Baptism Present

I have been invited to a baby boys Baptism.  I need some idea of what sort of present to buy him.


 


His parents are not very religious.  He is the first child in the family.


 


Any ideas please.

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Baptism Present

Why not just ask the parents?



Please don't ask the parents...... a gift should be of your own choosing, it is a gift from you, something YOU want them to have.


Not toys or clothing either, imo. Even jewellery is preferable.


My children got Bunnykins mugs, bowls, still have them but they used them. We bought our grandaughters all a gold name bar with their names engraved for their Baptism.

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Baptism Present


Why not just ask the parents?



Please don't ask the parents...... a gift should be of your own choosing, it is a gift from you, something YOU want them to have.


Not toys or clothing either, imo. Even jewellery is preferable.


My children got Bunnykins mugs, bowls, still have them but they used them. We bought our grandaughters all a gold name bar with their names engraved for their Baptism.



 


I agree....dont ask the parents.......it is a gift and should be just that, something you think would be suitable.

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Baptism Present

I suggested back further a Silver Christening mug/cup. My grandson has one and my daughter has one also.


They are both kept in a glass cabinet.


 


 

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Baptism Present

A nice soft Teddy Bear.

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Baptism Present

A keepsake box is a good present too.


 


You can keep first hair cut.....and tooth *shudders*....cards and all sorts of things in it.


 


And there are some really nice ones around.


 


You can also use it to hide all the silver photo frames everyone else will buy him.

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Baptism Present


Noahs Ark

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Baptism Present

aspie*mum
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I seriously don't get why people don't ask the parents? It's so weird!  


 


Wouldn't you rather buy a gift that is wanted and cherished?  Than one that is shoved in the back of a cupboard and later sent to the opshop (or put on eBay).


 


When I give a gift, it's important to me that it's useful, wanted and appreciated.  By asking, I can get much more of an idea of what is wanted and what isn't.  I see no point in giving a gift that is unwanted.  Just because I am giving it doesn't mean I shouldn't take into account what the person receiving it likes.


 


The items my daughter has form her baptism are:


- Gold name broach (a family tradition)


- A gold bracelet


- A gold angel charm


- A little gold and enamel ladybird charm


- A beautiful book of Children's bible stories


- A gorgeous set of rosary beads from Rome that she also wears as a necklace sometimes.


- A stunning little first tooth box


- My parents paid for her baptism gown which is handmade with antique lace.  Stunning, one of a kind.


- A really unusual vintage picture of an angel watching over a baby.  It's not something that I would usually choose in terms of art, but it's just a beautiful picture and it's been really well framed (mounted in cream and framed in black - like all my pictures).


 


 


The items that have GONE are:


- Silver tube to put in baptism certificate - nice idea but a huge space taker-uper.  Her baptism certificate is kept with her birth certificate and immunisation records - as she needs it to enrol in school!


- 3 silver plated money boxes - Sorry, not my thing.  I think the are hideous, tacky and take up way too much room


- A variety of silver plated photo frames.  Again, not my thing.  I think the are awful, heavy dust catchers.  Any frames photos I have are framed in black and hung on the wall.


- Bunnykins bowls - if it can't survive in the dishwasher it can't survive in my house.


 


 


 

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Baptism Present

The items that have GONE are:


- Silver tube to put in baptism certificate - nice idea but a huge space taker-uper.  Her baptism certificate is kept with her birth certificate and immunisation records - as she needs it to enrol in school!


- 3 silver plated money boxes - Sorry, not my thing.  I think the are hideous, tacky and take up way too much room


- A variety of silver plated photo frames.  Again, not my thing.  I think the are awful, heavy dust catchers.  Any frames photos I have are framed in black and hung on the wall.


- Bunnykins bowls - if it can't survive in the dishwasher it can't survive in my house.


 


I think that getting rid of all of the above is not nice. They were given to your baby from well meaning people. They were not given to you.


 


Aside from toys and regardless of whether or not I liked them, all gifts given to my children were kept. Things that didn't 'fit' in the house were labelled and boxed up. My daughter found her box a few years ago and has pulled out things that she likes - she knows who gave them to her and why. The rest she can have as an adult if she wants and she can decide what to do with them.


 


I still have a handful of gifts from my christening. I wish my mother had kept everything because I would have loved to have the things given to me by grandparents, aunts and friends who are now dead. 

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Baptism Present


I love the money box idea, that would be something that is meaningful and also useful as the child grows older.



 


great pressie idea!


we were given a gorgeous big pink ceramic pig piggy bank with money to go in, many others gave money so we had a bit in there...... Was a good start to her bank account!


 


Also a great gift that Miss Samantha got off her great Aunty for her first birthday was a month of swim lessons! We are doing them now And will continue them after this. 

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Baptism Present

aspie*mum
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I have a tiny 2 bedroom apartment.  I simply don't have room to keep useless/ugly things.


 


As my daughter has aged there are a few things I have kept boxed for her - but all at her grandmother's house as I simply have no room.  Things like hand knitted jackets, her baby layette, her coming home from hospital outfit.  But that's about it.  One small box.  


 


She has photo albums (many many many) showing our holidays and activities.


 


There is no way I could store (or would want to) the amount of rubbish that has been given to her.  Seriously.


 


What little girl needs 40+ barbie dolls when she doesn't play with them? My daughter constantly gets given barbie dolls at birthday from her school friends.  She doesn't like them.  She HATES anything that is disney princess but gets that too.


 


Wouldn't it be better for parents to ask what she wants rather than give her yet another doll she will be polite about when opening as she has good manners, but will go in the cupboard to be regifted?


 


In saying that, as she's gotten older, most parents do ask and I said "Anything crafty, stickers, scrapbooking, art supplies.  OR  anything Doctor Who".   But that's it.  She's not interested in anything else.  She loves books but has hundreds.  If there is a particular book I want for her, I will specifically ask a friend for that who is a librarian!  


 


It is heartbreaking to see a little girl opening barbie after barbie or disney princess and saying all the right things and knowing she's prefer a $2 pack or stickers, or a craft project.  Yes, people have good intentions, but shouldn't it be able to person receiving the gift rather than the person giving it?


 


Gifts given to her that are appropriate and suitable are given to her to use as she sees fit.  It she doesn't want them, or they wear out they go.  If I believe the are unsuitable, unusable or ugly, they go. 


 


I'm her mother.  I'm the boss.  I make the call on what she does or doesn't have. 


 


I don't like stuff and clutter.  I hope to teach my daughter that happiness comes from within and NOT from possessions.  Memories live in our hearts, not in possessions.


 


If people care about her and her interests, they'll ask what is suitable.


 


But to expect me to box up junk because people give it to her, is, in my opinion, bordering on insane.  I don't have the room to keep it, nor would I want to.


 


I ALWAYS ask what people want for a gift, including other children.  Parents are ALWAYS grateful and appreciative.  Friends are grateful.  I have never had anyone say "Oh no, please don't ask me, that's SO rude, you should give what you think because as the gift giver it's all about YOU".  Gifts are for the person receiving and it should give you pleasure to give what they want.  NOT what you think they want or need.


 


I think it is the height of rudeness to give a gift that is unwanted simply because as the gift giver, you think you have a right to dictate what is or isn't wanted by someone else.


 

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