My baby niece is being baptized into the Catholic Church on October 1. I won’t be able to go, because that’s the day before Yom Kippur. I do think I should send a gift.
I suppose that some sort of ritual object would be fitting. I am almost totally unfamiliar with Catholic ritual objects- I might be able to identify a rosary if I saw one, but that’s about it. I’m also not too sure how appropriate it would be for her Jewish aunt to get her a Catholic ritual object. I wouldn’t have a problem with doing so, as long as I could buy it online- I don’t really know of any place around here that sells that sort of thing, and I would rather they handled the shipping just because I’ll put off shipping it if I have to do it.
I’d rather get her something that she could use as a child than some sort of keepsake that “she’ll appreciate when she’s older.” I have bad memories of getting presents from relatives that I wasn’t allowed to play with because they were fragile keepsake-type things. Now that I’m grown up, I have no idea where any of them are (I think my mom still has them)- I don’t do knick-knacks, and I’m a klutz married to a klutz with two energetic and curious cats, so anything fragile in my apartment is still likely to get broken.
In my experience, it is usually the godparents who give the “keepsake” gift, such as a rosary, and so it is not really necessary that you give that type of a gift. In fact, I have not found it typical that people give gifts for a baptism at all (my daughter received a gift from her godparents, but not anyone else)…it’s not really a big “gift-giving” event. A savings bond is always nice!
I don’t, however, think it’s inappropriate for you, as a Jewish person, to give a rosary or other Catholic object if you would like to! You can definitely buy them online. Just be sure it is a Catholic rosary and not Anglican (different # of beads).
Especially if you are interested in something that she can use as a child, I’d opt for getting either a book or a CD or a DVD. Something like Veggie Tales would be appropriate–assuming that she doesn’t already own more of them than her parents care for.
If you got a book, I’d look for one based on a Bible story–just one story, rather than a book of stories, on the grounds that it would be less likely to be duplicated by other gift givers, and I’d look for one based on an Old Testament story–just because YOU are Jewish and I like the idea of the child being able to associate the book on Daniel in the Lions Den (or whatever) with Aunt Anne, rather than a story from the New Testament which has no meaning to Aunt Anne. But that’s just me.
For my niece I had her name and its meaning printed and framed. It was printed on card stock with a pretty background. I got it done at a craft fair but I’m sure there are places to order those types of things online. Then all you have to do is fine a nice frame.
Interesting, I have had a number of similar conversations.
The last one was with a guy about a gift for his ex-wife’s child (not by him)
He got the sprog a mobile, something fascinating that hangs from the ceiling.
I don’t quite understand the Yom Kippur reference, but I am sure that there is no point in entering into your niece’s life until she is about five years old.
Your role as an aunt could be as an alternative influence, stuff atonement, you could be sedititious (and find the kid’s buttons).
I’m planning to go visit sometime soon to see her. I’d go for the christening, but it would be difficult to do that (she’s near Boston, I’m near San Francisco) and observe Yom Kippur that evening and the next day.
Amoung latinos in any event, baby baptismal jewelry is commonly given, though I have not actually seen this outside of that particular, er, demographic. Or maybe people do give it and the kids just don’t wear it. I still have my own baptismal ring and a medal I got at baptism.
I actually have a charm necklace which has both of these and also various religious medals I got for various milestones throughout my life. But again, my own family is big on the ritual object side of being RC and not everyone is.
My sister went completely bananas for the baby rosary I found for my niece – it’s basically wooden teething beads arranged as a rosary – but I was her godmother, and those kinds of ritual objects are usually given by the godparents. Not that it’s inappropriate for anyone else to do so, it’s more that the godparents are signing on to support the kid in being Catholic so mostly they give a gift signifying that.
My favorite gift my niece got was a baby bonnet that was made of a handkerchief. It was made with a ribbon drawstring at one end, the idea being that she could then carry it as an adult at her wedding and then put it on her own baby. Baby quilts are nice I think, for the same reason – my sons each got one with their name and the date of baptism on it, then there is a space for their kids’ baptism. But then I am a sucker for that kind of heirloom thingie, and it sounds like you are not.
Kid bible stories are great, my kids dug the board book versions at an early age.
A lot of people do give money; a lot of people do give non-religious, ordinary baby gifts.
I am assuming she is a baby; one of my children was baptised at 6 months and the other walked to the baptismal font, so as you see we are a little relaxed in these matters.
Catholic here. For my niece’s and nephews’ Baptisms, I got them clothes, and a stuffed animal. The mother’s favorite Baptism gifts were the “free babysitting” coupons from my teenage nephew, though.
Yeah, it was usually the godparents that got 'em the religious-themed gifts.