Birth Gifts and Traditions

Traditional birth gifts include precious-metal keepsakes, food shared with family and neighbours, and gifts given when a child is named or blessed. In the accounts gathered here, a keepsake may be kept for life as a wish for luck or protection, while sharing food can carry the news of a birth. The occasion varies by community: the birth itself, a naming ceremony, the first month, the hundredth day, a baptism or the first birthday.

Europe

Britain and Ireland. Placing a silver coin in a newborn's hand, ‘crossing the palm with silver’, wishes the child wealth and good health. In Scotland it is called hanselling; in Celtic countries, silvering the baby. At a christening, godparents have long given silver, typically a mug or a spoon.

The Netherlands. The celebration also includes something offered by the parents: visitors are served beschuit met muisjes, a rusk spread with butter and sugared aniseed, pink or blue. Aniseed was given to new mothers from the late Middle Ages; the custom became known across the country in 1938, when orange muisjes celebrated the birth of Princess Beatrix.

Germany. The German Protestant website evangelisch.de suggests a children's Bible, a baptismal candle or a personal letter for the godchild, sealed and kept by the parents until confirmation.

France. At a Catholic baptism, the godparents traditionally give a baptism medal, meant to be kept for life and often engraved with the child's name and the date. Guests receive sugared almonds, dragées: the almond stood for fertility and life, and the sweets are said to have replaced the hazelnuts and almonds that godparents once threw as they left the church.

Italy. Guests at a baptism take home a bomboniera, a small keepsake with sugared almonds in pink or light blue, traditionally in an odd number. Five almonds are said to stand for health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life.

Spain. A child's first amulets were traditionally gifts from the godparents. The jet higa, a small carved hand, was among the most common, worn in the belief that it kept away the evil eye.

Greece. For a Greek Orthodox baptism, gifts from the godparent may include a baptismal cross and chain, a white outfit and candles.

Sweden. Nordiska museet describes the silver spoon as a customary gift from godparents, both in the past and today. In pre-industrial Sweden, the godmother would also have the baby hold a coin, believed to bring wealth and a good livelihood.

Norway. A law of 1683 sought to prohibit godparents' gifts as part of restrictions on excess. In the traditions discussed by A. Kjelland, such gifts could include money, services, livestock and even land.

Finland. Eligible families can choose between Kela's maternity package, containing baby clothes and care products, and a cash maternity grant.

Russia. In a family account preserved by the Tenement Museum, Nicole Dushkin recalls a Russian tradition of giving a silver spoon when a baby's first tooth appears. Her family's spoon was passed from one generation to the next.

The Middle East and North Africa

The Gulf and Muslim families. In many Muslim families, the aqiqah marks a child's birth, often on the seventh day. Meat is shared with relatives, neighbours and people in need, and the occasion may include naming the baby and giving to charity an amount equivalent to the shaved hair's weight in gold or silver.

Egypt. A 2011 NPR report describes the sebou, held on the seventh day in both Christian and Muslim families, and links its origins to Pharaonic times. A relative bangs a mortar and pestle as a symbolic wish for the child's courage, and small bags of sugared almonds and chocolates are prepared as favours.

Turkey. In traditional Anatolian accounts, mother and baby remained at home for forty days, while blue beads were hung in the room in the belief that they protected against the evil eye.

Asia

China. In many Han Chinese families, red eggs are shared at the birth, in odd numbers for a boy and even numbers for a girl. At one month, a banquet marks the baby's first milestone, and guests bring clothes, gold jewellery or red envelopes. The classic gift is the longevity lock, usually of silver and also called the ‘hundred-family lock’, hung around the baby's neck to wish health and a long life and to keep harm away. According to the Foshan Museum, it grew out of the five-coloured ‘longevity cords’, whose forerunners were Han-dynasty door ornaments for the Dragon Boat Festival; by the Song dynasty, children were painted wearing locks, and in Dream of the Red Chamber the young hero wears one. In Jincheng, in Shanxi, a study by Cheng Mengqi and Zhong Jingjing describes the maternal grandmother hanging the lock on the baby at one month; at about twelve, an ‘unlocking’ ceremony marks the end of childhood: the father and the husband of the father's sister turn the lock symbolically, and the mother's brother opens it. At the first birthday comes zhuazhou: the child reaches for one of the objects on a tray, such as a seal, books or an abacus, read as a sign of the future.

Korea. On the hundredth day, rice cakes were traditionally sent to as many relatives and friends as possible: sharing them with a hundred people was believed to bring the baby a long, healthy life. A gold ring is a familiar first-birthday gift. One don, 3.75 g of 24-carat gold, is a customary weight, although smaller rings are also given; the gift expresses a wish for prosperity and can be kept for the child's future.

Japan. Friends and family may give money in a celebratory envelope, with the amount depending on their relationship to the family. A smaller return gift, the uchi-iwai, may follow. About a month after birth, the baby is taken to a shrine for miyamairi, to give thanks for a safe delivery and pray for the baby's healthy growth.

India. Heart of Hinduism describes jatakarma, a birth ritual in which ghee and honey are offered using a finger or a golden spoon. The naming ceremony, around the eleventh or twelfth day, and the first taste of grain, at about six months, mark later stages, with practices and timings varying between families; a silver dish and spoon are often bought for the first-grain ceremony. These are descriptions of ritual customs: health services advise that honey should not be given to babies under twelve months.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria (Yoruba). In the University of Georgia's account of Yoruba naming ceremonies, the date varies with custom and religious practice, and the eighth day is among the timings described. Honey and salt stand for the sweetness of life and bitter kola for a long one. Each guest holds the baby, places money in a bowl of water and offers a name.

Ghana. Among the Akan, the outdooring, early on the eighth day, brings family and community together to bless the parents and child; the Ga and the Ewe have their own naming ceremonies. Akan children also receive a day name: Kwame for a boy born on a Saturday, Kofi for one born on a Friday.

Nigeria (Edo, the old Kingdom of Benin). In A. Malik's account of an Edo naming ceremony, held on the seventh day and led mainly by women, the eldest man of the family opens with prayers over kola nuts and drinks. The question of the baby's name is asked seven times; at the seventh, the elders whisper it to the father, he whispers it to the mother, and she announces it.

Ethiopia. In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, boys are typically baptised on the fortieth day and girls on the eightieth; families may celebrate with a feast.

South Africa. In an interview published by David Bogopa in 2010, a Xhosa participant described imbeleko as a welcome for a newborn and an introduction to the ancestors. His account included the sacrifice of a goat and the placing of its skin beneath the child during sleep. This records a ritual account; current safer-sleep guidance recommends a firm, flat mattress and advises against adding soft bedding or sheepskins.

The Americas and the Pacific

Mexico. In B. Olmedo's description of the bolo, a godfather throws handfuls of coins to the children outside the church after a baptism.

Brazil. Before the birth, a chá de fraldas is often held: a nappy shower at which guests bring nappies and baby-care products.

Peru. In rural Cutervo, in Peru's Cajamarca region, the landaruto marks a child's first haircut at around three or four. The chosen godfather and godmother make the first cuts and give money; relatives and other guests join in, and the occasion continues with a shared meal.

The Philippines. At Filipino Catholic baptisms, godparents are known as ninong and ninang. Their role includes supporting the child's Christian upbringing and offering an example of faith.

Samoa. In the account of the anthropologist Margaret Mead (1928), the mother's family wove dozens of tiny pandanus mats and made bark cloth for the baby, while the father's family brought food before the birth; the mother's family later returned its exact equivalent in mats and bark cloth. The birth of a high-ranking child was marked with a great feast.

Tonga. Women make textile wealth, koloa, such as quilts and bark cloth, which is presented at birthdays, weddings and funerals, including a baby's first birthday.

Hawaii. A baby's first birthday may be celebrated with a lūʻau, bringing family and friends together over food and music. An account recorded by Dartmouth's Folklore Archive links the celebration to children surviving the dangers of birth, and describes guests bringing gifts or money and relatives contributing dishes.

New Zealand. In Māori tradition, the whenua, or placenta, was buried on ancestral land, linking the child to the land of their people. Te Ara records the continuation of this practice among some families in the early twenty-first century. In the tohi ceremony described there, the child was sprinkled with water and dedicated to an atua, or deity, before a family feast.

Across faiths

Jewish families. In many Jewish communities, boys are welcomed with the brit milah on the eighth day, girls with a naming ceremony. Families may also mark the birth with a gift to charity, tzedakah, or by planting a tree.

Royal and imperial births in history

Where there were pharaohs, emperors and kings, a birth could be a matter of state. The accounts below bring together court ceremonies and protective traditions from ancient societies. Some survive through objects preserved in museums; others through chronicles and later descriptions.

Ancient Egypt. Curved ivory wands carved from hippopotamus tusk, engraved with Taweret, goddess of birth, and Bes, protector of newborns, were linked to magic for the birth and early life of infants. One in The Met dates from around 1850–1640 BC.

Ancient Rome. The bulla was a protective pendant associated with free-born Roman children. The account in LacusCurtius distinguishes its early use in gold among patrician families from its later extension, including leather examples among plebeians. It was laid aside at adulthood and dedicated to the household gods.

Ancient China. The Book of Rites prescribes a bow to the left of the door for a boy and a handkerchief to the right for a girl. Its account of a ruler's heir includes arrows shot towards heaven, earth and the four directions, and the naming of the child at three months. These are prescribed rites, whose extent in actual practice is uncertain.

The Qing court. The National Palace Museum in Taipei preserves a golden basin commissioned in 1831 by Imperial Consort Quan, the mother of the Xianfeng Emperor. He later stated that he had used it after his birth, and its use for later imperial children was subsequently authorised. According to Ren Wanping of the Palace Museum, on the third day, the xisan bath used water boiled with pagoda-tree leaves and mugwort, in a basin decorated with carp, for the carp that leaps the Dragon Gate; peanuts, eggs, dates and chestnuts were added for luck. At the first birthday, a prince's tray held no seal or abacus, since his title and income were assured, but writing implements and a small bow and arrows, for a dynasty that had won its empire on horseback; for princesses, the bow was left out.

The Japanese imperial family. A 2001 account in The Japan Times describes the protective sword the Emperor sends within hours of an imperial birth, and the bathing ceremony on the seventh day, held while classical texts are read aloud and a bowstring is plucked without an arrow.

The Ottoman court. Cannon fire announced the birth of a sultan's child, and a jewelled cradle was carried in procession to the harem. Mehmet Önder's 1985 account describes the sixteenth-century Golden Cradle at Topkapı as walnut with a gilded exterior, set with 1,475 diamonds, 1,210 rubies and 520 emeralds.

The Habsburgs. The Imperial Treasury in Vienna keeps a gold baptismal ewer dated 1571, weighing over 3.3 kg, part of a baptismal set.

The Spanish crown. The font of Saint Dominic has been used for Spanish royal baptisms. It was brought from Caleruega to Valladolid in 1605 for the baptism of Philip IV, and later to Madrid; according to the monastery, the custom continues today.

The British crown. Since 1841, royal babies have been christened over the silver-gilt Lily Font, commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Honiton lace christening gown made that year was worn by 62 royal babies; a replica has been used since 2008 to preserve the original. Since 1837, births have been announced on an easel at Buckingham Palace, with bells at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's and royal gun salutes.

The Russian tsars. Officials, nobles and even tradespeople brought gifts to a tsar's newborn child. Over the years they formed the child's own treasury, including silver cups and tableware now in the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

The Mughal emperors. A painting from the Akbarnama, made around 1590–95 and now in the V&A, shows Emperor Akbar receiving the news of the birth of his first son, Prince Salim, while musicians and dancers celebrate.

The Incas. Inca Garcilaso de la Vega describes how, at about two years old, the child was weaned, given its first haircut and named for life. A godfather made the first cut, and relatives brought clothing, livestock and weapons; cups of gold or silver were given only to children of the royal family.

Fijian chiefs. In 1983, a grandson and namesake of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, then Fiji's Prime Minister and paramount chief of Lau, was welcomed with ceremonies described as centuries old. Conch shells were blown, and the women of the mother's family chased those of the father's to capture their gifts, the most prized being a whale's tooth, the tabua. On his tenth day the baby came home in a cradle lined with fine mats and bark cloth, and for ten days women took turns to hold him.

The Kingdom of Benin. According to Edo tradition, every son of the Oba is called Okoro and every daughter Uvbi, while the eldest son is set apart as Oko. Raised under a guardian away from the palace, he later receives the title of Edaiken, the crown prince.

The Asante. By Akan custom, royal descent passes through the mother's line. A prince is not necessarily a king's son but often the son of the previous king's sister, and the queen mother puts forward the candidate for king.

The emperors of Ethiopia. Chronicles and travellers' accounts describe Amba Geshen, a flat-topped mountain, as a place where male relatives of Ethiopian emperors were kept under guard, sometimes for life, unless called to the throne. The image of princes kept on a mountain later found its way into Milton's Paradise Lost.

The Aztecs. In the Codex Mendoza, the ceremony was usually held on the fourth day: the midwife bathed the baby, and the child was then given a name, often based on the day of birth. A boy was shown with a small shield, arrows and the tools of a trade; a girl, with a spindle, a basket and a broom.

If you are unsure which customs a family keeps, it is always worth asking.

At SUOMMO

Read together, these traditions describe more than gifts. A birth opens the door of a home: food is shared, a name is spoken for the first time, family and those closest gather around the child, and something is set aside to be remembered.

SUOMMO was born from that moment of welcome. Our experience as parents has taught us to understand not only what a baby needs, but the anticipation with which a family prepares to receive a new life. Each creation is designed to give that welcome a form, and all our furniture arrives at home fully assembled: it only needs to be unpacked and set in its place.

A gift can also carry the family that gives it. A name, a date or a motif with meaning can be embroidered in silk, engraved, painted by hand or set in gold and precious stones, and its arrival can follow each family's customs, from an intimate welcome at home to a celebration with family and friends. It all begins with a conversation with our Concierge.

For Dodo Sakura, the choice of keyaki begins long before the workshop. Guided by the miyadaiku and by a Japanese specialist devoted solely to selecting these trees, we study each tree before it is chosen: a fine sample is analysed in a laboratory for density and strength, and the tree is scanned to understand its condition. Whenever the tree allows, each creation comes from a single tree, because two trees, even growing side by side, are two different worlds. A living thing that was on this earth long before us deserves that respect, and its years pass into a creation meant to be handed down.

What is kept, keeps its story. Every SUOMMO creation is individually recorded upon completion, so that its identity and history can pass from one generation to the next, as the Certificate & Warranty of the house describes.

Over the years, families on five continents, some with traditions that reach back centuries, have welcomed their children with SUOMMO. Their names remain private.

Ask what would help the family most: practical support, something they need for the baby, or a keepsake to mark the birth, in the spirit of the traditional gifts in the first question. Anything intended for the baby's use must be suitable for their age and purpose.

Gifts for the parents themselves

Many cultures look after the parents as well as the baby.

• Korea. According to Korea.net, seaweed soup, miyeokguk, is the first food served to a new mother after childbirth; it is eaten again on birthdays as a reminder of a mother's love.
• Lebanon. A 2016 NPR report describes meghli, a rice pudding spiced with caraway, anise and cinnamon and topped with nuts, offered by the family to every visitor who comes to meet the baby, in households of all faiths: here the gift is hospitality.
• Practical help. New Zealand's health service encourages new parents to accept offers from friends and family to help with housework and cooking. A meal, an errand or an hour of rest can be among the most useful gifts.

Gifts for the baby: what to choose, and what to leave out

• A baby sleeping bag. If the parents would like one, choose a bag with armholes and no hood, correctly fitted at the neck and shoulders so the baby cannot slip inside. Follow its size guide and choose the tog for the room temperature. UK guidance recommends BS EN 16781:2018.
• Leave out the sleep products that safety bodies advise against: cot bumpers, sleep pods and nests, sheepskins, pillows, duvets, and weighted sleep bags or blankets. In the United States, the ban covers crib bumpers as legally defined and products intended, marketed or designed for babies under one year to sleep on a surface inclined more than 10°. For sleep, choose a firm, flat surface.
• For toys, follow the age label and check the safety marking required in your market, buy from reputable sellers, and watch for small parts, loose ribbons and batteries. Soft toys are lovely, but they stay out of the cot.

When you visit

Wash your hands before holding the baby. The NHS advises visitors who are not close family or carers not to kiss them. Anyone with a current or recent cold sore should not kiss the baby at all. For close family and carers, it advises the top of the head, avoiding the mouth, nose and eyes. Particular care is needed in the first six weeks.

At SUOMMO

A birth can also be marked with a jewel to keep. Dodo Dummy transforms the familiar form of a baby's dummy into a commemorative creation in gold and diamonds. Made and set entirely in Switzerland, it brings together eighteen-carat gold and eighty diamonds of D colour and Flawless clarity, created to endure through generations. It is a gift for the baby, made to be treasured rather than used every day, which the mother can wear close to her heart as a pendant. It belongs to SUOMMO's High Jewellery.

For new parents, the way a gift arrives matters as much as the gift itself. Every presentation is conceived around the family, the occasion and the destination, from an intimate moment to a spectacular unveiling, and a creation can carry a name, a date or a family motif.

It begins with a conversation with our Concierge, who can guide you from a single jewel to a complete nursery.

Choose around the family: a finely made creation they need, or a meaningful keepsake to mark the birth. For anything intended for the baby's use, suitability and safety come first. Ask about craftsmanship, materials, provenance, care and personalisation.

Something to keep

Many of the traditions gathered in the first question mark a birth with a precious object, such as christening silver, a gold ring, a baptism medal or a longevity lock. A name, a date or a family motif can make it the child's own.

Precious metal: what the marks tell you

In the UK, precious-metal articles generally require a legally recognised hallmark when sold as gold, silver, platinum or palladium, subject to statutory exemptions. A full UK hallmark identifies the sponsor who submitted the article, its metal fineness and the assay office. Ask the seller to explain the marks.

Diamonds

For diamonds, ask about origin as well as quality. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme concerns international trade in rough diamonds; ask separately how provenance is documented through cutting and setting.

A jewel to keep, not a teething aid

In 2018 the US Food and Drug Administration warned that teething necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery put infants at risk of strangulation and choking, after a death and serious injuries, and that they should not be used to relieve teething pain. Keep commemorative jewellery out of a baby's reach. If a creation is intended to be worn later, check its stated use and safety instructions. Do not use jewellery to relieve teething pain.

At SUOMMO

A gift can carry a family's story. In SUOMMO High Jewellery, Dodo Dummy gives a familiar symbol of infancy a commemorative form in eighteen-carat gold, refined by Argor-Heraeus, and eighty diamonds of D colour and Flawless clarity, graded by the Gemological Institute of America and set by hand in Switzerland. Its diamonds are sourced through channels that uphold the Kimberley Process and the World Diamond Council's System of Warranties. It is a gift for the baby that the mother can wear close to her heart as a pendant. Doll Bottle, created by Swiss goldsmiths, is a keepsake jewel, at times chosen as a gift for the parents themselves. Both are made to be treasured rather than used every day.

The meaning can begin with a name, initials or a motif shared by the family. Our Concierge can explain the personalisation available for each creation, its intended use, availability and presentation.

There is no fixed rule. Many people send or bring a birth gift in the first days or weeks; others wait for a first visit, a naming ceremony or a christening. Customs vary: in some cultures the first month, the hundredth day or the naming day is the traditional moment (see the answer on traditional birth gifts).

Practical tips

• Ask before visiting. Wash your hands before handling a newborn; people with a current cold sore or a recent history of cold sores should not kiss the baby, as the NHS advises.
• Large gifts are easier to receive if delivery is arranged with the parents.
• If you plan two gifts, see the answer on birth or christening gifts.

At SUOMMO

A SUOMMO creation can mark the moment your family chooses. Every presentation is conceived around the family, the occasion and the destination, from an intimate welcome at home to a celebration with family and friends. Our Concierge can plan the timing and presentation with you; discover more in Inside Suommo.

Often the most welcome gifts for new parents are rest and help: meals, shopping, washing, a few hours to sleep or an offer to look after older children, offered in a way they can accept or decline. Something just for them, such as a meal delivered, a treat or a keepsake to mark the birth, is also appreciated. Ideas and customs are gathered in the answer on gifts for first-time parents, and what new parents need in the answer on what first-time parents need.

At SUOMMO

In SUOMMO High Jewellery, the memory of infancy finds different forms. Dodo Dummy is a gift for the baby that the mother can wear close to her heart as a pendant; Doll Bottle is a jewel to keep within the family's story. Both are made to be treasured rather than used every day.

Baby Earrings express high jewellery at the scale of a first keepsake: gold and diamonds in delicate proportions, made as a baby girl's first earrings. A personalised matching pair for the mother gives the same design a meaning shared between them. They close with a French screw-back and a double lock. The back is threaded and opens only when it is pressed on both sides at once.

Our Concierge can explain sizes, personalisation and care.

For a first child, the most welcome gifts are often those that help new parents in the first weeks, such as meals, practical help or something they need, or a keepsake that marks the birth. Ideas and customs are in the answer on gifts for first-time parents and the answer on luxury baby gifts.

Value depends on what your family will use, enjoy or keep. Consider daily usefulness, craftsmanship, meaning, care and service; a short period of use does not decide the answer on its own. Avoid products that conflict with safe-sleep advice, whatever their price (see the answer on what makes a luxury brand).

At SUOMMO

SUOMMO was founded in 2008 on a conviction: that true luxury is exclusivity, time and the freedom to create without compromise. Every creation is individually recorded upon completion, made by hand and accompanied by our Concierge from the first conversation to delivery. Discover more in Inside Suommo.

A name, initials, a date or a family motif can connect a gift with a particular child and occasion, giving the family a story to remember. Engraving silver, embroidering textiles or adding a family motif are long-standing ways to do this (see the answer on engraving and the answer on christening gifts). Confirm spelling and dates with the parents and allow time for the work.

At SUOMMO

At SUOMMO, a name, initials, a meaningful motif or an entire composition can be embroidered into silk and cotton, engraved into the creation itself, interpreted in gold and diamonds or expressed through artwork painted entirely by hand. Our Concierge can discuss what is possible for each creation.

In the Chinese birth customs described by Singapore's National Library Board, man yue marks thirty days since birth. The account records red eggs, associated with renewal and good luck, and gifts of gold jewellery or money in red packets. It also describes presenting the child to ancestors and deities with wishes for protection. Practices vary between families and communities. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend jewellery for infants, so gold given at this time is best kept as a keepsake, out of the baby's reach (see the answer on babies and jewellery and the answer on traditional birth gifts).

A push present is a gift for the mother to mark the birth of a baby, often given by her partner around the time of the birth, as The Irish Times describes the term. It is entirely optional. A good one is personal: perhaps something she can keep, such as jewellery engraved with the baby's name or date, or something that helps her rest and recover. See the answer on gifts for the parents.

At SUOMMO

Dodo Dummy, a gift for the baby, can be worn by the mother close to her heart as a pendant, and SUOMMO's Baby Earrings can be accompanied by a matching pair personalised for the mother, a bond between the two. Our Concierge can tell you more about our High Jewellery.

A push present is a gift for the mother to mark the birth of her baby, usually from her partner. Ideas are in the answer on what makes a good push present.

There is no expected amount to spend on a push present. It is optional, and what matters is that it means something to the mother and suits the family's circumstances: it can be a keepsake, a piece of jewellery marking the date, or time and help to rest. See the answer on what makes a good push present.

There is no fixed moment to give a push present. You could choose a quiet moment after the birth, once the mother is settled at home, or a later date that matters to the family. Let her recovery, wishes and comfort guide the timing. See the answer on push presents.

A warm, personal message is the heart of it: congratulate them, using the baby's name if the family has shared it, wish them well and offer something specific, such as a meal or an errand, rather than a general offer. For example: ‘Congratulations on welcoming your baby. Wishing your family a gentle beginning. May I bring you dinner one evening this week?’ Ask before visiting and keep visits short; if you send a gift, a keepsake or something for the parents themselves is often welcome. See the answer on when to give the birth gift and the answer on gifts for first-time parents.

Start with what the baby will need in the first weeks, such as a safe sleep space with a firm, fitted mattress, a car seat if you will travel by car, nappy-changing essentials, basic clothes and feeding supplies, and then add things that can be shared over time, such as help at home, a contribution to a larger item or a keepsake. A good list says sizes and preferences clearly and leaves room for guests to choose something personal. See the answer on what a newborn needs and how a gift list works.

At SUOMMO

A SUOMMO creation can mark the moment a family chooses to remember. Every presentation is conceived around the family, the occasion and the destination, from an intimate welcome at home to a celebration with family and friends. Our Concierge can plan the timing and presentation with you; discover more in Inside Suommo.

A gift list gathers in one place what the family would like to receive, so that guests can choose without duplicating presents. You can prepare it during pregnancy and share it when someone asks or with an invitation, if that suits the family's custom. Some families prefer gifts after the birth. Keep the list optional and up to date. See the answer on what a gift list should include and when to give the birth gift.

Some families observe a return-gift custom. In Japan, Japan Post's gift guide describes shussan uchi-iwai as a thank-you gift after a birth, suggesting around one to two months and approximately half the value received. These are etiquette guidelines, not a debt owed by every new parent. In Chinese communities, the full-month celebration is a traditional moment to share food with family and friends. Ask about the family's custom. See the answer on birth-gift traditions.

Begin with the family's preferences and customs. You could consider a personalised keepsake, something for the mother or practical help. For families observing aqiqah, traditionally associated with the seventh day but also held later, ask when and how they would welcome a gift. Keep jewellery and small objects out of the baby's reach. See the answer on birth-gift traditions and babies and jewellery.

A good gift for a first-time father is something that marks his new role and the day itself: a keepsake engraved with the baby's name or date of birth, a watch or piece of jewellery to keep, a photograph or record of the first days, or practical help that gives the parents time together. What matters most is that it means something to him. See the answer on what a first-time father should know and gifts for first-time parents.

At SUOMMO

A gift to mark the day he becomes a father can carry a memory the family will return to. A name, a date or a meaningful motif can be worked into a SUOMMO creation through embroidery, engraving or artwork painted by hand. Our Concierge can consider the commission and its presentation around the person and the moment it is intended to remember; discover more in Inside Suommo.

Islamic Relief Australia describes aqiqah as a birth tradition involving the sharing of meat, commonly associated with the seventh day but also held later. Naming may accompany the occasion. Customs vary between families and countries. If you are invited, ask the family whether and how they would welcome a gift. See the answer on birth-gift traditions and baby gifts in the UAE.

Heirloom gifts that last a lifetime are those made from lasting materials, with meaning attached and the means to care for them: a piece of fine jewellery or a coin in precious metal, a silver or gold keepsake engraved with a name or date, a well-made piece of furniture, or a christening garment kept with care. Record what it is, where and when it was given and how to look after it, so the story travels with it. Keep jewellery and coins out of the baby's reach. See the answer on heirloom-quality cribs and gold gifts for a baby.

Leave off the gift list items that go against safer-sleep advice, such as cot bumpers, pillows, duvets, sleep positioners or wedges; second-hand car seats of unknown history; too many clothes in newborn size; and gadgets you are unlikely to use. Keep the list focused on what you need and what will last or have meaning. See the answer on what a gift list should include and what goes in the cot.

Choose a few meaningful items, such as a first outfit, a hospital band, a lock of hair, the first shoes or a gift of jewellery, and store each clean and dry in suitable boxes away from light and damp, with acid-free tissue for textiles. Label each with what it is and the date, keep precious objects with their certificates, and keep small items out of the baby's reach. See the answer on storing baby clothes and heirloom gifts.

The best heirloom baby gifts combine lasting materials, meaning and care: jewellery or a keepsake in precious metal, an engraved object, a well-made piece of furniture or a christening garment. See the answer on heirloom gifts that last a lifetime.

A first birthday gift is often chosen to mark the year and to be kept: a piece of jewellery to keep for later, an engraved keepsake, a coin or gold gift in cultures where that is the custom, or a creation for the child's room. Keep jewellery and small items out of the child's reach. See the answer on the first-birthday gold ring and gold gifts.

At SUOMMO

A name or a family motif can become part of the artistic language of a SUOMMO creation, worked into silk, engraving or artwork painted by hand. Our Concierge can consider the composition with the family and the form it will accompany.

In Spanish, nacer en cuna de oro means to be born into a wealthy, privileged family; a comparable English idiom is ‘born with a silver spoon in one's mouth’. The image of a golden cradle is used figuratively for privilege and good fortune.

At SUOMMO

SUOMMO gives sculptural form to the image of a golden cradle in Dodo Bassinet Solid Gold, a unique work made in Switzerland from one hundred and eighty-eight kilograms of 999.9 fine gold. In the Gold Edition, gold finds another expression through finishes incorporating eighteen-carat gold, applied by hand. Our Concierge receives each enquiry personally.

Omiyamairi (or miyamairi) is a Japanese custom in which the baby is taken to a Shinto shrine, traditionally around a month after the birth, to give thanks and pray for the child's health. Niigata's Hakusan Shrine describes a ceremonial robe draped over the baby while they are held, and notes that some families choose other clothing. Relatives may give money in a gift envelope or a gift for the baby; the visit is distinct from the return gift known as uchi-iwai. Customs vary by family and region. See the answer on birth-gift traditions and return gifts.

The longevity lock (changming suo) is a traditional Chinese pendant, often of silver or gold, given to a baby to symbolically ‘lock in’ a long and healthy life. It is commonly given at the full-month celebration; an account from Shanxi describes the maternal grandmother hanging the lock at one month and a ceremony to ‘open’ it around the age of 12. Today, a longevity lock given to mark a birth can be kept as a family keepsake, out of the baby's reach. See the answer on birth-gift traditions and the full-month gift.

The dolbanji is a traditional first-birthday gold gift in Korea, given at the doljanchi and carrying wishes for the child's health and future. A 2025 report in The Korea Times describes how higher gold prices were affecting some families' choices. The ring can be kept as a family keepsake, out of the baby's reach. See the answer on first birthday gifts and 18 and 24 carat gold.

When visiting new parents, take something that makes their days easier, such as a ready-made meal, groceries or an offer of practical help, and, if you wish, a small gift for the baby or something for the parents themselves. Ask before visiting, keep it short, wash your hands and stay away if you are unwell. See the answer on supporting new parents and congratulating first-time parents.

There is no single amount to spend on a baby gift that is expected everywhere: it depends on your relationship with the family, local custom and your own means. A thoughtful, useful or lasting gift matters more than its price, and in some cultures money gifts follow customary amounts. See the answer on birth-gift traditions and spending on a push present.