Best Confirmation Gifts: 10 Meaningful Ideas Built Around a Saint

The best confirmation gifts begin with one question: which saint did they choose? At confirmation, many Catholics take the name of a saint they want to follow, and a medal, ring or cross of that saint becomes a gift they can wear for years. Teenagers want something that looks good; adults want something that means something Christian jewelry for hope. The pieces below do both.

Below: our ranking of 10 confirmation gifts, the saint or symbol behind each one, and a short guide for sponsors, parents and godparents on sizes, timing and what to write.

At a Glance: The Ranking

Eight pieces from our catalog and two classic ideas from elsewhere. Prices are the current US prices on each product page.

Our top pick

The Saint Michael Crest

Best for: A teen or adult confirmed under Saint Michael's name.

✓Three tones: antiqued silver, gold-tone wings, red enamel

✓Light for its size, about 11.5 g

✓50 cm twist chain

See the Saint Michael CrestFrom $99.99

Our 8 Picks in Detail, Plus 2 Alternatives

1. The Saint Michael Crest: Best Overall

Best for: A teen or adult confirmed under Saint Michael's name.

Saint Michael is a favorite confirmation saint, and it is easy to see why. In the Book of Revelation, Michael and his angels defeat the dragon, and his name asks a question: Who is like God? Confirmation is the sacrament of strength in the faith, and Michael is its clearest picture.

The Saint Michael Crest shows the archangel standing over the red dragon, gold-tone wings spread and a cross above his head, on a shield of deep red enamel framed in antiqued silver tone. The pendant is about 24 x 35 mm and the whole piece weighs about 11.5 g. The 50 cm twist chain lets the shield rest at the collarbone. Read what Archangel Michael means before writing your card.

• Three tones: antiqued silver, gold-tone wings, red enamel
• Light for its size, about 11.5 g
• 50 cm twist chain

See The Saint Michael Crest, from $99.99.

2. The Christopher Crossing: Best for a Candidate Named Christopher

Best for: A young man about to leave home, drive or travel.

Tradition holds that Christopher carried a child across a river and found he had carried Christ. He became the patron of travelers, which makes him a natural confirmation saint for a teenager about to get a driver's license or leave for college.

The Christopher Crossing is an oval titanium steel medal in deep relief: the saint mid-river, staff in hand, the Christ Child on his shoulder, with Saint Christopher Protect Us around the edge and a plain cross on the back. It measures about 30 x 39 mm, weighs about 27 g with the chain, and hangs on a 3 mm box chain of 60 cm that sits mid-chest.

• Antiqued relief that brings the figure forward
• Cross engraved on the reverse
• 60 cm box chain, 3 mm wide

See The Christopher Crossing, from $89.99.

3. The Saint Jude Bracelet: Best Bracelet

Best for: A candidate confirmed under Saint Jude's name.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, one of the twelve apostles, is the saint people turn to for the hardest causes. He is a fitting choice for someone who has been through something difficult, and his feast day falls on October 28.

This bracelet sets a rectangular plate with Saint Jude in relief, holding his staff and the image of Christ, between two lengths of flat Figaro chain. It is gold-tone copper, 18.5 cm long with a lobster clasp and a small extension link. Choose a plain gold-tone figure, or a green or rose enamel robe.

• Gold, green or rose robe
• 18.5 cm with a small extension link
• Suits boys and girls alike

See The Saint Jude Bracelet, from $79.99.

4. The Sacred Heart Set: Best Gift Set

Best for: A sponsor who wants to give a medal and a ring together.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus, wrapped in thorns with flames and a cross above, is a devotion to the love of Christ. This set gives it twice: an oval pendant and a matching signet ring with the same raised heart and small crosses on each shoulder.

Both are antique silver-tone alloy. The 2.7 x 3.5 cm pendant hangs on a 40 cm snake chain with a 5 cm extender, a shorter length that sits close to the neck. The ring comes in US sizes 8 to 12, so check our size guide. Our article on the meaning of the Sacred Heart is a good read before the day.

• Necklace and ring in one gift
• 40 cm chain plus 5 cm extender
• Ring sizes US 8 to 12

See The Sacred Heart Set, from $99.99.

5. The Benedict Signet: Best Ring

Best for: An older teen or an adult confirmed under Benedict's name.

A ring is a grown-up gift, and it is worn where the wearer sees it all day. The Benedict Signet sets a gold-tone Saint Benedict medal in a polished steel band, with the IHS of Christ engraved on one shoulder and the Marian M on the other: Christ, Mary and Saint Benedict in one ring.

The band is titanium steel with a brass medal face of about 2 cm, the band about 3 mm thick, in US sizes 7 to 12. IHS is a monogram of the name of Jesus, from the first letters of his name in Greek.

• Polished silver-tone band, gold-tone face
• US sizes 7 to 12
• Engraved shoulders on both sides

See The Benedict Signet, from $79.99.

6. The Folded Wings: Best for a Girl

Best for: A goddaughter, or a candidate who chose a guardian angel theme.

Not every confirmation gift has to be a saint medal. The Folded Wings are two small feathered wings folded together, a quiet sign of the guardian angel remembered in the prayer many children learn first: Angel of God, my guardian dear.

The pendant is 18 x 16 mm with engraved feather lines, on a 45 cm chain with a 5 cm extender, in gold tone or silver tone. At about 7 g it sits flat at the collarbone and layers easily with a cross or a medal.

• Gold tone or silver tone
• 45 cm chain plus 5 cm extender
• Discreet enough for school every day

See The Folded Wings, from $69.99.

7. The Knotwork Cross: Most Unique Cross

Best for: A teen who wants a cross that looks different.

If you are looking for unique confirmation gifts, this cross is drawn as a single knot of four open loops, in the spirit of Celtic knotwork: one line with no beginning and no end, a quiet image of eternal life.

It is cast stainless steel with an antiqued finish that shows the depth of the loops, 33 x 49 mm, on a 3 mm box chain in 50, 55 or 60 cm. Stainless steel can be worn in the shower and does not turn the skin green. See our guide to the Celtic cross for the history behind the knotwork.

• Three chain lengths: 50, 55 or 60 cm
• Antiqued stainless steel
• A cross that suits boys and young men

See The Knotwork Cross, from $79.99.

8. The Jerusalem Prayer: Best Prayer Beads

Best for: A candidate who wants to pray, not only to wear.

Confirmation completes the grace of baptism, and many sponsors want to give something that helps the new adult in the faith keep praying. The Jerusalem Prayer is a simple string of natural 10 mm wooden beads woven on rope, with a wooden Jerusalem cross of 3.5 x 4 cm.

It measures 58 cm in total with a 13 cm drop to the cross and weighs about 23 g. The large cross stands for Christ and the four small ones are traditionally read as the four Gospels, carried to the four corners of the earth.

• Natural wood on woven rope
• Wooden Jerusalem cross
• Light, about 23 g

See The Jerusalem Prayer, from $89.99.

9. Alternative: A book about their confirmation saint

A biography of the saint they chose, or the saint's own writings, from a Catholic publisher, helps them know the name they took. Write a dedication inside.

10. Alternative: An icon or framed image of their saint

A small icon or framed image of the confirmation saint, from a religious goods store, gives them a place to pray at home. It pairs well with a medal of the same saint.

How We Chose

We started from the confirmation name. Every pick either shows a saint often chosen at confirmation, or a symbol of the faith that a teenager or an adult will actually wear: a shield, a ring, a bracelet, a cross.

Then we checked each product page for materials and sizes, and described only those. We kept a balance between pieces for young men and young women, and two ideas from elsewhere for the candidate who is more of a reader than a wearer.

• A saint or a clear symbol of the faith
• Designs a teenager will wear, not hide in a drawer
• Sizes that fit teens and adults
• Exact facts from each product page

Buying Guide: Choosing a Confirmation Gift

Ask the candidate or the parents which saint was chosen before you buy. If you cannot find a medal of that saint, choose a cross, a Sacred Heart or a guardian angel: symbols that belong to every Christian.

• Rings: measure a ring that already fits, then compare it with our size guide.
• Timing: orders are processed within 24 hours on business days and shipped with tracking. Order well ahead of the Mass.
• Returns: you have 30 days to return an unworn piece in its original packaging, and every piece has a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

See every idea in our confirmation gifts collection. For the symbols you may want to explain in your card, our guide to Christian symbols and their meanings is a good companion.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Saint to Walk With

The best confirmation gifts remind the newly confirmed of the saint they chose and of the promise they made. A Saint Michael shield, a Saint Christopher medal, a Saint Jude bracelet or a simple knotted cross will all do that. Choose the piece that matches their saint and their style, add a few words about why you chose it, and give them something to wear on the day and for many years after.

Sophie Laurent

Jewelry Historian & Curator

Specializing in religious jewelry since 2017, I combine technical expertise in precious metals with a deep passion for Christian symbolism. At Bennett & Cross, my mission is to guide you in preserving your sacred heirlooms.