At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and few things fit that holiday better than a gift of faith. A medal never goes out of style, can be worn every day, and is kept forever. In this guide, we suggest what to give each person in your family, with real prices and no-nonsense.
Adoration of the Shepherds, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Museo del Prado (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
If you prefer to go straight to the pieces, we have gathered them in Christmas gifts.
Why a medal at Christmas
- It has meaning. It is not just another gift under the tree: it is a gesture of affection and faith.
- There are no sizes. You do not have to guess a size or a number.
- Each one is different. They feature pearls and natural stones, and no two stones are alike.
- It arrives ready to give. With the chain included and wrapped for gifting at no extra cost.
For your mother and your grandmother
Here, the Virgin of her devotion, her homeland, or her name almost never fails: el Pilar, el Carmen, el Rocío. If you do not know which one it is, ask who she prays to: there is usually a quick answer. Medals with natural pearls are the most classic for them. And in the case of a grandmother, it is a piece that one day a granddaughter will inherit: that is also part of the gift.
More ideas in gifts for mothers and grandmothers and in medals by name.
For your goddaughter or your niece
They usually like color. La Milagrosa with enamel is a sure winner: the Milagrosa with fluorite and lilac enamel costs €69, and the enameled Milagrosa pendant, €40. Another idea with color is the Our Lady of El Rocío with pearl and lilac enamel (from €69). If you are her godmother, it is a gift that unites Christmas with the day of her baptism.
You have more options in gifts for godmothers and goddaughters.
For those who prefer something understated
If you are looking for something discreet and without much color, these are the ones that work best:
- Saint Benedict. Tradition associates it with protection; with tiger's eye it looks understated.
- Saint Jude Thaddeus. The saint to whom tradition entrusts difficult causes.
- A cross. Simple and forever. You have them in scapulars and crosses.
For a friend
La Milagrosa is a classic among friends: easy to combine and with a beautiful story behind it. The Milagrosa with lapis lazuli costs €65. Another option is Saint Anthony, the saint of lost objects and of lovers: the medal with lapis lazuli is from €65. If yours is an anonymous gift exchange, further down you have details for less than €50.
For the children of the house
A warning first of all: babies and small children should not wear chains or pendants, nor have them within their reach. For them, the medal is kept in its box until they are old enough to wear it.
For those who can already wear it, simple pieces work, such as the enamel cross medal (€49) or the Sacred Heart pendant (from €40). If this year there is a baptism or a communion nearby, also look at baptism gifts and First Communion gifts.
If you do not know their devotion
It happens a lot with sisters-in-law, mothers-in-law, and new friends. There are two safe choices: La Milagrosa and the Immaculate, patroness of Spain, whose feast, on December 8, falls in the middle of Advent. The Immaculate with pearls costs €69. And for other occasions of the year you have more ideas in gifts with meaning.
For those who already have everything
If they already wear a medal, there is no need to repeat. Give them a second one to combine with the one they have, of another devotion or with another stone: wearing two medals together is very fashionable and we tell you how to do it in how to wear several medals together. Another idea is a special chain or a necklace of pearls and natural stones that makes the medal they already have stand out.
Gift packs: the medal and something else
A pack is the medal plus a necklace, a chain, or a bracelet. They are worn together or separately, so they are two gifts in one, and they come out cheaper than buying the pieces separately. Since they all exceed €65, shipping to the Peninsula and Balearic Islands is free. These are some; you have them all in gift packs.
Secret Santa and gifts for less than €50
A gift of faith does not have to be big. These pieces fit into almost any secret Santa budget:
- La Milagrosa Bracelet: €19.
- Mini enameled Saint Benedict bracelets: €25.
- Enamel La Milagrosa Bracelet: €29.
- Sacred Heart Bracelets (Detente): €35.
- Enamel Milagrosa Pendant: €40.
- Enamel cross medal: €49.
Keep in mind that shipping is free from €65: if you buy several details at once, it pays to put them in one order.
Deadlines and shipping
Orders ship in 24–72 h and shipping is free from €65 to the Peninsula and Balearic Islands. Everything is wrapped for gifting at no cost. We do not give you a deadline here for Christmas or Epiphany; our advice is to order with time to spare and not leave it until the last few days.
One more thing: taking it to be blessed
If you want the gift to have even more meaning, you can take the medal to be blessed before delivering it, or suggest doing it together after the holidays. It is not mandatory, and a blessing is neither bought nor sold. We tell you how it is done in Should a medal be blessed?
Facts you can check
- The Immaculate Conception, patroness of Spain, is celebrated on December 8. The dogma was proclaimed by Pius IX on that same day in 1854. Source
- The first medals of La Milagrosa were distributed in Paris in June 1832; the name of «miraculous» was given by the people. Source
- Pope Benedict XIV approved the use of the medal of Saint Benedict in March 1742. Source
Our medals are of our own design and are handmade in Spain, with pearls, natural stones, and enamels. You have all the ideas from this guide in Christmas gifts.
Marian and Bárbara