What should I get for a godparent gift at a Baptism?

And then, at the end of the ballad, they head off to high school where they enroll in ethics instead of religious studies, only to be taught a completely different version of faith altogether.☕
No, look, as long as they’ve got a smartphone in hand and a laptop in their room, that's what actually matters...😁

Honestly, what kind of nonsense is this? You need a massive credit line just to fund all this. What kind of parents actually let their kids demand stuff like this? Whether it’s a First Communion or whatever, it’s supposed to be a sacred rite, not an excuse to buy expensive gifts when people are struggling. It’s awkward when a kid starts asking for things you can't afford, and you feel stuck because you don't want to say no. My daughter is making her First Communion this year, and we already sat her down and told her: don't start making lists. Whatever we can manage, she gets. Luckily, she’s modest, so I don't expect any outbursts. But honestly, why even ask kids what they want? Their imaginations run wild, and with the economy being what it is, it's just asking for trouble. People will give something nice as a keepsake, sure, but I think it's on the parents to tell their kids not to expect anything extravagant. Why set them up for disappointment in the first place?

Charles Murphy6 said:It’s pathetic, but let’s be honest: kids these days are only looking forward to their First Communion or Confirmation because they’re eyeing the gifts or the cash handouts.
We can try to run from this reality, but there’s no escaping it. I’ve already had parents come to me asking exactly what the kids want—whether it’s cold hard cash or a specific gadget. Honestly, as a parent, the idea of walking up and saying, "My kid wants a new MacBook," feels incredibly humiliating, and if I couldn't even afford that for my own child, the last thing I’d ever do is impose that expectation on someone else.
If it were up to me, I’d just bake a cake and buy a cheap little necklace—which would probably get lost in a week anyway—or maybe a Bible, though let’s face it, those usually end up being used as doorstops or something to whack people with, so what choice do I really have?
I don't even know anymore; the whole situation is becoming downright grotesque.
The way they approach faith nowadays is absolutely disgusting, especially when you hear about priests telling kids during their confirmation prep that they'll basically be getting a "gift card" tucked into their plate...
The whole thing makes me sick, truly.

I was at a service once where the priest actually scolded a child—just because the little one added their last name when they were only supposed to say their first name...
Absolutely dreadful...

Frank Wright13 said:Honestly, what kind of nonsense is this? You need a massive credit line just to fund all this. What kind of parents actually let their kids demand stuff like this? Whether it’s a First Communion or whatever, it’s supposed to be a sacred rite, not an excuse to buy expensive gifts when people are struggling. It’s awkward when a kid starts asking for things you can't afford, and you feel stuck because you don't want to say no. My daughter is making her First Communion this year, and we already sat her down and told her: don't start making lists. Whatever we can manage, she gets. Luckily, she’s modest, so I don't expect any outbursts. But honestly, why even ask kids what they want? Their imaginations run wild, and with the economy being what it is, it's just asking for trouble. People will give something nice as a keepsake, sure, but I think it's on the parents to tell their kids not to expect anything extravagant. Why set them up for disappointment in the first place?

We were just celebrating Christmas recently. My kid wasn't even thinking about the presents, which led her mother to tear through all the wrapping paper, reading every card and checking what was inside each box...
It felt... I don't know... pathetic.

feralmoose32 said:I was at a service once where the priest actually scolded a child—just because the little one added their last name when they were only supposed to say their first name...
Absolutely dreadful...

It’s honestly chilling if an anonymous forum post about some unidentified priest is the only reaction we get from everyone who actually witnessed such an act.

Nicholas King said:It’s honestly chilling if an anonymous forum post about some unidentified priest is the only reaction we get from everyone who actually witnessed such an act.

I really hope his parents stepped in—if I were his parent, I certainly would have...

So, I’m stepping up as a godfather in three weeks, and honestly, I’m completely lost on what to get the kid.🤷
It feels like everyone around here has collectively lost their minds; apparently, it’s a massive "disgrace" if the godfather doesn't drop $833 a small fortune. 😲 Everyone complains about the cost when they talk about it, yet they all keep blowing through cash just because they’re terrified of the social stigma 🤦 of not buying an expensive gift. I actually asked the boy what he wanted, but since his parents were hovering nearby and jumped right in, I got the standard line: he chose me "for my presence, not for any gifts." Typical. His buddy from school already got a MacBook, some gold chain, and $167.😲
There is absolutely no way I'm dropping an entire month's salary on a single present. To be blunt, I'm getting pretty fed up with all this pressure... if I could, I'd probably just give him a copy of the Catechism 😁, just to humble everyone else and set a precedent for the other godparents, but I doubt that would go over well. I'd likely just end up being labeled the cheap guy.

So, any suggestions for a 14-year-old kid?🤷

If you’re just sitting there wondering what to do with yourself—well, just show some love however you can!
You'll be getting a little something from the rest of the crew too, so you should have plenty to pick up whatever you've been eyeing...

My niece's godmother is asking for cash because she’s trying to save up for a new computer... I want to help, but I don't want to overdo it or make it awkward. How much is considered a reasonable amount here?

I was thinking about giving her $333 and maybe picking up a small gift too—though I'm stuck on what that should be.

Kate Morgan14 said:My niece's godmother is asking for cash because she’s trying to save up for a new computer... I want to help, but I don't want to overdo it or make it awkward. How much is considered a reasonable amount here?

I was thinking about giving her $333 and maybe picking up a small gift too—though I'm stuck on what that should be.

$14 and 43 cents.

Now, naturally, you’re going to scream, "Jesus!!!11! Are you insane!!11!! Do you have any idea what my salary is, how high my cost of living is, how many kids I have to feed, or how much mortgage debt I'm carrying??????"

And then I’ll just say, "Of course I don't know—why on earth would you expect me to provide a meaningful answer to that?"

Charles Murphy6 said:And then, at the end of the ballad, they head off to high school where they enroll in ethics instead of religious studies, only to be taught a completely different version of faith altogether.☕
No, look, as long as they’ve got a smartphone in hand and a laptop in their room, that's what actually matters...😁

If you look at the statistics—and I mean really dig into the numbers—it seems pretty clear that Confirmation is essentially just a ritualized way to celebrate a young person’s official departure from the Church.

Yeah, Lord, you’re making perfect sense here—you hit the nail right on the head.
Regarding all this gift-giving business—I’ve been a godmother twice now, even if I haven't done the baptismal thing yet, and not once have I spent more than $117.
Am I being stingy?
Not at all; my friends understand that when they ask me to be a godmother out of pure friendship, it’s coming from the heart, not a deep pocket.
And if anyone ever asks me to take on that role for a formal ceremony, they can expect the exact same level of generosity.
I refuse to spend my entire month living on bread and water just to cater to some kid's whims or the sheer entitlement of rude parents.
With an attitude like mine, nobody is likely to pick me to be a godmother, which honestly isn't a bad thing if you ask me.☕
Actually, maybe someone will, but it’ll be the real ones—the friends who actually understand what we can afford and realize that by the time their kids are old enough to care, they'll know that Auntie Charles Murphy6 doesn't exactly have a massive fortune stashed away somewhere in the USA....

Nicholas King said:If you look at the statistics—and I mean really dig into the numbers—it seems pretty clear that Confirmation is essentially just a ritualized way to celebrate a young person’s official departure from the Church.

Nicholas King said:$14 and 43 cents.

Now, naturally, you’re going to scream, "Jesus!!!11! Are you insane!!11!! Do you have any idea what my salary is, how high my cost of living is, how many kids I have to feed, or how much mortgage debt I'm carrying??????"

And then I’ll just say, "Of course I don't know—why on earth would you expect me to provide a meaningful answer to that?"

Then that number actually makes sense.

Charles Murphy6 said:Yeah, Lord, you’re making perfect sense here—you hit the nail right on the head.
Regarding all this gift-giving business—I’ve been a godmother twice now, even if I haven't done the baptismal thing yet, and not once have I spent more than $117.
Am I being stingy?
Not at all; my friends understand that when they ask me to be a godmother out of pure friendship, it’s coming from the heart, not a deep pocket.
And if anyone ever asks me to take on that role for a formal ceremony, they can expect the exact same level of generosity.
I refuse to spend my entire month living on bread and water just to cater to some kid's whims or the sheer entitlement of rude parents.
With an attitude like mine, nobody is likely to pick me to be a godmother, which honestly isn't a bad thing if you ask me.☕
Actually, maybe someone will, but it’ll be the real ones—the friends who actually understand what we can afford and realize that by the time their kids are old enough to care, they'll know that Auntie Charles Murphy6 doesn't exactly have a massive fortune stashed away somewhere in the USA....

I honestly had no idea how much money and gifts were involved until I started reading things here... To me, it all feels 🙂
for a few reasons... mainly
- It's way too much.. people are broke.
- What does a religious ceremony have to do with expensive gifts? What exactly did the faith teach these kids and their parents? 🤷
Good thing I won't be anyone's godmother. Probably. 😕

Nicholas King said:If you look at the statistics—and I mean really dig into the numbers—it seems pretty clear that Confirmation is essentially just a ritualized way to celebrate a young person’s official departure from the Church.

Exactly.
Kids these days only show up because they have to. Priests at Sunday school hand out extra credit just for showing up to Mass. It's pathetic.

I even saw one church where they had a sign-in sheet at the door specifically for those being confirmed on Sunday. About 90% of them just breeze in during Communion, sign the paper, and leave. Or worse—they ask someone else to sign for them. A total disaster.

On topic: @Ribež - respect. If only there were more godparents like you..
I remember getting two hours (not even a long time) worth of jewelry and cash. I used that money to buy a room for myself and my sister (our first apartment 🙂 ). No phones, no useless gadgets, nothing. ☕

I once bought a Samsonite suitcase for one person, fueled by nothing but the dream of seeing the world; I bought a piece of graphic art for another, which now hangs on her parents' wall until she can claim it for herself; and I even covered a trip to Rome for two, where she got to travel alongside her mother.
The ideas just keep coming:
- A complete aquarium setup, fish and all the gear included
- Foreign language immersion courses
- A massive encyclopedia or perhaps a classic anthology of poetry...
- A season pass to the local theater
- Skydiving, paired with a commemorative photo book
- A hot air balloon ride, also with a keepsake book
- A high-quality camera
- A bicycle
- A dog (provided the parents actually agree to it)
- Speed reading workshops
- A musical instrument.
There is plenty more where that came from.

wanderinggardener12 said:I once bought a Samsonite suitcase for one person, fueled by nothing but the dream of seeing the world; I bought a piece of graphic art for another, which now hangs on her parents' wall until she can claim it for herself; and I even covered a trip to Rome for two, where she got to travel alongside her mother.
The ideas just keep coming:
- A complete aquarium setup, fish and all the gear included
- Foreign language immersion courses
- A massive encyclopedia or perhaps a classic anthology of poetry...
- A season pass to the local theater
- Skydiving, paired with a commemorative photo book
- A hot air balloon ride, also with a keepsake book
- A high-quality camera
- A bicycle
- A dog (provided the parents actually agree to it)
- Speed reading workshops
- A musical instrument.
There is plenty more where that came from.

Those are lovely gifts, but honestly? A bit pricey. (Though I guess that's subjective.)

Here are a few more ideas:
- a fish tank setup
- language classes
- an encyclopedia or a poetry anthology...
- theater subscriptions
- skydiving plus a photo book to remember it by
- a hot air balloon ride and a photo book
- a camera
- a bike
- a dog (if the parents say yes)
- speed reading course
- a musical instrument.
That's about it.

Ideas are everywhere, right? It’s just a matter of whether they actually fit the person... or if they're just too expensive.
Can't figure out why bolding isn't working, so here's what caught my eye from the list:
The hot air balloon thing sounds cool (though a scenic plane ride is a cheaper way to go), plus the camera, the bike, or maybe a language class if they're into that.

Last year, I served as a godmother, and I ended up getting the godchild a tablet.
Not an iPad, just some Prestigio model—it cost about a thousand dollars, maybe a little more. Just thought I’d throw that out there in case anyone needs ideas..

To be fair, it was for someone very close to me, my niece, so I really didn't mind spending the money.

I've noticed lately that everyone around me seems to be buying or receiving laptops whenever a godparent role is involved. Personally, I'm not really feeling that vibe.

We didn't actually have a religious ceremony for the little one; we aren't planning on enrolling her in religious education classes or anything like that.
Do you want to know how people reacted?
"Oh, poor thing... all the other kids at school will be bragging about what they got for their First Communion, and she won't have anything."

🤮
Well... cheers to Catholicism here in America ☕

My daughter decided she wanted to be baptized when she was nearly six years old, driven by this intense, unshakable desire of hers. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue where that impulse came from; nobody planted those seeds in her head, especially since I wasn't raised with that kind of religious fervor myself, yet she just refused to let the idea go.
She has this unique, personal connection with God—not something tied to organized religion or sitting in a pew, but something internal that I’ve witnessed firsthand.
She simply believes, and frankly, I have no intention of standing in the way of that.
As for gifts, her godparents gave her a bracelet and her grandparents gave her a necklace. That was it.
For her, the significance was in the act itself, whereas for me, the priority was simply being there by her side to support her wish, and I don't regret it for a second.
Even when it came to choosing religious studies at school, she made the call herself; I didn't push for it, nor did I fight against it.

Peter Doyle2 said:Last year, I served as a godmother, and I ended up getting the godchild a tablet.
Not an iPad, just some Prestigio model—it cost about a thousand dollars, maybe a little more. Just thought I’d throw that out there in case anyone needs ideas..

To be fair, it was for someone very close to me, my niece, so I really didn't mind spending the money.

I've noticed lately that everyone around me seems to be buying or receiving laptops whenever a godparent role is involved. Personally, I'm not really feeling that vibe.

We didn't actually have a religious ceremony for the little one; we aren't planning on enrolling her in religious education classes or anything like that.
Do you want to know how people reacted?
"Oh, poor thing... all the other kids at school will be bragging about what they got for their First Communion, and she won't have anything."

🤮
Well... cheers to Catholicism here in America ☕

What kind of crowd are we talking about? Not just the secular types, but actual religious folks? Don't they usually make a huge deal out of those ceremonies and all the gifts?🤷

Charles Murphy6 said:My daughter decided she wanted to be baptized when she was nearly six years old, driven by this intense, unshakable desire of hers. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue where that impulse came from; nobody planted those seeds in her head, especially since I wasn't raised with that kind of religious fervor myself, yet she just refused to let the idea go.
She has this unique, personal connection with God—not something tied to organized religion or sitting in a pew, but something internal that I’ve witnessed firsthand.
She simply believes, and frankly, I have no intention of standing in the way of that.
As for gifts, her godparents gave her a bracelet and her grandparents gave her a necklace. That was it.
For her, the significance was in the act itself, whereas for me, the priority was simply being there by her side to support her wish, and I don't regret it for a second.
Even when it came to choosing religious studies at school, she made the call herself; I didn't push for it, nor did I fight against it.

Honestly, it’s hard to believe a 6-year-old would come up with something like that entirely on her own without any influence from home or school.
Still, I respect her choice, and I think you guys handled it perfectly by being chill about it.

On a different note, I really wasn't a fan of how aggressive one of those preschool teachers was being about it.