Pair of baby shoes, pale green ribbed silk, decorated with floral ribbon; made in England in 1881 Perhaps the best known christening gifts are intrinsically valuable items such as gold or silver plated cutlery, bowls and mugs. Such items were not necessarily intended for the use of a very young child, as is customary now, but rather as a future heirloom. There was also a tradition of rather less costly gift-giving, which included clothing, food and symbolic gifts such as eggs (standing for life) and salt (for purity). Items of clothing were frequently more decorative than those for every day usage, but the givers would often try to make sure that they had a practical use as well.