A sign that I’m getting on a bit came when one of my God-daughters invited me to her daughter’s Christening. I was pleased to be asked, glad that I accepted and toddled along bearing a token gift.
She wrote me a thank you letter that is one of the best I’ve read. Inter alia she raised the question as to whether it is acceptable for her to use the present until her daughter is old enough to appreciate it. Mine were kept in storage by my mother: two small engraved silver dishes, a silver napkin ring and some porcelain. The porcelain has gone astray. The napkin ring would have been useful when I was at Castle Park but was deemed too valuable to take to school. Later presents for my Confirmation and significant birthdays include Poker chips (from Asprey), binoculars, a leather-covered travelling alarm clock and a watch. I dropped the watch in the Thames when I capsized my whiff (a clinker boat with outriggers). The alarm clock eventually broke and was deemed irreparable. I don’t play Poker any more and if I need binoculars I use a smaller pair.
I am not ungrateful but the way the cards have fallen none of these thoughtfully chosen, expensive presents have turned out to be much use. However, presents given to me by my nieces when they were younger are in constant use. I have a folding green umbrella that I take on holidays, wooden coat hangers with my initials, gold-plated nail scissors (from Asprey again, where my niece worked briefly), and lots of shoe bags – some home-made and some bought – the former are much better because they are more capacious and the moths like eating the latter.
My God-daughter reminded me of this when she wrote recalling the presents that I gave her. I had forgotten them but she tells me that “pretty much everything you ever gave me still gets used or looked at on a regular basis – the weekend bag I couldn’t live without, the kimono still going strong and the lovely pottery jug is a real favourite”. As you may imagine I am deeply touched.
Here is a present that one of my God-fathers gave me on vinyl.