Christening Gift Etiquette: What to Buy, How Much to Spend, and Who Gives What

Invited to a christening and not sure what the form is? You're not alone — christening gift etiquette is one of the most-asked gifting questions there is, and the rules are genuinely different from birthdays. Here's the plain-English version: what to buy, what to spend, what godparents are expected to do, and the mistakes that are easy to avoid once you know they exist.

Do you buy a gift for a christening?

Yes — if you're invited, it's usual to bring a gift. It doesn't need to be extravagant. A christening gift is traditionally something to keep rather than something to play with: the point is that it's still around when the child is older. That single idea explains almost everything else about christening gifts — why they're engraved, why they're dated, why silver keeps turning up, and why nobody brings a plastic toy.

How much should you spend on a christening gift?

There's no fixed rule, but as a working guide:

• Friends and extended family: £15–£30
• Close family (aunts, uncles, grandparents): £30–£60
• Godparents: a little more — £50 upwards is common, but the tradition is about permanence, not price

Spending dramatically more than your bracket can actually land awkwardly — the parents notice, and so do the other guests. The gift that gets remembered is the one with the child's name and the date on it, not the biggest one.

What do godparents traditionally give?

Godparents give the keepsake that lasts. The classic list, in rough order of tradition:

• A personalised bible — the oldest tradition of all, and still the clearest godparent signal there is. A bible with their name on the cover tends to become the object from the day.
• Silver — traditionally a silver coin, spoon, or trinket box; the modern version is any silver-toned keepsake with their name and date
• Jewellery to grow into — a personalised bracelet bought for the adult they'll become, not the baby they are
• A keepsake box — which conveniently ends up holding everything else from the day

If you're one of two or three godparents, it's completely fine to agree between you who gives what — it avoids three bibles, which happens more often than you'd think.

What makes a good christening gift from a guest?

• Something with their name on it — a personalised christening gift immediately becomes theirs alone, which matters in families with several children
• Something dated — the christening date turns a nice object into a record of the day; in twenty years nobody remembers the date without it
• Something that keeps — keepsake boxes, first bibles, photo frames for a picture from the day, a plant pot for a tree planted to mark the year

What should you NOT buy for a christening?

• Clothes — outgrown by autumn, and the parents have opinions about them anyway
• Loud toys — wrong register entirely for a christening, and the parents will remember
• Anything age-labelled for right now — the whole tradition points the other way, toward later
• Cash in a card — fine at some family events, but at a christening it reads as ‘I didn't think about this’; if you want to give money, a premium bond or savings contribution mentioned quietly to the parents does the same job with more grace

Do you give a gift if you're not attending?

It's a kind gesture but not expected. A card is always right; a small keepsake sent to the family is a lovely extra, particularly from family who couldn't travel.

Is a christening gift different from a naming day gift?

In practice, no — naming ceremonies borrow the same logic: keepsakes, names, dates. The only difference is that explicitly religious gifts (the bible, a cross) are usually swapped for neutral keepsakes unless you know the family would welcome them.

When do you hand the gift over?

At the reception afterwards, not at the church — nobody wants to juggle wrapped boxes in a pew. There's usually a table. If the gift is fragile or engraved, say so quietly to a parent so it doesn't end up under the coats.

The quick answers

• Do you buy a gift for a christening? Yes, if invited.
• Typical spend? £15–£30 as a guest, more as family or godparent.
• Safest excellent choice? Something personalised with name and christening date.
• Godparent default? The personalised bible or an engraved keepsake.

Looking for something they'll keep? Browse our personalised christening gifts — each made unique with the child's name and their special date.