SIL bought my kids St Christophers - we’re not religious

[Loopyloulou92]

So SILs in laws all wear St Christopher necklaces (it’s like a family thing I guess). Christmas Day, she’s bought my 3 kids a St Christopher necklace each to match hers, her husbands and her kids necklaces. Hubs and I were christened as babies but don’t follow any religion or wear anything symbolic like this. Feel like this his was a bit of a weird gift as we don’t wear anything symbolic like that and that’s more her husbands side of the family who wear things like this. Plus I’d never buy my niece or nephews jewellery personally as think it’s personal preference. My kids are young (under 3) so don’t see the need for them to wear necklaces at a young age and as they’re not religious or christened or anything, I don’t want to force them to wear it - I don’t see the point and don’t believe that a necklace can ‘protect them on their travels’🙄
AIBU to keep them in the back of a drawer until kids decide if they want to/don’t want to wear them?

Agree with this. Any jewelry on a very young child looks tacky and can be dangerous. But the items are technically theirs so put them away and they can decide later on what to do with them.
I am not a fan of big showy symbols (but respect those who do). I have a tiny gold crucifix bracelet (so tiny you wouldn’t know it’s there unless you really look). It’s for me and me alone. I got it when my grandmother died and the person who helped me the most through the early stages of bereavement was the lovely lady vicar who took her funeral and who is now my close friend. I have always had faith but had never really had anyone to talk about it with. So looking at the cross if I am worried or afraid reminds me someone has my back (my gran, my friend, and ultimately Jesus). But I am a grown adult, kids under 3 would never think like this!

My family aren't religious at all but my dad was in the Navy and always had a St Christopher as patron Saint of travellers and I was given one when I was a teenager. I think it's nice.

I didn't think it was a religious thing, I thought it was just about keeping you safe when you travelled

YANBU - just say thank you and put them in a cupboard/drawer for them to decide what to do with them when they are older. Not worth causing a family argument about.

My Dsis gave my son one when he was christened but also our Foster son when he was a page at her wedding.
I know and understand the symbolism of it ie protection for travellers but I see it more as a symbol of her love and wanting to protect them . I don't link any religious symbolism as such. Neither has ever worn them but both have kept them, appreciating them in the manner they were given.
I do think it's a naff present for a young child who understands presents!

Of course it's religious, the clue is in the "Saint" part

Its a nice gesture. Keep for when dc older.

I was given st Christopher pendants for my boys at different ages, kept them as keepsakes and passed them into them as adults. Sometimes one of them wears his, the other two keep them as keepsakes too though.
I don't understand how anyone could feel insulted or fuming to be given one though.

Well, aren't you nice?!! Most people wouldn't "bin" a gift given to their child which they may well want to wear in future years.

You can be nice and not religious. I would find it actually an insult. Mine are not christened and go to non religious schools for good reasons. I was brought up with the 'fear' of god thrown at me by religious parents so it would be teh giftee I feel is rude.

I wouldn't get worked up about this. I think they were given with good intentions and since they technically belong to your children I'd put them aside until the children are old enough to choose what to do. Your DC sound too young for jewellery right now.

St Christopher is protective, it is symbolic of love and is clearly kindly meant even if it is not to your taste as way of showing love. I would be less offended by this than by the rosary I was gifted by a devout RC friend after a hard year. I am a confirmed Anglican!

I’d bin the lot but then I’m on a NY decluttering spree.

I see it more as a good luck charm type of thing than to have a religious connotation

It’s a shit virtue signaling present. I’d be inclined to sell them and put the money in their savings.

A St Christopher is more a superstitious thing, rather than a religious one, so I wouldn’t worry about that aspect really. However, I certainly don’t think you need to make your kids wear them!

I would just keep them for the kids as a sentimental keepsake of a family tradition. If they want to wear them just as a nice piece of jewellery when they’re older, they can, but they certainly don’t have to.

Although I would absolutely not expect the kids to wear them, and I completely get why you feel it’s all mumbo-jumbo (I do too!) I do think it can be nice to own a little sentimental item that links you to family tradition/culture in some way. DP has a St Christopher he was given by a relative when he was a child and he never wears it (or any other jewellery!) but it does hold sentimental value/memories of family for him and he would never get rid of it.

It’s absolutely nothing like as simple as that. Things like this aren’t anywhere near as black and white as you seem to think. You don’t have to be religious to wear/give a St Christopher any more than you have to be religious to celebrate Christmas or Easter. Both sides of my family have been atheists for at least three or four generations, but my grandad (atheist) wore a St Christopher that my nan (atheist) bought him when they were first married. I think my brother (atheist) still has one too although he doesn’t wear it any more.