Birth gifts in 925 silver: what you put in the cradle for the baby
What do you give when the cradle is already full? Here you will find rattles, spoons, cups, children's cutlery and sets in 925 sterling silver. They are made for the moment when everyone sees the new family member for the first time. If you are looking for a special birth gift of high quality, this is a good place to start. Selected pieces can be engraved. We sort the selection first by the kind of gift, then by who is giving it.
Birth gifts in 925 silver — at a glance
✦ Material: 925 sterling silver (92.5% fine silver)
✦ Types of gift: rattles, spoons, cups, children's cutlery and sets
✦ For: parents, grandparents, godparents, friends of the family
✦ Engraving: on selected pieces, you add the flat fee to your cart
✦ SilberVerse card: free of charge on request with every piece
✦ Contents: elegant gift box, ready to give; the design of the box may differ
✦ Shipping: free within Germany
✦ Care: silver polishing cloth recommended, not for the dishwasher
Rattle, spoon or set? How to decide
The choice is easier when you know what the gift should do. Should it go straight into a hand at the first visit? Should it sit at the table later? Or should everything come together?
The baby rattle: the gift for the first visit
A rattle fits into any bag and can be unwrapped straight away. The silver rattles come as handle rattles, ball rattles and ring rattles. The handle sits well in the hand, the ring is held with one finger, and the ball usually shows its relief on both sides. The swan handle rattle carries an engraving field. The swan stands for grace and fidelity. The rattle with stars and moon is associated with dreams and good wishes. Both are calm motifs that suit any family.
The silver spoon: the gift that sits at the table
The spoon is the classic birth gift. You will find it as a silver baby spoon, as a birth spoon and later as a children's spoon. The baby spoon with teddy and bow is a calm start without colour. The teddy is seen as a motif of security, familiar from the first nursery. The spoon suits the table just as well as the shelf. If you prefer more colour, take a look at the children's spoon Prince with a coat of arms in blue enamel. The guide What does the silver spoon mean? tells more about the saying of the silver spoon.
Gift sets: several pieces, one gesture
A set saves you the decision between cup and spoon. Our birth gift sets are examples: we put them together, and each piece can also be combined with others. The Princess set with cup and spoon, for instance, shows what a pair can look like. It carries red enamel and can be engraved. A set is especially worthwhile when several givers chip in together or when you do not want to hand over the gift in single pieces. It arrives in the gift box and is therefore ready to give.
Cups, children's cutlery and birth coin
The children's cup completes the spoon to a pair and also stands well on its own. The children's cutlery extends the spoon with a fork and further pieces. Both suit parents who are already thinking of the laid table. Something quite different is the birth and christening coin with a stork motif: a coin for the keepsake box rather than for the table.
Who gives what? Grandparents, godparents and friends
Depending on who you are, a different gift turns out to be fitting. Here are a few pointers, without any claim to completeness. What you give the parents themselves, we answer further down in the questions.
Grandparents
For grandma and grandpa, it is often the first gift to the grandchild. Where a piece can be engraved, the grandchild's name gives it a charm of its own.
Godparents
If you are a godmother or godfather, you often give again at the christening. Then a first personal piece is a good idea for the birth. The godparent gifts show what else comes into question for the christening.
Friends, uncles and aunts
A single piece is enough. A rattle or a spoon shows that you have given it some thought, and suits a visit at the hospital or at home. You do not have to give more to give warmly. What matters more is that the piece suits the child and the family you know.
Boy, girl or still open?
Silver is neutral in itself. Motifs and colours make the difference. Do you not know whether it will be a boy or a girl? Then go for a teddy, stars or an angel. The teddy stands for security, the angel is regarded as a protective motif. It gets more specific with the Prince line and the Princess line with blue and red enamel. There is a page of its own for baby gifts with zodiac signs, where you choose the child's zodiac sign. The zodiac spoons carry their motif instead of an engraving.
Why silver? Material and origin
925 sterling silver consists of 92.5% fine silver. Silver tarnishes over time, which comes from use and from the air, and can be wiped off again with a cloth. Tarnishing is part of the metal and is not a flaw. A piece that you use gets an appearance of its own. That makes silver a lasting gift in the everyday life of the family: you put it on display, take it in your hand and bring it out again. A birth gift in silver is exclusive without being loud. For us at SilberKosmos, what counts in the selection is that a piece sits well in the hand and suits the occasion. Three manufacturers shape this page, each with its own profile.
ArgentA: motifs from the children's world
ArgentA makes spoons, cups and sets with motifs such as teddy, prince and princess. Many pieces are filled with enamel or gold-plated. The DoDo collection relies on reliefs to feel, refined with enamel and gold. We source the ring rattles from ArgentA.
Zaramella: Italian classics
Most of the rattles come from Zaramella, an Italian manufacturer. The shapes are classic and understated, with finely worked reliefs to feel on the swan and the stars. That suits families who like it simple.
SevChern: silver with niello
SevChern works with niello, a dark silver compound that is fused into fine lines and is bonded with the metal, not a lacquer. The niello craft in Veliky Ustyug is documented since the late 17th century, one example being the christening cup with angel.
Making it personal: engraving, SilberVerse card and zodiac sign
Whether a piece can carry name and date is decided by its shape. On selected pieces it is possible, on others it is not. The product page tells you for every piece. This is how you order: put the engraving service flat fee into the cart together with the gift. You enter your wording at checkout as a note, or send it after the order. We clarify the wording together with you. If the engraving does not suit the piece, you get the flat fee back. With engraving, delivery takes a little longer, and the exact times are given under Payment and shipping. Engraved goods are excluded from the right of withdrawal. You will find all the steps on the page Engraving service and in the guide Engraving for baby gifts.
If a piece cannot be engraved or you would rather give words than letters, the SilberVerse card is the way: you get it free of charge on request with every piece. It shows a verse in three to four lines in the language of your choice. It is printed as a photo card in landscape format, 15 × 10 cm. The verse is created individually for the occasion and name. More ideas for personalising are in the guide Personalised birth gifts.
From birth to christening: gifts that complement each other
Many families celebrate the birth first and the christening later. That leaves room for two gifts. For the birth, you give the first personal piece, and for the christening a second one is added that goes with the first. A rattle for the birth and the spoon for the christening are one example. Ideas for the christening are shown in the category Christening gifts. If you are a godparent, the guide What should a godparent give for a christening? will help.
Care: a cloth is enough
Our recommendation is a silver polishing cloth. With it, you rub the silver now and then, and it gets its shine back. Go gently over enamel and gold plating. Silver does not go in the dishwasher. Rinse it briefly by hand and dry it softly. More in the care instructions for silver.
Frequently asked questions about the birth gift in silver
What is a good gift for a new baby?
Something that is used or kept: a rattle, a spoon, a cup or a set. Silver is an alternative to clothes and toys, which soon no longer fit. You will find further suggestions in the guide sensible gifts for a birth.
What do you give for a birth when someone already has everything?
A piece that nobody receives twice. A personal spoon, with a name on selected models, or a set is a calm choice. It is not a miracle cure, but it stands out without being loud. Take a look at the baby spoons.
What is a traditional gift for a birth?
The silver spoon. The saying that a child is born with a silver spoon in its mouth wishes it a good life. The guide to the silver spoon explains the meaning.
What do you give the parents for a birth?
Our range is aimed mainly at the child. Thoughts for the parents are collected in the guide Birth gifts for parents.
What do grandma and grandpa give for a birth?
A set or children's cutlery is an obvious choice, because both belong to the laid table. If both sides of the family or the godparents chip in, the gift set or the children's cutlery can be bigger, and the child does not get the same thing three times.
Can I have a birth gift engraved, and how long does it take?
On selected pieces, yes, and the product page tells you. You can order the name before the birth. A piece with a date to be engraved, you order only once the date is fixed. How long delivery takes is given under Payment and shipping.
When is silver not the right choice?
When it is meant to be a quick token that is used up and passed on. Silver is a piece to keep and bring out again, not to consume. In that case, nappies or a romper suit are the more honest idea.
Rattle and spoon
Start with the rattle
Not sure where to begin? A rattle always suits the first visit.
View baby rattles
More on giving: Baby gifts in 925 silver for further ideas, Christening gifts for the next occasion and Godparent gifts for everyone about to become a godparent. More background is provided by the guide Birth gift in silver and the answers on sensible gifts.