Christening gifts?

notanewuser

I'm looking for some ideas, please!

We have a niece and a nephew being christened over the next month or so. We were unable to attend their older sisters' christenings, but i bought them each one of these

http://www.gltc.co.uk/amelie-keepsake-box-frame//gltc/fcp-product/10000002446

It's something to keep keepsakes in rather than a keepsake itself.

That said, I have no idea whether they've been used or chucked.

We won't be going to the first christening and not sure if we can make the second. There will potentially be another one as well before the year is out. I'm struggling. Because I didn't get something personalised for the first children, I don't really want something personalised for the second. I want something similar in nature to the first, with no religious references or names etc. I don't want to buy the same again when 2 nieces will ultimately share a room, and it's not really something I can see my nephew being impressed with in years to come.

Was thinking along the lines of wooden toys, but I'm stuck. Has anybody got any creative ideas? TIA.

(ETA, we never received any form of thank you for the 1st lot of gifts, so I'm not really on a mission to go all out this time round.)

leather5

Hi notanewuser, my 3 boys received national savings bonds from one set of godparents for each of their christenings, I think they were originally £20 worth each. These bonds mature every 5 years I think and you have the opportunity to take the money - which has increased over the period - or keep the thing going for another 5 years. We always keep them going. They are not worth a fortune, even after 18, 16 and 14 years but it's something that their much loved godparents are still giving to them if you know what I mean. We thought these were a lovely idea and have given them to others for their christenings. Another nice idea is the nice sets of royal mint coins you can get with all the current coinage in a nice presentation set. Neither of these gifts are expensive but each is a nice thing to have and keep. We had lots of silver plated money boxes etc which have all tarnished and will probably never be used, although they were all given an engraved silver hip flask which they are all looking forward to using!

lika_86

If you didn't get a thank you for the first ones I wouldn't bother until the children are old enough to thank you themselves, I don't tolerate rudeness.

notanewuser

leather5 wrote: »

Hi notanewuser, my 3 boys received national savings bonds from one set of godparents for each of their christenings, I think they were originally £20 worth each. These bonds mature every 5 years I think and you have the opportunity to take the money - which has increased over the period - or keep the thing going for another 5 years. We always keep them going. They are not worth a fortune, even after 18, 16 and 14 years but it's something that their much loved godparents are still giving to them if you know what I mean. We thought these were a lovely idea and have given them to others for their christenings. Another nice idea is the nice sets of royal mint coins you can get with all the current coinage in a nice presentation set. Neither of these gifts are expensive but each is a nice thing to have and keep. We had lots of silver plated money boxes etc which have all tarnished and will probably never be used, although they were all given an engraved silver hip flask which they are all looking forward to using!

I like the coin idea -I live about 10 minutes from the Royal Mint! :rotfl:

I'm not giving them money in any other form though, for other reasons. Thanks for the suggestions.

notanewuser

lika_86 wrote: »

If you didn't get a thank you for the first ones I wouldn't bother until the children are old enough to thank you themselves, I don't tolerate rudeness.

Don't get me started. They didn't get a thank you for DD's naming day gift............... because they didn't bother getting her anything.

One set came to stay last weekend with their 2 girls and didn't bring a single nappy with them, which everybody except DH agrees is outrageous!!

[Deleted User]

A Christening (Baptism) gift with no religious references? If I may politely ask, then why bother giving it? Baptism is a Christian religious ceremony.

nearlyrich

My nephews got a coin from their birth year in a presentation case.

notanewuser

joolzred wrote: »

A Christening (Baptism) gift with no religious references? If I may politely ask, then why bother giving it? Baptism is a Christian religious ceremony.

Their parents choose to baptise their children. DH and I are staunch atheists. They are our nieces and nephews, so feel we have to "note" the occasion, but don't want to affirm the religious bit (if that makes sense).

[Deleted User]

notanewuser wrote: »

Their parents choose to baptise their children. DH and I are staunch atheists. They are our nieces and nephews, so feel we have to "note" the occasion, but don't want to affirm the religious bit (if that makes sense).

Fair enough

CurlyTop

Many years ago, I bought a hardback book of the Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit tales and wrote on a nameplate that I placed in the front of the book so that the child knew why and who had given the gift. It seemed to go down well. Not sure how it would go down nowadays. Just a thought.

Person_one

Have you asked this before, or am I having deja vu?