalised picture of the church with dates etc
I have bought at the christening and confirmation gifts from NOTH I think they are great

I have bought Margaret Tarrant prints online and had them framed locally before. They are beautiful.

Something silly, something sensible.

My last Christening, half English, half Polish family, I bought a book of Psalms with them in English on one side of the page and Polish on the other and a little blue elephant teddy, from which the child can't be parted!

I think the best christening gifts our son received were a Noah's Ark (nothing posh, but he loves it https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/pre-school-and-electronic-learning/development-and-activity-toys/noah-s-activity-ark/p/101763?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5viDrCY1QIVxrDtCh0IFAc7EAQYAiABEgLmdPDD_BwE), and some gorgeous children's books for when he's a bit older. One couple made it really special as they each chose a lovely edition of their own childhood favourite. I love the idea of writing an inscription in it too. I also second 'Oh the places you'll go', I just bought a copy of this for a friend's DS who is starting school this year.

Classic childrens' books (Beatrix Potter, Roald Dahl, CS Lewis etc)

Money box with money inside

Emma Bridgewater mug with name on the front and christening date on the bottom (wait for an offer code to come out for a decent discount on personalised stuff!)

An atlas / globe and a copy of "Oh the places you'll go"

AYBU about what ?

I've always gone for a good book of poetry - Waterstones generally have a nice selection.

I give premium bonds to close family members. But for a girl, an adult charm bracelet would be beautiful.
Sentimental things I own are a signed bible (one from by baptism and another from our wedding day) and a book of Hans Christian Anderson fairytales.

"It's surprising how many christening gifts seem to end up in charity shops! I try to go for something practical"

It isn't really. I'm with you on "useless" gifts.The best gifts DD received were books and clothes.

She never wore the jewellery and I am so glad that no-one wasted their money on naming a star or buying useless baubles. I really dislike gifts that are neither use nor ornament and just gather dust.

I love the Noah's Ark idea as well.

Premium bonds, or adult sized chain with simple, classic pendant e.g.: initial, star, heart. Not crucifix though, this is traditionally a first communion present.