Unique and Special Gifts for Children

The holiday season isn't the only time of the year to focus on gift-giving for children. There are plenty of meaningful occasions that warrant a celebration and a call for gifts.

When your family starts to grow, it is a time for a celebration such as a baby shower. Having a new baby is a wonderful gift and should be celebrated with friends and family. This welcomes your child into the world, and into the community.

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Some families like to give the parents gifts as well as celebrate the new baby. New mommy and new daddy gifts and cards have been commonplace for many years. Bouquets of flowers, novelty T-shirts, and photo frames are popular gifts to give when a couple has a new baby. If this isn’t the first baby, then sometimes gifts are bought for the older siblings. This celebrates their new role in the family as their baby brother or sister’s protector and mentor.

Gifts are also bought for the baby to commemorate special milestones. Traditionally, christening gifts were given after a formal church christening ceremony. This welcomes the baby into the church and gifts traditionally made of silver symbolize the icons of Christianity. Today, naming ceremonies, and small family gatherings are just as common. The tradition of silver gifts remains popular too.

Gifts for children that are very popular include silver piggy banks, silver napkin rings, and silver baby bracelets. As children get older, silver jewelry such as necklaces, rings and earrings keep the girls happy. When Emma was born, she received silver rattles, jewelry boxes, and a pretty silver bank from Tiffany & Co. Ornamental silver footballs, medals and sculptures of favorite TV characters are great for boys. Receiving a special gift in silver is great for kids who are ready for some responsibility.

Kids don’t always need silver gifts to have a special gift. Customized soft toys, such as teddy bears, wearing special items of clothing have become very trendy. Toys are great fun, and many can be educational. However, at special times in a child’s life, silver makes a solid statement that will last forever, and can be easily displayed.

Many jewelry stores now carry children’s gifts in silver such as Disney characters and other popular children’s figurines. Rather than cheaper, plastic bedside clocks with digital displays, parents prefer to buy traditional silver clocks that will eventually become a keepsake for a child. These come with hands, to aid with their kids learning to read the time. Money banks in all shapes can be found now as well, although the traditional piggy remains the most popular choice.

Silver jewelry remains a popular choice for both kids and adults. It's always been my favorite. It's reasonably priced, and I like its durability. With so much adult jewelry now in white gold instead of yellow gold, parents are looking to silver for cheaper alternatives. Silver and white gold look very similar, and kids are happy to wear silver. I prefer this too, in case of damage or loss. Silver is cheaper than white gold and comes in far more styles and designs.

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For the ultimate gift for older children, silver smithing courses are available from most community colleges or art centers. These fun activity classes teach children how to make jewelry and trinkets in silver. It is a great, hands-on course for creative minds to develop an understanding and skill in this historic art. It is also a skill that can be continued in a home workshop environment. Furthermore, items made can be sold on to raise money for charity or to support their higher education.

We recently learned that some friends took a silversmithing course as a family in New York City and had a fabulous time. I love the idea of such a creative and hands-on gift for older children.

What's your favorite gift to give for a child's special occasion?