We’re God Parents as well as aunt/uncle to 8 kids - every year besides something religious (if it’s something like First Communion or something like that) we always get something religious but in addition to that we always get a nice savings bond. As the kids get older, they’ll be not so thrilled about the bonds but later when older will be happy when they have a couple of thousand extra for the college of their choice. If it’s a girl, we usualy get a bracelet and we’ve been helping the moms put together the candle as it’s become this huge deal what is on the candle that they’ll keep. We like to help with it because with a new baby, it just doesn’t seem like there’s time, plus the time the mom did do the candle befrore hand, it turned out the ultra sound reader didn’t get the correct sex, so there was a boyish candle for a girl who has turned out to be very girly! Also, we have begun writting them a letter now, each for when they get their 1st Communion and their Confirmation as well as one for the wedding, just in case anything ever happens to my husband or I, the God Child will know that even though we’re not there in body, we’re with them in Spirit. Also, at the Baptism, we make sure that we get a picture of our new God Child and us and get a nice frame so it can be in their room after words and they can grow up with it. We have been told by some of our older God Children that they were so glad to know that if they wern’t comfortable going to their mom or dad with something that they always knew from a young age that we would be there for them no matter what. I know this seems like a little more than probably most do, but I can’t tell you how much it meant that my God Mother and God Father were involved with me even though we moved a lot and didn’t live in the same place as they did. It can be a very special bond especially if fostered well. Sorry to go on - oh one other thing, we generally get a picture of the Saint they’re named after with a poem or something telling about the Saint (this has worked for all of ours - but I know there are some names out there that won’t work (but I guess you might be able to use the middle name) - perhaps they’ll be the 1st Saint with that name! Who knows!). I think it’s important for kids today to have a link to a Saint even if they will have another when they get confirmed.
God Bless and Congragulations!
Rye
