A christening and a first birthday (roczek) are two occasions when the gift is chosen mainly by the godparents and grandparents. Both have one thing in common: the recipient is too young to appreciate the gift, so you are really choosing something for the parents — practical help or a keepsake that, in a dozen or so years, will bring back those first months. Below we have gathered ideas for both days, with a comparison and a few safety rules that are easy to forget around a little one. If you are a godfather or godmother, it is good to talk to the parents first: what they really need and what they will get from other guests.
This guide was written by the Kloniko team — we make figures from photos out of genuine LEGO® elements and frames with figures, so you will find our products here too. We describe them alongside other ideas, because a figure is not the best choice for every occasion. We do not give prices — they depend on the maker and change often.
Christening gifts — the classics from godparents
- A silver spoon or cutlery. The oldest tradition — lasting and easy to engrave.
- A medallion or chain. A keepsake tied to the ceremony itself, often with the date on the back.
- The baptismal candle and white garment (szatka). In many families the godparents buy these for the ceremony itself — worth agreeing with the parents in advance.
- A keepsake book or album. A children’s Bible, a first-year book or an album for the parents to stick photos into.
- Savings. A payment into the child’s account is a practical start for the future, although on its own it does not remain as a keepsake.
- Practical help. A car seat, a baby carrier or a cot — only after talking to the parents, so that it meets their needs.
Roczek — what to give for a first birthday
A one-year-old is starting to walk, put everything in their mouth and discover the world. Good gifts are ones that support this stage: a push-along walker or a ride-on toy, a shape sorter, soft blocks with large pieces, board books, instruments for the very young. Always check the age marking on toys — items with small parts are not for children under 3.
The second direction is a keepsake for the parents: a photo shoot, a cast of the baby’s hand and foot, a ‘my first year’ album or a family composition in a frame. Many Polish families also hold a first-birthday fortune-telling game (wróżba roczkowa) — the child picks one of several objects. A photo of that moment, or the object itself, is a ready-made part of a future keepsake.
The third direction is practical help, which the parents of a one-year-old appreciate most: clothes and shoes a size up, a voucher for a baby shop, a high chair or a first balance bike ‘to grow into’. Gifts like these will not become keepsakes, but they genuinely ease the household budget — and they go well with something small that will last longer.
A keepsake for the parents: the family in a frame with a baby figure
If the silver spoon and album are already taken care of, a good choice is a composition: mum, dad and a baby figure in a frame, with the godparents or grandparents alongside. The background can hold a ‘metryczka’ — the baby’s birth details: the child’s name, date and time of birth, weight and length, and for a christening — the name and date of the ceremony. For a first birthday the name and the date of the first birthday are enough, and a stand with a short inscription can go under the figures. The family dog or cat can stand alongside — we hand-paint pets from a photo.
No photos of the baby are needed: we match the baby figure to a description — hair colour, outfit — and make the parents and godparents from photos. Before production you receive the design for approval, and corrections are free and unlimited. We do not apply religious symbols — the mood of the christening is conveyed by the figures’ light, festive outfits and by the name and date.
Most importantly: this is a keepsake for the parents, not a toy. The figures contain small parts and are not intended for children under 3 — it is best to hang the frame out of the little one’s reach.
From grandparents
For a christening and a first birthday, grandparents often want to give something ‘for ever’. Classic ideas include a tree planted in the garden in the year the grandchild was born, a memory box that gets a letter and a photo every year, or regular savings for the future. A frame in which they stand together with their grandchild and the child’s parents also works well — three generations in one composition, with a date on the background. The same composition can be ordered in two copies: one for the parents and the other for the grandparents’ home. And if it is the parents looking for a gift for the grandparents, take a look at our guide what to give grandma and grandpa.
Ideas compared
| Gift | For the little one now | Keepsake for years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver spoon, medallion | no | yes | a christening classic, easy to engrave |
| Payment into an account | no | financially, yes | best combined with a keepsake |
| Push-along walker, shape sorter, board books | yes | no | check the age marking |
| Photo shoot, hand cast | no | yes | needs booking in advance |
| First-year album | no | yes | the parents fill it in themselves |
| Frame with the family and a baby figure | no — it is not a toy | yes | hang it out of the little one’s reach |
When to order
With a christening, the date is known well in advance, so it is worth starting straight away — especially with engraving. With figures, agreeing the design takes the most time; after your ‘yes’ we usually ship the next working day, and delivery takes 1–3 working days within Poland and 2–6 working days elsewhere in the EU (other countries: cost confirmed before dispatch). If the gift is meant to be a surprise, the parents’ photos can be taken from social media, and the finished frame sent to a different address.
Frequently asked questions
Can a baby figure be given to a one-year-old to play with?
No. The figures contain small parts and are not intended for children under 3. It is a keepsake for the parents — for a shelf or the wall, out of the child’s reach.
Is a photo of the baby needed?
No. We match the baby figure to a description — hair colour, outfit — and make the parents and godparents from photos.
Can a christening keepsake have religious symbols?
We do not apply religious symbols. The frame background or a stand can carry the child’s name, the date of the ceremony and the godparents’ names, and the figures’ light-coloured outfits convey the festive character of the day. A medallion or a keepsake book will complement a frame like this perfectly.
Formats, inscription examples and questions about christening keepsakes are gathered on the christening gifts and gifts for godparents page, and ideas for new parents — on the new baby gift page.
