Gifts for adult godchildren

Dubl07

It's lovely to be asked to stand for a baby, and to shower a child with affection as he or she grows. Christmas and birthday cards and gifts are a given throughout their childhoods and nobody would really mind if a child forgets to say thank you.

I've some very grownup godchildren now. They've somehow overtaken me in age and income. Three of them never reciprocate with birthday or Christmas cards or gifts and two often forget to even acknowledge receipt. I'm rationalising the whole Christmas present situation this year and thinking of leaving them off my buying list. What do you think?

angeldelight

Godchild or not, if they don't have the manners to even say thank you for the present they'd be off my list without a second thought!

Posy

I agree, AD.

monflat

Oh I would totally agree here too.
It costs nothing to have manners to send a text to thank you or to send a card.

Don't bother save your money for yourself!

omicron

I always assumed once they hit 21 you were off the hook?!

tesho

It's hard with Godchildren, but once they reach a certain age, manners and acknowledgement should be the expectation.

Teyla Emmagan

Do it. They don't sound very grateful anyway so you are wasting your money on them as it is! Put a note on a card and let that be it.

SarahLil

I agree with AD and posy, oh my god manners are free, I never got a gift of my godchildren nor a thank you, I just stopped buying for them some years ago

Speedsie

I always thought your official relationship to God children ceased once they were confirmed.
After all, what you are doing during the christening service is accepting a duty on their behalf until they are of a mind to make a commitment themselves.

That said, if they are so rude as to not acknowledge a gift with a thank you card, and have already surpassed you in terms of earning power, I'd be loathe to buy them any more.

eastbono

I agree with Omicron... once nephews/nieces/godchildren reach 21 that is the end of presents. On another note I never expected to get a present from my nephews/nieces/godchildren as they were in school/college. I would not expect their parents to buy a present on their behalf.

rainemac

I agree, think once they are older children / young adults they shouldn't expect anything from a godparent.

Fbjm

What we do in my extended family is buy them presents until they're 21. That's about the length of being a godparent.

sheepygirl

Hello, I am in the same dilemma and am glad I found this forum. My godchild is in her 30s and engaged to a well-to-do gentleman. I too have never received a thank you over the years for gifts given to her over the years. Now we are visiting over Christmas at another relative's home where the godchild will be attending. Because she recently finished her university education, I feel obligated and will give her a monetary gift ($100). I am not financially well off, and prefer to limit monetary gifts to important events in her life, rather than every birthday/Christmas. My spouse feels differently that as a Godmother, I am obligated to give her gifts every year. Also, the godchild never acknowledged the birth of our children. I did not expect gifts, but an email or a phone call would have been wonderful.