For a godchild at Christmas, give a book with your own words printed in the front, a day out you’ll repeat every year, or something from a hobby you share. Pick for their age and the thing they can’t stop talking about, and check with their parents before you buy.
You can tell each of those came from their godparent, and they all last well past Boxing Day. If you’re buying for other children as well, our guide to personalised Christmas gifts for kids covers nephews, grandchildren and the rest.
The short version
- Message the parents, and the other godparents, before you buy anything.
- Go by their age and this month’s obsession.
- Choose one thing that’ll still be on their shelf at 18.
- Sign it as their godparent, with the year.
- Start one small thing you’ll repeat every Christmas.
What a godparent’s present is for
A godparent’s present doesn’t need to be the biggest one under the tree. It has a different job, which is to tell your godchild you’re one of the grown-ups in their corner, this Christmas and every one after.
You were asked to stay in their life as they grow up. So we’d pick something that’s properly from you, with your name on it and room for a few words. Years from now it should still be on a shelf somewhere, so they can read your name on it themselves.
That doesn’t mean spending more. A book with your words and the year inside can outlast a toy that’s forgotten by February, and it’s easy to post if you live miles away.
What to give at each age, 0 to 9
The right present depends on their age, and even more on what they’re obsessed with right now. Go by their interests, not by a pink or blue aisle, because a dinosaur fan is a dinosaur fan, whoever’s opening the parcel.
0 to 2: something that marks the year
For a baby or toddler, the present is partly for the grown-ups who’ll keep it safe until your godchild is old enough to care. We’d choose something that records the year:
- a book with their name in the story and a dated line from you, read aloud by a grown-up this year
- one tree decoration with the year written underneath, the first of a set
- something soft to sit beside the book on the shelf
- a framed photo of the two of you for their bedroom wall
At this age we’d pick More Than I Can Count. It’s a counting adventure that shows a child how much they’re loved, with tyrannosaurs to tickle, and it’s made for ages 0 to 5. The printed book is A4, in softcover or hardcover rather than board, so it’s one for a grown-up’s lap, not a baby’s hands.
3 to 5: things to do together
At three to five, we’d look for presents built around finding, counting and pretending, ideally things you can do together when you visit:
- a card game or matching game you can play on the living room floor
- dressing-up clothes for whatever they’re into this year
- look-and-find books, so you can hunt through the pages side by side
- everything for a den: a sheet, some pegs and a torch
For a pony-mad godchild, My Secret Unicorn puts them in the story, where they rescue a hurt unicorn and find out their own horse is magical. There’s a choice of 8 children and 6 horses or ponies for the pictures.
6 to 9: something to work out or collect
From six, we’d go for something to work out, collect or get better at. Think about what you already share with them:
- something from your world, like proper pencils if you draw or a bird book if you walk
- puzzle books or a code-breaking kit
- a book you take turns reading aloud, a page each, next time you visit
- tickets for a show or a day out, sealed in an envelope with their name on
For a child who likes to crack things, try My Incredible Name, with puzzles to decode and incredible people to discover. It’s made for ages 0 to 8.
What to write as a godparent
Keep it short: who it’s from, that you’re their godparent, one thing only you would say, and the date. A few lines will do, as long as they sound like you talking rather than a greetings card.
Here are three to borrow from:
- ‘For Orla, on your first Christmas. I’m your godmother, so you’ve got one more grown-up who’s always on your side. Love, Elodie. December 2026.’
- ‘Hamish, you’re five, and you still won’t tell me where you hid my car keys. Love from your godfather, Callum. Christmas 2026.’
- ‘Noah, it’s summer where you are and freezing here, so read this somewhere sunny for me. Then ring and tell me your favourite page. Your godmother, Megan. Christmas 2026.’
Write it for the child they’ll be at 18 as much as the one opening it now. Leave out anything you’re not sure you can keep, and don’t worry about being clever. If it’s one of our books, we print your message in the front, so it stays with the story. There are more examples, for every age and from every kind of giver, in our guide to what to write in a book for a child.
One tradition, every Christmas
We think the godparent presents that mean most are small ones repeated every year. Each one’s easy on its own, and together they add up to something with your name all over it.
Four we’d start with:
- One book every Christmas. Write the year in the front each time. Start at their first Christmas, and by the time they can read the dates for themselves, there’s a whole row from you on their shelf.
- The year’s decoration. One a year, so when they leave home they’ve got a box ready for their own tree.
- The same day out. One walk, café or panto every Christmas holidays, with you in charge once they’re old enough.
- A photo in the same spot. Taken every year and tucked into the card, so they end up with one for every Christmas you’ve known them.
Pick one you’ll still enjoy doing when they’re nine, and stick with it.
When you live miles away
Distance changes the present less than you’d think. Choose something with your words already inside it, and plan how you’ll be there when it’s opened.
- Send it to their door. We ship anywhere in the world, and you can send a book to a different country from your billing address. If they’re in Australia, read our guide to sending a Christmas book to Australia first.
- Record the first page. Film yourself reading it and send the video, so they hear your voice when they open the book.
- Be there when it’s opened. Ask the parents for a video call on Christmas morning and read the first few pages together. My Way Home suits this, because it takes your godchild around the world and back to their own home town and country.
Ask the parents, and the other godparents
Ask the parents first. It’s the quickest way to avoid a present they’ve already bought, one that won’t fit in the house, or one they’d rather not have.
- Ask what’s on the list already, and what’s been played with most this month.
- Message the other godparents too, so you don’t all arrive with the same box.
- Check before buying anything that needs a grown-up to supervise. Drum kits need written permission.
How The Kids Book Company helps
Every book we make is printed to order, just for that child, and you can add a personal message that we print into the front for free. For a godparent, that’s the line telling them who you are.
There’s also a free personalised digital edition of every title through the Free Book Project. It’s a PDF to read on a tablet, phone or computer, made in under five minutes, with no credit card.
Create their free book.
Related questions
What do godparents give to their godchild?
Usually something personal that lasts: a book with a message inside, a keepsake with the date on it, or time together, like a day out. A small tradition kept up every birthday and Christmas, such as a book or a decoration each year, works well too.
Are you supposed to give a gift to godparents?
It isn’t expected. If you’d like to say thank you at Christmas, send a photo of your child with last year’s present, or a card they’ve scribbled on. That’s the sort of thing a godparent keeps.
Should I buy something different for a godson or a goddaughter?
No. Pick for their age and what they love right now, whether that’s dinosaurs, ponies, football or space. A horse-mad godson wants a horse book just as much as a horse-mad goddaughter does.
What should I buy a godchild for a christening?
The same sort of thing that works at Christmas: something dated that they’ll keep. Think of a book with your message inside, a box for keepsakes, or a letter sealed until they’re 18. None of it depends on the ceremony, so it’s just as right for a naming day.
