The best gift for a golden confirmation is something that recalls fifty years of walking with God: the person's own confirmation verse, beautifully presented, a Bible verse poster, good coffee for the celebration or a card with a personal blessing. Small, personal gifts are customary rather than expensive objects. What usually means most to those celebrating is that someone remembers the day and celebrates with them.
In Germany, the golden confirmation (Goldene Konfirmation) is celebrated by people who were confirmed 50 years ago, so usually in their early to mid sixties. Many return to their old congregation for it, meet their confirmation class again and hear their confirmation verse once more. At Good-Natured we have gathered gift ideas, Bible verses and short sayings for the card.
• Occasion: 50 years after confirmation, usually with a church service, a blessing and a class reunion.
• Further anniversaries: diamond (60 years), iron (65), grace (70) and crown jewel confirmation (75).
• Good gifts: the old confirmation verse, a Bible verse poster, coffee for the afternoon gathering, a card with a blessing.
• Fitting Bible verses: Isaiah 46:4, Lamentations 3:22–23, Psalm 103:2, 1 Samuel 7:12.
1. What a golden confirmation is
At confirmation, young people of around 14 say their own yes to their baptism. Fifty years later, many Protestant congregations invite the jubilarians to a festive service. There they are blessed once more, communion is often shared, and some congregations read out the confirmation verses from back then. Afterwards there is often lunch or coffee and cake with the old class.
Sixty years on is the diamond confirmation, 65 years the iron, 70 the grace confirmation and 75 the crown jewel confirmation. The gift ideas below suit all of these anniversaries. If you are looking for something for young confirmands instead, you will find ideas in our article on confirmation gifts that 14-year-olds keep.
2. Golden confirmation gifts: 6 ideas
Idea 1: A poster about God's faithfulness. Fifty years of faith are above all a story of faithfulness, one of the nine qualities Paul describes as the fruit of the Spirit. The Faithfulness poster from our Fruit of the Spirit series captures exactly that, for ab 18 € in A3, framed in black, white or light oak if you like. Quieter still is the Psalm 139 poster (ab 18 €, in A3 and A2). You will find every design in our poster collection; they are printed in Germany on FSC-certified paper, in A4, A3, 30 × 40 cm and A2 depending on the design.
Idea 2: Rediscover the old confirmation verse. Many jubilarians no longer remember their verse exactly. Looking it up, writing it out beautifully and framing it with a photo from confirmation day makes a gift you cannot buy anywhere. How confirmation verses are chosen and why they stay with people for life is explained in our article on confirmation verses.
Idea 3: Coffee for the afternoon gathering. A golden confirmation almost always includes coffee and cake. Our Living the Good Life is a mild Arabica all-rounder for filter, bean-to-cup machines and French press (ab 12,50 €), while Holy Grounds is a chocolatey espresso blend for portafilter machines and moka pots (ab 12,50 €). Coffee is not a Christian product as such. But at Good-Natured we want Christian love of neighbour to be lived out in how things are made: the beans come through the Bongabee project directly from Nkambe in Cameroon to Germany, without middlemen, so that the family on site is paid fairly. They are gently drum-roasted in Dresden. There is more on giving coffee in our article giving coffee as a gift, and every blend in our fair coffee collection.
Idea 4: Time together in the place where it began. Go with the jubilarian to the festive service, travel together to their home town or suggest a walk after the class reunion. For many, the day is also a reunion with places and people they have not seen in a long time. If you are there, you will hear the stories that otherwise go untold.
Idea 5: A card that stays. A simple card with a Bible verse and a few words of your own is often kept longer than any gift. The Herzlichen Glückwunsch postcard costs 2 € and leaves plenty of room for words. You will find more designs among our Christian greeting cards.
Idea 6: Collect the family's memories. Ask children and grandchildren to write down one sentence each: what have they seen of grandma's or grandpa's faith? Gathered in a small booklet or envelope, this becomes a very personal gift that costs almost nothing.
3. Bible verses for a golden confirmation
Bible verses for a golden confirmation usually look back in gratitude or speak of God's company for the years ahead. The following verses are quoted from the King James Version.
Gratitude for the journey
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."
Psalm 103:2 (KJV)
"Hitherto hath the LORD helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12, KJV)
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV)
Company for the years ahead
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."
Isaiah 46:4 (KJV)
"They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing" (Psalm 92:14, KJV)
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8, KJV)
"… he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, KJV)
4. Short and modern sayings for the card
If you would rather not quote a whole verse, here are short lines for a card, a place card or a cake:
- "Said yes 50 years ago. Grateful today."
- "What began back then still carries today."
- "Fifty years on the way and still carried."
- "God's faithfulness has no expiry date."
- "Grown older, held all along."
- "Thank you for fifty years of lived faith."
5. What to write in a golden confirmation card
A good card needs four parts: a greeting, a verse or saying, a personal sentence and a blessing. The personal sentence makes the difference, for example: "You taught us that faith holds even in hard years." Or: "Thank you for telling us children about God so early."
A fitting blessing might be: "May God bless you and accompany you with his goodness in the years to come." You will find more wording in our collection of blessings for baptism and confirmation; many of them are easy to adapt for a golden confirmation. If you want to go further, read how to write a card without falling back on clichés.
Conclusion
A good golden confirmation gift honours fifty years of walking with God without needing to be big. The old confirmation verse, a verse about God's faithfulness, coffee and cake with good coffee and a card with personal words say more than any object for the display cabinet. At Good-Natured you will find Bible verse designs in our poster collection, along with coffee straight from Cameroon and simple cards.
Frequently asked questions
Who sends the invitation to a golden confirmation?
Usually the congregation in which you were confirmed sends the invitation, often using addresses from the church register or through former classmates. If you do not receive an invitation, you can contact the parish office of your old congregation. Many congregations also welcome jubilarians who were confirmed somewhere else.
How can I find my old confirmation verse?
The verse is usually written on the confirmation certificate or in the hymn book many people were given at the time. If neither is still around, the parish office of the confirming congregation can help, because confirmations are recorded in the church register. Former classmates often remember the verses of their year as well.
What do people wear to a golden confirmation?
Festive but not formal clothing is usual, as for a Sunday service followed by a celebration. Jubilarians often wear a suit or a dress, while guests can dress a little more simply.
Do people give money for a golden confirmation?
At a golden confirmation, money is usually not the focus, unlike for young confirmands. Most jubilarians appreciate attention, a card and time together more. If you would still like to give something bigger, you could give a shared outing or a donation to a project of the congregation.
Fifty years of faithfulness in one word: the Faithfulness poster by Good-Natured in A3, ab 18 €, ready framed if you like.
View the poster ↗
