Christening Gifts
 

I am attending a Christening this summer for my friend's baby girl. I have a little gift basket of baby clothes prepared, but I would like to include something else that is special and not necessarily a religious icon or traditional baptism gift (IE: not a silver frame, cross, bible, necklace). Any suggestions? This is their second daughter and they're pretty set with college fund and all.

I've always been a fan of Precious Moments. I know that they're pretty much religious-based, but they're still really nice.

I received a Precious Moments figurine for every milestone in my life (christening, first eucharist, confirmation, graduation, etc) and it's really neat looking at the collection my loved ones started for me.

I like to give little girls a James Avery charm necklace with a charm - you can then add to it for birthdays, etc.While James Avery has religious charms, there are many, many non-religious charms.

add a bead necklaces are nice too-either pearls, or solid gold or silver beads. the child receives a bead for birthday and christmas to add on to the necklace, and by the time graduation rolls around, the necklace is nearly completed and will be ready for her to wear during recruitment!!

While I probably should have just added to her 529, I put together a basket of baby clothes with roses on them (her name is Rose), religious children's books and DVDs and a stuffed animal. Not the most creative, but it made for a nice presentation. The baptism is this Sunday.

When she's a little older, I'll start on the jewelry. :)

If you can't make a lovely heirloom quilt for the baby :), you can't go wrong with a silver rattle, silver baby fork and spoon with a little silver dish, silver cup.....

In the Army (or at least in the Armor Branch), a new baby that was born into the battalion received a silver baby cup. A newly-married couple received a silver tray. All who PCSed out of the bn. received silver mint julep cups. These items were engraved with the unit's name and/or crest.

I gotta say - pewter rather than silver. I have three generations of silver baby cups I have to polish. How I bless my youngest son's godparents, who got him a lovely pewter cup which stays beautiful and shiny with no polishing!

Polishing silver is one household job that I actually like doing.:)

Polishing silver
 

C'mon over alum - thanks to my mother-in-law the Chi Omega Memphis belle I have tons!