As a godparent, you have a special role, and you get to give gifts accordingly. It's not about the most expensive toy, it's about something that shows your bond: personal, lasting, with a little story behind it. A gift your godchild will still remember ten years from now.
Here are ten heartfelt ideas, sorted by age and occasion, from the christening to starting school.
Key Takeaways
- Your role is special: Godparents can give more personal, more meaningful gifts than other guests, and that's perfectly fine to show.
- The gift that grows with them: A voucher for the first figure made from their own drawing (€39), redeemed once the child can paint, lasts a lifetime.
- For every occasion: Christening, birthdays, starting school, as a godparent you're often there for the big moments.
- Rule of thumb: The more of the two of you it contains, the more valuable it is.
1. Their own drawing as a figure
The most personal godparent gift there is: your godchild paints a picture, maybe the two of you together, their favorite animal, a made-up creature, and it becomes an actual figure (12 to 15 cm) that they paint themselves with the six included colors. A one-of-a-kind piece that captures their imagination and sits on the shelf for years.
For babies and toddlers, it works as a voucher that matures over time: redeemed once your godchild paints their first "real" picture. See how it works in our guide to turning a child's drawing into a 3D figure, also a lovely christening gift.
Price: from €39 · Lasts: a lifetime
2. A dated keepsake
A piece of jewelry, an engraved pendant, or a star map from the christening or birthday: a godparent classic that becomes an heirloom, often brought back out for First Communion or confirmation.
Price: €30 to €120 · For: christenings, special occasions
3. The godparent ritual: time instead of stuff
The most valuable gift costs nothing: a fixed "godparent day" once a year, an overnight adventure, an outing just for the two of you. Handed over as a homemade voucher, it becomes a tradition.
Price: €0 · For: any age
4. A personalized book
A book where your godchild is the main character, with their name and look. Or a classic with your personal dedication on the first page. Read aloud for years.
Price: €15 to €40 · For: from babyhood
5. A godparent letter to keep
Write your godchild a letter for later, to open on their 18th birthday. Pair it with a small gift to unwrap today. Unbeatably emotional.
Price: €0 · For: from the christening onward
6. A growing savings plan
A savings account or a small "godparent fund" for later, often paired with a symbolic gift to unwrap. Less romantic, but a real foundation.
Price: varies · For: the long term
7. A craft or baking kit to share
A kit you make together: baking cookies, building a birdhouse, rolling candles. The gift is the shared time, the result is just the bonus.
Price: €15 to €35 · For: ages 3 to 4 and up
8. A stuffed-animal companion
A special stuffed animal "from your godparent" that becomes a constant companion. A treasured piece, especially for younger godchildren.
Price: €20 to €40 · For: baby through preschool
9. A first-day-of-school experience
If your godchild is starting school, you're often part of it: an outing, a keepsake, or something for the walk to school. More ideas: first-day-of-school gifts.
Price: your choice · For: ages 6 to 7
10. A photo album of your time together
An album just about the two of you: photos from outings, small moments, added to year after year. A gift that grows along with your relationship.
Price: €20 to €40 · For: any age
What Fits Which Occasion?
- For the christening: dated keepsake (2), godparent letter (5), the figure as a voucher (1), more in our christening gift guide.
- For a birthday: their own drawing as a figure (1), a shared craft kit (7), a stuffed animal (8).
- For starting school: a first-day-of-school experience (9), a personalized book (4).
- What lasts longest: the figure (1), the heirloom (2), the godparent letter (5), the photo album (10).
FAQ
What do you get your godchild as a gift?
Something personal that shows your bond and lasts: a dated keepsake, a godparent letter for later, their own drawing as a figure, or shared time as a ritual. As a godparent, you get to give something more meaningful than other guests.
What do you give a godchild at a christening?
Classically, a piece of jewelry or a keepsake with the christening date, a godparent letter to open later, or, more modern, a voucher for the first figure made from the child's drawing, redeemed once they can paint. More in our christening gift guide.
How much do godparents spend on a gift?
Godparents can invest more than other guests, often €30 to €120 depending on the occasion and closeness. More important than the amount is that the gift is personal and fits your relationship.
What's a personal gift for a godchild that lasts?
Anything that grows with them or becomes an heirloom: an engraved keepsake, a godparent letter, a photo album of your time together, or the figure made from their own drawing, which captures the child's imagination forever.
What do you give a godchild who's still a baby?
Something that matures over time: a dated keepsake, a godparent letter for their 18th birthday, a savings plan, or the figure as a voucher, redeemed as soon as your godchild paints their first picture.
As a Godparent, You Mostly Give: Yourself
The best godparent gift is rarely the most expensive one, it's the one that has both of you in it. Something that tells your shared story and, years from now, will still tell others about you.
If your godchild's imagination deserves something that lasts, upload their favorite drawing to doodlhero.com, free 3D preview, and the picture becomes a keepsake for life.
