Indeed, we must go all the way back to early Christianity in the 300-400s when Christians feared persecution of non-Christians. New members of the church were expected to be sponsored by existing members. Therefore, it was common for parents to christen their child, asking close and dear friends whether they could be a "sponsor" for their child, or a god parent as we know it today. A christening gift from the god parent was to symbolize the gifts Jesus received from the three wise men when he was born.
In the Arab part of the world, gold is the most common gift, but in the western world, silver is more popular. This dates back to the Tudor era when silver was hard currency. These were gifts of considerable value and were seen as a good investment and would ensure the child's independence in the future. Therefore, items like silver spoons, knives, cups, plates, bitters and rattles are traditional christening gifts with roots way back in time, but they are just as relevant today.
Silver spoons were quite rare, so children who received such gifts for their christening, probably had a wealthy family background. For a child to receive functional gifts in silver was actually a bit of a double happiness in the old days. Silver has antibacterial properties, so children who ate from silver cutlery or had toys and bitters made out of silver, actually had a better chance of survival than other children, as silver killed many of the bacteria that could be the difference between life and death. In the Middle Ages, many parents encouraged children to suck on a silver spoon to protect them from the plague that ravaged.
So the phrase "to be born with a silver spoon in the mouth" originates from this, and applied to the children who were lucky enough to have wealthy god parents who could give the child silver as a gift for their christening.
Being asked to be a god parent is an honour and a privilege. You have actually been chosen to take part in the child's life. You can bestow the child with love and care, and give them advice for years to come. Choose a gift that lasts and can be inherited for generations. We are happy to help you personalize it by engraving the child’s name and christening date. We have gifts that are functional for a small child, such as cutlery, bowls and cups, as well as gifts which the child can enjoy long into adulthood, such as napkin rings and adult cutlery.
Our most popular christening gift is the Stork Spoon, which celebrates its 100-year anniversary in 2020. You can find it here.