Godfather gifts that are about him and his godchild
Shopping for a godfather tends to end at the same shelf: a mug, a whiskey glass, a keychain that says Best Godfather Ever. They're nice enough, but they say nothing about what he shares with his godchild. This guide covers gift ideas for his birthday, Christmas, a baptism thank-you or a godparent proposal, from homemade to engraved. One of them is ours: a personalized coloring book where each photo of the two of them becomes a finished color page, followed by the same scene in line art to color together on his next visit.
A few examples that work for this case
Six godfather gift ideas that aren't another mug
A good godfather gift is about the relationship more than his hobbies. His friends and coworkers already have the hobbies covered. The bond with his godchild is the one thing only your family can hand him. These ideas span different budgets and ages.
1.An outing for two, given as a voucher
A ball game, a morning of fishing, a trip to the science museum: the child "invites" his godfather and the parents quietly pick up the bill. It's often the gift people talk about for years. Nothing ends up on a shelf, so take a photo that day.
2.A drawing or card from the godchild
Free, and moving as soon as a child can hold a crayon. A card with godfather spelled wrong beats most things money can buy. Paper doesn't age well, though, and it tends to vanish into a drawer.
3.An engraved everyday object
A keychain, bottle opener, leather bracelet or cutting board with the child's name or the baptism date. Affordable, and he'll use it daily. It doesn't tell much of a story about the two of them.
4.Matching godfather and godchild T-shirts
Great for vacation photos and backyard soccer. The child's size won't last more than a season or two, and it takes a godfather who's happy to look a little goofy.
5.A framed photo with a note
A picture from their last day out, with a note written or dictated by the child tucked into the corner. Quick and safe. It may also be the gift he already got last year.
6.A personalized coloring book
Each photo of godfather and godchild becomes a color page, followed by the same scene in line art. He can flip through it as a keepsake, and they can color it together when they meet. Allow 3 to 5 business days before it ships, plus transit, and you'll need reasonably sharp photos.
Gifts for a godfather from a godchild, by age
When the godchild is a baby, the parents choose and sign. The book has a From field for the child's name, so the godfather gets a gift from his godchild, even one who can't sit up yet. Photos from the hospital and the baptism make a gentle first album.
Between 3 and 6, kids want in. Show them eight or ten photos on a screen and let them keep their favorites, even the odd picks. Some will insist on coloring a page before handing it over. Let them. The scribble is part of the gift.
From about 7, the child can write the note printed on the dedication page, a few lines before the first coloring page. A specific memory lands better than a slogan: "thanks for the fort in the backyard" says more than "to the best godfather."
Will you be my godfather? Asking with a book
Families asking someone to be a godparent often look for an object that does the asking: a printed onesie, a labeled bottle, a scratch-off card. A coloring book can play that part too, and nobody throws it away once the answer is in.
The cover title can carry the question itself, his first name appears in large type on the title page, and the dedication is signed with the baby's name in the From field. Inside, pick photos of him with the parents: trips with friends, the wedding, the first pictures of him holding the newborn. Turning the pages, he sees why the choice fell on him.
Order about three weeks before the day you plan to ask. A gift card can be given instantly if the date is too close, but you lose the surprise of the cover title.
Birthday, Christmas, baptism: when to give a godfather gift
Godfathers rarely get a day of their own, so the gift slips into dates you already have: his birthday, Christmas, the child's baptism or first communion. Some families also use the baptism to thank the godparents with a small gift of their own.
For Christmas, plan ahead. It takes 3 to 5 business days between ordering and shipping, then transit, and carriers are at their busiest in December.
On format: the small book (6 photos, 12 pages) suits a first album or a proposal. The 12-photo format makes sense when the relationship already has a few years and plenty of memories behind it. Beyond that, it gets long to color for two people who see each other a few times a year.
Our tip for a godfather's book
Godfathers are rarely the ones holding the camera, so they rarely show up in the parents' photos. Before you choose, text the relatives who were at the birthdays, the baptism or the family trips: the best shots of him with the child are often sitting on their phones. Keep the ones where both faces are sharp and fairly large, and where something is happening (a cake, a ball, a blanket fort). A blurry or distant photo gives a thin outline. If you only find five or six good ones, the small format is plenty. And if the bond is still new, snap a few pictures on purpose at their next outing.
Recommended format
12-page book, CA$49.99
Softcover
The 6-photo format is enough when godfather and godchild don't have many photos together yet, and it's the right size for a godparent proposal.
Create the book for a godfatherHow we make your book
Printed on demand by our print partner, close to your delivery address. Square 8.5 in format, 60 lb uncoated inner paper that holds pencils and water-based markers well, hardcover on the 12 and 24-photo formats (saddle-stitched on the 6-photo format).
- 8.5 insquare format
- Stays flat when open on the table, the right size for coloring.
- 60 lbmatte uncoated paper
- A grain that grips colored pencils and won't bleed with markers.
- Soft or hardcover
- Softcover for the 6 photo format, rigid hardcover for the 12 / 24.
- 3 to 5days to ship
- Printed as a single copy by a professional printer, then shipped with tracking.
Frequently asked questions
What do you get a godfather from his godchild?
The gifts that land best are about the two of them: an outing together, a drawing by the child, an object engraved with the child's name, a book of their photos. For a baby, the parents choose and sign on the child's behalf. Our personalized coloring book has a From field for exactly that, and the godfather can color it with the child a few years later.
How do you ask someone to be a godfather?
Many parents hand over an object that asks the question for them: a printed onesie, a card, a labeled bottle or a personalized book. In the coloring book, the cover title can read "Will you be my godfather?" and his first name goes on the title page. The photos inside show him why he was chosen. Order about three weeks ahead so it arrives in time.
Does a godchild have to give the godfather a gift?
There's no rule. In most families the godfather does the giving, at the baptism and then on birthdays. A gift going the other way, for his birthday or at Christmas, feels all the more special because he doesn't expect it. A drawing is often enough. A book of their photos marks a bigger occasion, like a milestone birthday.
How much should you spend on a godfather gift?
Nobody expects a set amount. A drawing costs nothing, an engraved item is usually a small budget, and an outing depends on the activity. Our printed personalized coloring book costs CA$49.99 to CA$107.99 depending on the format, shipping included. The digital version, a PDF you print yourself, starts at CA$11.99.
He doesn't color. Is the book still worth it?
Yes. Each photo first gives a color page that's already printed, so the book reads like a keepsake album without anyone picking up a pencil. The line-art pages come out when the godchild visits, or never. It can sit on a shelf until the day the child wants to color his godfather in a baseball cap.
He lives in another country. Can you ship it to him?
Yes, the book can be shipped straight to his address, wherever he lives. Allow 3 to 5 business days before it ships, then transit time depending on the country. For a godfather who lives far away, it keeps the bond going between visits, and it gives the two of them something to talk about on video calls.
Our personalized books made from your photos
Three ways to turn your family photos into an activity book, from free coloring to guided play.
- Personalized coloring bookEach photo becomes a color keepsake page and the same scene to color freely.
- Personalized color by numberYour photos as numbered zones with a color legend: guided coloring, true to the memory.
- Personalized dot to dotThe drawing of your photo appears as you connect the numbers, then gets colored in.
Ready to create your book?
Every page is checked before printing.
Create the book for a godfatherRead more
Practical guide
Everfold, My Colorful World, Us in Colors and Memory Pencil: one page per photo, or two?
Everfold, My Colorful World and Us in Colors turn each photo into one black-and-white line-art page. Memory Pencil, which wrote this comparison, makes two: a color reference page of the memory, then the same scene to color.
Practical guide
How to choose a dot-to-dot book your child will actually finish
Between a child just discovering numbers and one who can follow a long sequence, the right book is not the same. Real difficulty, readability, number of dots, themes: the guide to choosing well.
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