Bouboniera

Guests at Greek Orthodox religious ceremonies and other celebrations including weddings, baptisms and wedding anniversaries often bring bouboniera as gifts. Also known as bombonieres, the gifts involve contain Jordan almonds wrapped in colored material and tied with a ribbon. Tradition dictates that the bouboniera contain odd numbers of almonds to symbloize the baby's connection with God since odd numbers cannot be divided equally. At baptisms the godparents usually distribute the gifts to all the attendees at the church, or to friends and family at the reception after the ceremony. Variously colored almonds cater to boys and girls.

Icons

Greek Orthodox churches feature symbolic images called "icons," and one of the disagreements between Christian denominations in the 16th century involved the use of icons. Large icons adorn church walls but church shops and retailers sell smaller versions that depict religious scenes and remain common as baptismal gifts. Popular baptismal gifts include icons depicting John the Baptist alone or the baptism of Jesus at the hands of John. Some people prefer icons with images of saints or the birth of John the Baptist, who holds a key place in Orthodox tradition.

Baptismal Pins

In Greek Orthodox tradition, godfathers often buy baptismal pins for the infant being baptized. The traditionally hand-crafted pins generally feature some kind of religious symbol like a cross or an image of Mary holding the infant Jesus. Martirika are pins attached to ribbons and people who attend the baptism give them to the child to mark the occasion. Traditon holds that each Martirika represents a witness of the religious ceremony. The pins are made from gold or silver and prices range from $10 to several hundred dollars.