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======= Date Modified 18 32 2010 21:32:19 =======
This Sunday, I am going to be a God parent. Do any of you have any ideas for a good, useful, inexpenive present?

I don't want to buy him (the baby) a silver trinket that'll just end up stuck in a box, and he has loads of clothes handed down from his brother, so they're not needed either.

I thought about a posh bottle of champagne or port or something, that they can keep until he is 18. That's my only plan so far, and I'm not tremendously inspired by it.

Thanks in advance folks x

What about a nice mug? I got my nephews each a mug when I was godparent to them with an inscription on.

I chose that because I still have a mug from my godparents!

That's a really good idea Dan, thank you. I'll start looking into that.

I opened a bank account and put a small amount of money in it for my Goddaughter that she cannot access until she is 18. I'm not very good at choosing useful presents and figured this way I can add to it over the years for birthdays and Christmas. Hopefully when she is 18 it will be useful for education/travelling. I also got my nephew some premium bonds for his christening. :-)

Based on my personal experience I would get.....a nice cuddly teddy bear.

My godmother gave me one and I still have him (albeit sat on the side with a Communist beret on and a gun in his lap. He turned quite militant once he hit his twenties.) He (Ted) is my most treasured possession, partly because everything else I own is shite.

That made me giggle.

I kinda like your posh bottle idea, but, that said, I doubt I'd do it; it might seem inappropriate to gift alcohol to a baby, and will it really be worth the wait? Besides, it might get smashed/drank along the way. But that really depends on the relationship you have with the boy's family. If you think it's something they would appreciate (because let's face it, the boy's not bothered) then do it; it's unique.

Personally, I like silver trinkets, but it'd have to stand out (i.e. something more unique than a spoon or a money box) and you could have it engraved. I also like the account idea, but it's only useful if the parents haven't already opened one. And for a decent sum to grow there you'd have to contribute more on birthdays etc, which means your Godchild will not be looking forward to presents from you all through his childhood, and kids like presents a whole lot. I always find myself spending more when the value is so obviously transparent as money!

My husband will be a Godparent this Sunday too. I began looking for the perfect gift but then my mother-in-law announced that she had already bought something from us (separate from her own gift). I still haven't decided whether this is annoys or pleases me.

Good luck :-)(gift)

Hello Eska!

I am a proud God parent myself, and I absolutely adore her! She is 3 years old now, says all these funny things, paints so well, knows all the little poems and songs, and I have to chase her around the house making awful sounds "Aaaaagrrrr!!!!" (because I become the big bad wolf or a nasty cat on demand). Now that she grew up a bit I can take her to the beach, or to the zoo, and we have amazing time! Before I go back home to meet her, I search online and learn by heart new fairy tails. I prepare for the end of long exhausting evenings, when she finally curls into my arms.

The best present you can get him is spending as much quality time as you can with him. Don't bother buying fancy, expensive stuff, they never appreciate them. When they are really young they might entertain themselves with the scratching noise of a plastic bag. Besides, nowadays everyone buys them plenty of toys, they don't fit in the house anymore, they stack them in piles in the basement. It is not like the old times anymore: toys were so valuable because we didn't have any, and we used to play with crap.

I normally talk with her mother first and ask her what the child needs, like shoes, clothes, and buy her useful stuff like that. Her mother knows that I am a very poor student, and respects that too. Sometimes, I buy some silly presents too, however I always chose presents I believe will help her development, like colours for painting, lego, wooden toys etc. I really dislike all these poor aesthetic's dolls etc.

A bank account is a useful gift as suggested, and topping it up over a long period, shows you really care about the child in the long run, and believe me, nowadays I wish I had some hidden money in the bank!

I am sure you will love the experience!

i don't have godparents, I'm not christened - apparently meaning I WILL burn in hell. But I say, that's where all the interesting people go ;-)

Anyways, I think the bank account is a good idea. My gran opened a NS&I account for me - which is very secure, if not a bit rubbish on the interest side of things, but I think it paid for quite a few things,including most of my masters degree tuition fees.

As a mum to 3 kids I don't really like the bank account idea - we haven't opened them as the interest rate is so low at the moment. It is better to put money into bonds but that isn't any good for a present. I would prefer; a lovely teddy bear, ( or dolls house, doll whatever) but a good quality traditional toy that will last for years. Or you could buy something like a box set of books by a children's author you love - I would love the Roald Dahl box set - that is something to treasure AND something that would be used. Something like these:
http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=195267

or

http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=12501



If you want something a little more "quirky" how about vintage ladybird books? My local Oxfam book shop sells them and they make great gifts - choose a few titles and tie them up together?

If it's a girl the flower fairies treasury is nice, the pictures are great and lovely little poems

ooh yes flower faires or little grey rabbit would be my favourite.

Might be too late but my favourite was a set of coins for the year when the baby was born - you can buy them from some post offices or Royal Mint on line (and having just come back from the US and taken the tour of the Denver mint they sell them in teh US as well) My son got a set of Uk coins when he was born and he loves looking at them.

Oh Jepson, that's a lovely idea, but I got some books last week. I bought a special hardback collection of Roald Dahl's writings, and Searle illustrated one for now called 'Ten Frogs' - his mum was really pleased! Maybe the coins next time...

Awww I LOVED, seriously LOVED Roald Dahl when I was growing up, so that's a great call Eska!! I also had a bit of a thing for Enid Blyton and spent my free time running around in fields pretending I was a spy or had been kidnapped or was part of a gang of friends who discovered all sorts of mysterious goings-on... :-)

I'm not a godparent, but for my little niece's christening I dedicated a tree to her via the Woodland Trust, they get a little certificate saying the tree was planted in her name, and the wood where it's planted so she can visit when she's older if she wants to (you don't necessarily know exactly which tree it is though!)

I thought it was a nice idea for a baby as it grows as they grow etc, and I know her parents are already innundated with baby clothes and toys and lots of material 'stuff'. depends on the parents though and whether they'd think it was weird or be expecting a more tangible gift.