Gifts for Godchildren
A godparent’s promise does not end at the font. Christmas, birthdays and the anniversary of a baptism are the chances to keep it, and a picture for a child’s room — a guardian angel, their own patron saint, a Nativity with dancing angels — is a gift that keeps the promise on the wall.
For Christmas, order by the first week of December. Each print is made to order: allow about two and a half weeks for delivery.
Also for Christmas: the 2027 Catholic Art Calendar, twelve masterpieces with every feast of the year.
Guardian Angel
Bernhard Plockhorst
The angel who keeps two small children safe on a cliff path — the picture above a thousand Catholic beds.
From $31.52
Saint Nicholas
Catholic Art Studio
The patron of children, whose feast on 6 December is still a day for small gifts in many Catholic homes.
From $33.26
The Mystic Nativity
Sandro Botticelli
Angels dancing in a ring over the stable — a Nativity with enough going on in it to keep a child looking.
From $44.13
The Adoration of the Magi
Peter Paul Rubens
Kings, camels and a crowd of attendants arriving at the manger: Christmas as a great procession.
From $32.98
Let the Children Come unto Me
Carl Bloch
Christ welcoming the children his disciples tried to send away.
From $96.36
The Holy Family with a Bird
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
The boy Jesus holding a bird out of reach of a small white dog — the Holy Family as a family.
From $32.98
Saint Michael and the Dragon
Raphael
Raphael’s young archangel standing on the dragon, sword raised — a favourite with boys of every age.
From $96.36
Saint Francis of Assisi
Catholic Art Studio
Francis, friend of animals, for the godchild who loves them.
From $33.26
Saint Joan of Arc
Catholic Art Studio
A teenage girl who did what God asked of her, for an older godchild finding their courage.
From $33.26
Saint Carlo Acutis
Catholic Art Studio
A saint who grew up with computers and video games, canonised in 2025 — a patron a teenager can recognise.
From $33.26
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Catholic Art Studio
The Little Flower, patron of the “little way”, for a godchild preparing for their First Communion or Confirmation.
From $33.26
Keeping a godparent’s promise
At a baptism, godparents promise to help a child grow in the faith. In practice that mostly happens on three days a year: Christmas, the child’s birthday, and — a custom worth reviving — the anniversary of their baptism. A picture for their room is one of the few gifts on those days that points back to the promise.
A patron saint is the most personal choice: the saint whose name they carry, or whose feast is their birthday. Where there is no obvious patron, the guardian angel is the classic picture for a young child, and the young modern saints — Carlo Acutis, Thérèse — suit a teenager better than a Madonna does.
Questions
What should a godparent give at Christmas?
Something that helps the child grow in faith as well as something fun: a children’s Bible, a rosary, an Advent calendar, or a picture of their patron saint or guardian angel for their room.
What is a baptism anniversary?
The date of a child’s baptism, which some Catholic families celebrate each year like a second birthday — lighting the baptismal candle, and often with a small gift from the godparents.
How do I find my godchild’s patron saint?
Look for a saint who shares their name, or whose feast falls on their birthday or baptism day. Many children also choose a new patron at Confirmation.
When should I order for Christmas?
By the first week of December. Prints are made to order and then shipped, which takes about two and a half weeks in all.