While the terms “christening” and “baptism” are often used interchangeably these days, there’s actually a difference between the two. Traditionally, a christening is a naming ceremony for a new child and may include baptism, while a baptism recognizes a child’s introduction to the church. Christenings are reserved for infants, while someone of any age can be baptized. Which ceremony is used and the meaning behind it depends on your church’s own tradition. There are some gifts that are traditional for a christening or baptism, and we’ve included some ideas to help you pick the perfect gift for the ceremony that you’ve been invited to.

Another traditional part of a christening or baptism is the recognition of one or more godparents for the new baby. The traditional role of the godparent is to take responsibility for the religious education of the child, but the godparent-godchild relationship is often more than that, somewhere between a parent and a best friend. This is a special relationship to recognize, and one way to do that is with a set of stuffed animals or lovies; one big and one small, for the godparent and the godchild. A matching gift symbolizes the spiritual and familial connection that they will share. We offer a collection of tiny stuffed animals, perfect for little hands, and most of them have a larger counterpart for the godparent(s) to keep. Remember, if you’ve been invited to be a part of a christening or baptism, it means that you’re considered a close friend or family member of the new child. You’ve been invited to take part in the beginning of the child’s spiritual life, and it’s quite an honor. If the invitation specifies no gifts, respect that request and give a gift privately rather than at the ceremony itself.