A good baptism gift from a godparent or baptism mentor combines three things: something that gets used straight away, something that still matters in years to come, and something that exists only between the two of you. Anyone baptised as a teenager or adult has chosen this step themselves – and the gift can take that decision seriously. At Good-Natured we have put together two baptism bundles for this; the twelve ideas below mix our products with gifts that cost nothing but time.
“A godparent’s gift isn’t judged on the day of baptism, but on the day faith first gets hard – and you pick it up again.”
What does a godparent give for an adult baptism?
At a believer’s baptism – whether at 16, 25 or 60 – the godparent or baptism mentor is usually someone who has walked the road there with them: from the youth group, the small group, the family. So the gift doesn’t need to explain what baptism means. It can show that you have seen this step. The following twelve ideas are sorted by what they do: something for now, something for later, something for the relationship. Who gives what and how much is usual is answered in our guide What do you give for a baptism?.
For now: what shows up in everyday life straight away
1. A shirt or hoodie with a message. A piece from the Christian clothing collection isn’t bought for the display cabinet but to be worn – made from organic cotton, with calm designs, many of them made in Portugal. For example the United in Christ Oversized Hoodie: someone who has just been baptised carries the message on quite naturally.
2. A shared experience. A conference, a Christian festival, a retreat you go to together. It’s the exception that gets remembered, not the thing.
3. Socks. Sounds trivial, but it isn’t: they’re needed all the time and carry the message quietly. Our socks are knitted in Saxony, Germany; on most the design is knitted in, on some it is embroidered, and the Cross socks also come with an OEKO-TEX certificate.
4. A place in your everyday life. A message before a tough week, a postcard from your holiday, a prayer you tell them about. Small, recurring signs beat any one-off big gift.
For later: what only takes effect in years
5. A book that takes faith seriously. The two books “Überrascht von Furcht” and “Überrascht von Liebe” (German-language books by Nathanael Bubenzer) are a fixed part of our baptism bundles. They aren’t devotional books for the bedside table but invite you to keep thinking about your own faith – exactly what begins after baptism. The small baptism bundle includes one book of your choice.
A pair of socks and a book by Nathanael Bubenzer of your choice, plus the Baptizo baptism postcard for your own words. Three directions in one gift.
View the bundle ↗6. A photo of the two of you on the day of baptism. Sounds unspectacular, but it’s what is missing later. Especially at baptisms in a lake or river, hardly anyone thinks of a photo together amid all the bustle. Printed and framed, it becomes a gift.
7. Something for the wall. A poster with a single word or symbol, such as the Alpha & Omega poster. It hangs in view for years and recalls the day without looking like a souvenir.
8. A letter on every baptism anniversary. The most demanding idea on this list and the one with the longest effect: a few lines every year on the anniversary of the baptism – what has changed, what you’re grateful for, what you hope for. If you like, add a Bible with a personal dedication the first time.
Gifts for the moment are quickly found and quickly forgotten. Memories almost always form where someone has invested time rather than money. Both together – a useful thing and a few honest lines – is the combination that works.
For the relationship: what can only come from you
9. A baptism card with a letter inside. Not three lines, but a whole page: what you saw on their way to baptism, what you believe they can do, what they can come back to when things get hard. The Baptizo baptism postcard has room for that – and if you like, add a fitting baptism verse.
10. A fixed date every year. An evening, a breakfast, a walk that belongs only to the two of you – committed, not “some time”.
11. Give big together. If godparents and family pool their money, the large baptism bundle fits: both books in a slipcase, a T-shirt of your choice made from organic cotton and the baptism postcard that everyone signs.
12. The promise itself – in writing. A sentence the person can come back to later when their faith wobbles. That is the core of being a godparent, and it can be written down.
What you can skip
Mass-produced decorative crosses, candles that are never lit, and anything that looks like it belongs on a souvenir shelf. Someone baptised as an adult usually has their own home and their own taste. What doesn’t fit there ends up in a cupboard. By the way, many ideas on this list – letter, photo, fixed date – work just as well for an infant baptism.
Conclusion
The best godparent gifts are unspectacular: something that gets used, something that gets kept, and something that exists only between the two of you. If you think of all three, you’re giving not just to the day of baptism but to the years that follow. Good-Natured’s baptism bundles take care of the first two – the third part only you can give. More ideas can be found in Baptism gifts with conviction and substance, and what to wear to a baptism is explained in our baptism outfit guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are there godparents at an adult baptism at all?
That depends on the church and on what role godparents play in baptism there. Many free churches have no godparents in the strict sense, but often a baptism mentor. In German Protestant regional churches, godparents are usually not required for adults; in the Catholic Church a godparent is part of adult baptism too. The ideas here work for each of these roles.
Which baptism bundle is right for me?
The small bundle contains a pair of socks and a book of your choice and costs 25 €; the large one contains a T-shirt of your choice and both books in a slipcase for 50 €. Both come with the Baptizo baptism postcard. As a godparent or close friend, the large bundle is the obvious choice; as a guest from church, the small one.
When do you hand over the gift?
Ideally after the baptism service, over lunch or coffee – not right after the font or on the shore. The card with the letter can also be sent a few days later, once the bustle is over; then it gets read in peace.
“Baptizo” is the Greek word for baptise. The baptism postcard from Good-Natured, printed in Germany – with room for the letter it really needs.
View the baptism card ↗
