There are gifts that are appreciated and forgotten, and others that stay. The latter are almost never the most expensive: they are the ones that say something about the person who gives them and the person who receives them. That is what this guide is about: twelve ideas for giving meaningful gifts to the people you love most, organized by occasion, by person, by their name, and by their homeland.
If you prefer to go straight to the pieces, we have gathered them in meaningful gifts.
What makes a gift meaningful
For us, there are three things that explain it:
- It is worn. A gift that accompanies you every day is remembered more than one that is kept in a drawer.
- It reminds you of the person who gave it. The person who wears the medal of their godmother or their grandmother knows who it came from every time they touch it.
- It is passed down. In many families, medals pass from mothers to daughters and from grandmothers to granddaughters, and with them passes the family history.
That is why we say that giving a medal is an act of love: it is a way to entrust someone you love. It is not an amulet or a promise; it is a gesture of faith and affection that you wear.
By occasion: six moments to give with meaning
- 1. A baptism: their first medal. In many families, it is the first gift of faith a child receives. Two classics are La Milagrosa and the Inmaculada with pearls (€69). For safety, the baby does not wear it: it is kept until they are old enough to wear it. More ideas in baptism gifts and in what medal to give at a baptism.
- 2. A first communion: the one they can already wear. At that age, the medal is no longer kept and starts to be used. Simple pieces fit well, such as the La Milagrosa pendant with enamel (€40) or the cross medal with enamel (€49). See First Communion gifts.
- 3. A confirmation: something they would choose. It is a step taken with more years and more judgment. Saint Benedict with tiger's eye (€65) or an enameled Saint Benedict bracelet (€25) are two options for that age. They are in confirmation gifts.
- 4. A wedding: Saint Anthony. According to tradition, Saint Anthony is the saint of newlyweds and lost things. His medal with natural pearls (€69) is a detail for the bride or the godmother. More in wedding gifts.
- 5. Their saint. The medal of their name is the natural gift for that day: October 12 for the Pilar, December 8 for the Inmaculada and the Concha. Here you have our Immaculate Conception medals. You have more dates in our name day calendar.
- 6. Christmas. It is when we give the most gifts and when it is hardest to get it right. A pack solves the complete gift: medal and bracelet, or medal and necklace, at a better price than buying the pieces separately. They are in gift packs and in Christmas gifts.
If you like La Milagrosa, here you have all our Virgin Milagrosa medals, handcrafted in Spain.
By person: who you give it to
- 7. To your mother or your grandmother. The Virgin of her name or the one of her town, with a pearl, which is worn just as much every day as on a celebration. If you want a more complete gift, a pack of a medal with a necklace. You have them in gifts for mothers and grandmothers.
- 8. To your godmother or your goddaughter. It is a bond that often starts with a medal and that can continue to be celebrated with another years later. Ideas in gifts for godmothers and goddaughters.
- 9. To a friend. For a birthday or to accompany her in an important moment, a bracelet is a simple detail: the La Milagrosa bracelet (€19) or the Mother-of-pearl Cross bracelet (€29).
- 10. To him. Father, husband, brother, or godson. If he prefers sober tones, Saint Benedict or Saint Jude Thaddeus with tiger's eye (€65).
By their name
11. The medal that bears their name. A Pilar, a Carmen, a Rocío, a Covadonga, an Amparo, a Fátima, an Antonio, or a Benito has their medal. Few things are more personal: it is a gift that only makes sense for her or for him.
Look for theirs in medals by name. In each collection you can choose stone and color: Pilar, Carmen, Rocío, Fátima, Saint Anthony.
By their homeland
12. The Virgin of their homeland. Those who live far from where they were born usually wear their patroness with special affection. These are some of the ones we make:
- Virgin of El Pilar, patroness of Zaragoza and Aragon.
- Virgin of Covadonga, the Santina, patroness of Asturias.
- Virgin of the Forsaken, the Geperudeta, patroness of Valencia and the Valencian Community.
- Virgin of El Rocío, patroness of Almonte (Huelva).
- Virgin of El Carmen, patroness of the people of the sea.
We have gathered them in gifts from your homeland, and we talk about each one in the Patroness Virgins of Spain.
How to deliver it
- The packaging. All our pieces come wrapped as a gift at no cost, so they arrive ready to deliver.
- The card. Write it by hand and say why you chose that medal: «it is the Virgin of your town», «it is the one of your name», «so you can wear it close». Two lines are enough.
- The moment. Better with calm than in a hurry, and better by telling the story of the medal. If later they want to take it to be blessed, we explain how in what the Church says about blessing a medal.
- The deadlines. We ship in 24–72 h, and shipping is free from €65 to the Peninsula and Balearic Islands.
What they have in common
Our medals are of our own design and are handmade in Spain, with pearls, natural stones, and enamels. They include their chain, adjustable from 40 + 5 cm. We make them thinking that they are worn every day: always with a medal.
If you still have doubts, start with meaningful gifts or read how to choose, wear, and give a religious medal.
Facts you can check
- October 12 is the feast of the Virgin of El Pilar. Source
- The Church celebrates the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. Source
Marian and Bárbara