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

Charles Hayes6 said:...just curious, how much would be considered "normal" to chip in for a best man's gift?

Honestly, I think some of these wedding traditions have gone way overboard lately. People get too caught up comparing themselves to everyone else... To me, it all comes down to what you can actually afford. It’s not the same for someone pulling in $1000 as it is for someone working at $3333... so yeah, it's simple—just give what won't wreck your budget or force you to put it on a credit card.
For one person, $67 might be plenty, while another might go with $1,000... anything beyond that feels totally extra to me.

Charles Hayes6 said:...just curious, how much would be considered "normal" to chip in for a best man's gift?

I believe I’ve already mentioned this: $10745.

The more specific the question, the better the answer will be.

Nobody would ever pick me to be their godmother because the second I show up wielding a Bible, they’d act like the apocalypse is imminent—as if time itself would freeze and everyone would start screaming in absolute horror at my very existence.😁
I was sitting on the bus today, minding my own business, when I overheard this mother and daughter having a conversation... the girl asks her mom, "Hey Mom, what should I ask for as a gift for my communion? Maybe a watch, what do you think?"
The mother just responds with total, deadpan indifference: "Well, isn't one watch from $333 plenty enough?.."
I swear, I had to bite my tongue so hard to keep from shouting something back..

Charles Murphy6 said:Nobody would ever pick me to be their godmother because the second I show up wielding a Bible, they’d act like the apocalypse is imminent—as if time itself would freeze and everyone would start screaming in absolute horror at my very existence.😁
I was sitting on the bus today, minding my own business, when I overheard this mother and daughter having a conversation... the girl asks her mom, "Hey Mom, what should I ask for as a gift for my communion? Maybe a watch, what do you think?"
The mother just responds with total, deadpan indifference: "Well, isn't one watch from $333 plenty enough?.."
I swear, I had to bite my tongue so hard to keep from shouting something back..

I’d be pretty horrified too... I mean, wouldn't anyone who actually made it all the way to Krizmanikov already have it? 😁

Overheard a mom and daughter chatting on the bus today. The kid was asking her, "Hey Mom, what should I get for my graduation? Maybe a watch, what do you think?"
Mom's giving me nothing but cold shoulders—is an hour really too much to ask? $333 Not much, really.
I seriously had to bite my tongue there...

Man... and then people have the nerve to say kids today are entitled and spoiled. Like, they always want more. Honestly? A kid might actually be happy just with a watch. Especially if it looks cool.

So what if they do? You could probably use one of them to prop up a wobbly leg on a coffee table😁
No, seriously—this is getting ridiculous, and I’ve already pointed out how much people are overreacting. At this point, people aren't even picking a godmother based on friendship anymore; they're basically vetting candidates by their credit score and net worth.
As far as I’m concerned, nobody is ever going to ask me to be a godmother anytime soon given my bank balance.😁

Charles Murphy6 (No content provided to rewrite.)
So what if it does? You could probably use it to prop up a wobbly table leg.😁

😁

No, seriously—this is getting ridiculous, and I’ve already said that. It feels like people are picking their wedding party based on their bank accounts instead of actual friendship. Is that really how it works now?
So, what's the deal? At this rate, I'll be waiting forever before anyone even asks me to be their Maid of Honor.😁

Just my luck, I can't even get this to work. (Not until about a month ago, anyway... honestly, before I started this thread, I didn't have a clue what was going on...)

Nicholas King said:I believe I’ve already mentioned this: $10745.

The more specific the question, the better the answer will be.

Here’s my situation:😛We’re a typical, struggling American family—basically living paycheck to paycheck with a mountain of unpaid bills and a bank account that hits zero pretty much every month. The Krizmanikov family is drowning in debt (myself included), yet somehow the kids are always decked out in Adidas, Benetton, and Fossil. Now they're heading into high school, and I guess they'll probably need an iPhone or a laptop to keep up. Honestly, it doesn't even cross my mind to just go out and buy those things for them. I really want to get them a gift, but I need to keep it within a reasonable budget. I guess the real question is... what actually counts as a reasonable price right now?

Charles Hayes6 said:But what kind of price are we actually talking about here?

An Envelope, filled with a decent chunk of cash—that’s all there is to it.

Now, let me ask you this: how much money does that actually represent? Let's try looking at it this way: can you picture a slightly larger one-time expense—something for a hobby of yours, your spouse's, or even the kids' (the point being, it has to be a luxury, not some "essential" like fixing the car or paying a utility bill)—an amount that isn't going to put you in debt for decades, but is enough that you might have to tighten your belt just a little bit during that specific month?

That right there is the amount. 🙂.

Charles Hayes6 said:But really, what kind of price are we even talking about here?

It is honestly just as much as you feel moved to give!
Don't you see that people view this as a gift, rather than some sort of mandatory tax where there's a fixed tariff everyone is forced to follow?

Charles Hayes6 said:Here’s my situation:😛We’re a typical, struggling American family—basically living paycheck to paycheck with a mountain of unpaid bills and a bank account that hits zero pretty much every month. The Krizmanikov family is drowning in debt (myself included), yet somehow the kids are always decked out in Adidas, Benetton, and Fossil. Now they're heading into high school, and I guess they'll probably need an iPhone or a laptop to keep up. Honestly, it doesn't even cross my mind to just go out and buy those things for them. I really want to get them a gift, but I need to keep it within a reasonable budget. I guess the real question is... what actually counts as a reasonable price right now?

That’s just how I see it. $333🙂

Bicycles, scooters.

Kevin Thompson8 said:Bicycles, scooters.

🙄
Maybe $1,000$3333 for the crisis... or more (who knows how much a scooter actually costs these days)? Does someone who sat through religion class for seven or eight years really deserve nothing more than a scooter?
(In a country where the average salary is what, maybe around $1667, and the poverty line hit $7,000 ages ago—now with inflation, it’s probably closer to $8,000)

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this absolute nonsense, but here we go again. It’s just one thing after another lately, isn't it? Every time I think we've reached some kind of baseline level of absurdity, someone decides to throw a wrench in the gears just for the hell of it, and frankly, I'm exhausted by the sheer incompetence on display. It feels like we're constantly spinning our wheels while everyone else is just watching us fail from the sidelines. Honestly, it’s enough to make you want to walk away from the whole mess entirely, but instead, I find myself sitting here, venting into the void because clearly, someone has to point out how ridiculous this all is. Nicholas King says:
🙄
1000,00-$3333 Regarding Krizmanikov... or whatever else we’re calling this mess (I honestly have no clue what a decent scooter even goes for these days)... I have to ask: what exactly did someone who sat through seven or eight years of religious studies actually earn? Because from where I'm standing, they certainly didn't earn anything more or less than a damn scooter.
In a country where the average salary is what, exactly? Maybe around... $1667Look, let’s be honest here: the social safety net was already struggling at $70, but after these recent price hikes, we’re probably looking at a baseline closer to $80 just to keep our heads above water.

Honestly, you are being incredibly naive.😁
I’ve noticed that the people hunting for those kinds of lavish gifts don't actually pick their godparents based on genuine friendship or any kind of emotional bond; instead, they scout specifically for whoever has a bank account large enough to hit those ridiculous price points you mentioned. It honestly makes me sick to see how they’ll reach out to someone they haven't even spoken to in over a year, completely ignoring the fact that the person being asked hasn't given a single thought to becoming a godparent, only to vanish again for another twelve months once this "noble" little favor is completed.
At the end of the day, the objective is what actually matters—not who you're tied to or who pulled some strings for you. You don't just turn down an opportunity because of some old loyalty or a favor owed.😁
And then what? Where does everyone go? Honestly, where on earth does everyone end up drifting off to?
You’re going to have to put in some serious legwork and really sweat if you want to track down godparents like that these days, because let’s face it—everyone’s piggy banks are looking pretty damn empty, and before you know it, people are going to start aggressively hunting down anyone they can call a sponsor.😁

Charles Murphy6 said:

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this absolute nonsense, but here we go again. It’s just one thing after another lately, isn't it? Every time I think we've reached some kind of baseline level of absurdity, someone decides to throw a wrench in the gears just for the hell of it, and frankly, I'm exhausted by the sheer incompetence on display. It feels like we're constantly spinning our wheels while everyone else is just watching us fail from the sidelines. Honestly, it’s enough to make you want to walk away from the whole mess entirely, but instead, I find myself sitting here, venting into the void because clearly, someone has to point out how ridiculous this all is. Nicholas King says:
🙄
1000,00-$3333 Regarding Krizmanikov... or whatever else we’re calling this mess (I honestly have no clue what a decent scooter even goes for these days)... I have to ask: what exactly did someone who sat through seven or eight years of religious studies actually earn? Because from where I'm standing, they certainly didn't earn anything more or less than a damn scooter.
In a country where the average salary is what, exactly? Maybe around... $1667Look, let’s be honest here: the social safety net was already struggling at $70, but after these recent price hikes, we’re probably looking at a baseline closer to $80 just to keep our heads above water.

Honestly, you are being incredibly naive.😁
I’ve noticed that the people hunting for those kinds of lavish gifts don't actually pick their godparents based on genuine friendship or any kind of emotional bond; instead, they scout specifically for whoever has a bank account large enough to hit those ridiculous price points you mentioned. It honestly makes me sick to see how they’ll reach out to someone they haven't even spoken to in over a year, completely ignoring the fact that the person being asked hasn't given a single thought to becoming a godparent, only to vanish again for another twelve months once this "noble" little favor is completed.
At the end of the day, the objective is what actually matters—not who you're tied to or who pulled some strings for you. You don't just turn down an opportunity because of some old loyalty or a favor owed.😁
And then what? Where does everyone go? Honestly, where on earth does everyone end up drifting off to?
You’re going to have to put in some serious legwork and really sweat if you want to track down godparents like that these days, because let’s face it—everyone’s piggy banks are looking pretty damn empty, and before you know it, people are going to start aggressively hunting down anyone they can call a sponsor.😁

Fair enough, I messed up here.
(I wouldn't even be a bridesmaid for people like that... if it were even an option. Neither I nor my kid would ever pick those kinds of people or those kind of numbers)

I mean, isn't it standard practice for best men to buy watches??? Just pick up something like a Breitling or an Invicta and then maybe toss an extra hundred bucks into the card.

He actually got this laptop from his godfather—who also happens to be his uncle.
My uncle was planning on buying him one anyway, but he chose my son to be the godfather because apparently, "we don't have enough connections with our godchildren."
Personally, I think it’s a bit much for a godfather gift—but hey, if it's coming from an uncle, who am I to judge?

So, it’s been about ten days since I stood there as the best man, and I finally feel like I can sit down and process everything. I wanted to share how the whole thing went with you guys. After overthinking it for ages, I finally settled on a gift combo: a nice watch, a camera, a cool book, a cake, and some cash in an envelope just so they could grab drinks later. I ended up dropping about $1100 on the whole thing. When we first walked into their place, I spent maybe five minutes catching up with my godson. I handed over the gifts, and he goes straight for the book—which was actually the biggest part of the package. But instead of really looking at it, he kind of peels it open from the bottom halfway up, doesn't even check out the title, and just stuffs it back in the bag. Then he opens the camera and makes some comment about how he can use it for his trips now. He checks out the watch, says it's nice, gives his thanks, and then just heads off to another room. Meanwhile, his mom leans in and whispers, "Wait, what did you guys actually get them?" Then we spent another five minutes in the church, just standing in line waiting for the Bishop to arrive. Honestly, the only photo taken of me was one with the Bishop himself. By the time evening rolled around and we were saying our goodbyes, we spent another few minutes with the kid, and he suddenly announces that once school lets out, he's heading to the coast for a couple of weeks!

Charles Hayes6 said:So, it’s been about ten days since I stood there as the best man, and I finally feel like I can sit down and process everything. I wanted to share how the whole thing went with you guys. After overthinking it for ages, I finally settled on a gift combo: a nice watch, a camera, a cool book, a cake, and some cash in an envelope just so they could grab drinks later. I ended up dropping about $1100 on the whole thing. When we first walked into their place, I spent maybe five minutes catching up with my godson. I handed over the gifts, and he goes straight for the book—which was actually the biggest part of the package. But instead of really looking at it, he kind of peels it open from the bottom halfway up, doesn't even check out the title, and just stuffs it back in the bag. Then he opens the camera and makes some comment about how he can use it for his trips now. He checks out the watch, says it's nice, gives his thanks, and then just heads off to another room. Meanwhile, his mom leans in and whispers, "Wait, what did you guys actually get them?" Then we spent another five minutes in the church, just standing in line waiting for the Bishop to arrive. Honestly, the only photo taken of me was one with the Bishop himself. By the time evening rolled around and we were saying our goodbyes, we spent another few minutes with the kid, and he suddenly announces that once school lets out, he's heading to the coast for a couple of weeks!

I’d really love for you to tell us how you're feeling about the whole thing?

Charles Murphy6 said:I’d really love for you to tell us how you're feeling about the whole thing?

Well, what can you say...
Honestly? I'd feel pretty crappy about it all...
If we could just pull up the footage right now—I mean, Jesus God, there's a recording for everything these days, isn't there?
It's basically living proof that everything you said in that last post, River, was spot on...

I bet even that kid would have acted the same way if you'd gone out and bought him an iPhone4...

Charles Murphy6 said:I’d really love for you to tell us how you're feeling about the whole thing?

Honestly, I’m just feeling so disappointed whenever I look back on everything. It’s actually pretty sad how much things have changed. Nowadays, people treat being a godparent like it's just an excuse to hand over some gift. For my own godmother, she gave me this ring that I still wear every single day, and we stay closer than most of my actual relatives. But looking at things now? You can't get an iPhone out of that, and money isn't going to buy back a single heartfelt conversation from when I was going through a rough patch. And as for my own godchild... I guess I just feel bad that I didn't order a fancy cake through an iPhone app.