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I would get the baby something non-religious especially since you're not Catholic/religious. Hurmm.. 6 months old put everything in their mouths, so how about something he can play with/chew on? Or clothes? I would suggest books, but my LO JUST started "reading" books at 1 years old. She ruined a lot of good books by tearing and chewing them apart..

I'm Jewish so I don't have much advice, but I wouldn't go religious. Id want to give something more practical. Or personalized gifts are always fun.

Traditionally, baptism gifts are supposed to be a religious trinket of some sort, but I don't know how rigid people are about this anymore. I think a non-religious keepsake of some sort would be fine, too.

My husband was just at a Baptism two weekends ago, he is the god father to his best friend's baby. We gave them money for her college education and a cute outfit that she can wear later. We did give them a card that said something about Baptism but wasn't OVERLY religious. Neither of us are very religious (though we go to church here and there) so we didn't feel like a religious gift from us would be appropriate.

If you're not sure what they will do with the money, do a savings bond or find out if they have a college savings acct you can deposit to.

I always give a keepsake type of thing like baby china or a sliver plated cup or comb, piggy bank, or jewelry box. I certainly wouldn't expect the gifts to be only religious themes.

I think its typical to give a religious gift for a baptism, but I don't think you should just do a trinket because they are a waste of money. I'm sure they would appreciate something more practical, even something like a picture frame.

We’re atheists too, and sometimes give religious gifts for baptisms, but not trinket type gifts (books, mainly) – I don’t feel weird about it because I feel like just because I don’t believe doesn’t mean I don’t respect someone else’s beliefs. We also give silver or engraved type gifts – silver picture frames, cup/spoon, or something engraved like a simple bracelet or a brush set.

A monogrammed blanket is a great idea, or engraving anything with "To Baby's Name, in honor of Baby's baptism Date" would be lovely, without being dishonest coming from an atheist.

That said, I read that for infant baptisms, if you gave a gift at baby showers, then a baptism gift isn't necessary (not that gifts ever are, blah,blah, blah-- you know what I mean). But I was surprised by how many people who had given Baby X shower gifts also gave him baptism gifts too--- so maybe I'm totally wrong?

We had one for our LO when he was the same age. We got a ton of cash, some jewelry (a tradition from immediate family), and a couple of cute little outfits from people. I've actually never heard that gifts HAVE to be religious.