Iraya Gift for a nephew, niece or godchild: what works when you don't live with them
An uncle or a godmother gives blind: they don't know which toy came into the house last week, they don't want to tread on the parents' toes, and the parcel often travels on its own. That's where this guide starts: what to ask beforehand, gifts that don't compete with those at home, three age groups and what changes when a godparent signs it.
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The question that doesn't spoil the surprise
Asking “what shall I get them?” makes the parents decide for you and kills the surprise. It works better the other way round: what have they already got too much of, and what don't they want yet? With two answers (“soft toys, not one more”, “nothing with batteries”) you can choose alone. If you need a detail, ask for it alone, without saying why: the clothes size, the character of the moment or, if the gift carries their face, a front-on photo. The parents send the picture; they see the result when the parcel arrives.
What an uncle can give and the parents can't
Parents buy what's needed and what the child asks for; the gift from outside can be something else. Three kinds that don't clash with anything at home (and one that does unless the parents ask: pets, drums and anything that fills half a bedroom):
- Something from your world. If you play the guitar, a child-size ukulele and three chords promised; if you live by the sea, a net and a bucket for their next visit.
- Something that keeps arriving all year. A subscription to a children's magazine with their name on the envelope: twelve times a year they remember who gave it.
- An object you appear in. A line in your handwriting inside a book, a photo of the two of you in a frame, or a story in which they are the main character and the dedication says “from your godfather”.
Ages 0 to 8 in three rows
| Age | A gift from an aunt, uncle or godparent that fits | If you'd like a book with their face |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Clothes one size up, a board book to chew on and, for the parents, an afternoon of babysitting | The Day You Arrived; under six months the drawing is approximate |
| 3 to 5 | The costume of the job they're obsessed with, a long story to read over several nights, finger paints | Dinosaur Valley, The Sock Planet · The Princess and Fumarola the Dragon |
| 6 to 8 | A family board game, the next book in the series they've started, a ticket to somewhere their parents wouldn't take them | The Mystery of the Torn Map or The Magic Button if they have a sibling · Super Hero Saves the City |
There's a guide per age, from 2 to 8, plus one for the 1-year-old.
When the gift travels alone: sending it to their home and signing it
If you live far away, the gift gets there before you do and has to speak for you. The first thing is to send it straight to the child's home: enter their address when you pay; the book is printed, checked by hand and reaches any address in Spain in 7 to 9 working days, delivery €4.99 (free from €50). Tell the parents a parcel is coming, so the child opens it with you on the phone.
The second is the dedication, printed on the first page and written by you before paying, in 140 characters at most. It's the only part of the book that's yours alone: say who you are and where from. “For Vera, from her uncle Andrés, the one who lives where it snows. Three Kings' Day 2027”. The book costs €39.99.
What godparents give by tradition: the mona, the christening and Three Kings
Being a godparent comes with set dates. In Catalonia, the Valencian Community and some districts of Aragon, the godfather gives his godchild the mona de Pascua, an Easter cake, every year until First Communion; it used to carry one egg per year of the child's age, today it's almost always chocolate. At a christening, in many families the godparent gives the present that gets kept. For Christmas and Three Kings, the deadlines are in the Christmas guide; the birthday guide says who usually gives what at the party.
A book with the godchild's face fits all three: no room taken, no noise, your name inside.
Our books
The Day You Arrived
Dinosaur Valley
The Sock Planet
Super Hero Saves the City
The Princess and Fumarola the Dragon
The Mystery of the Torn Map
The Magic ButtonFrequently asked questions
Can I give the book without the parents knowing?
Not entirely: it needs a front-on photo of the child, and that comes from the parents; it's their photo and their decision. Ask without saying why: they won't see the finished book until it arrives.
What do I write in the dedication as a godparent?
Who you are to them, where you're writing from and the date: “From your godmother Clara, on your christening day, 12 April 2027”. You have 140 characters.
What if several of us aunts and uncles want to give it together?
One of you orders and the others chip in; you all sign the dedication (“from your aunts and uncles in Bilbao”). For one book per child, the second in the same order costs €29.99.