Serge from Babka

Do people still give fountain pens as Bar Mitzvah gifts?

Coins?

Pens used to be very popular gifts in the US in the mid-20th century. I received one for my Bar Mitzvah- a very expensive one I never use!

I was also thinking of something like a beautiful coin from the year he was born- something decorative in silver or gold, but my wife thinks this isn't a good gift.

What do people think?

#BarMitzvah #Mazeldon #Gifts #Coins #FountainPen #Gold #Silver

Feb 27 at 2:06pmWeb
Show threadTheodore CasserFeb 27

@serge I mean, personally - I loved the fountain pen I got for my BM. I was also writing almost exclusively with one at the time, and I think I used that sucker for a good 25-30 years until it met its demise.

Coins are wonderful if it's something the child would appreciate, but I know that's more of a niche gift.

To be fair, I think my favorite single gift from my BM was a fancy Szyk haggadah (which I also still have), but I'm an odd person who even then probably already had too much judaica.

What might speak to the young man's interests? I think that's the big question. 😀

Show threadClare HooleyFeb 27
@serge don’t know about Bar Mitzvah traditions, but I wouldn’t want someone buying me an expensive fountain pen without me specifying exactly, as what you like is so personal.
That said if the person doesn’t have any non-basic fountain pens already then it’s a special thing to have - if going that way, I’d stick to mid-range with international cartridges, maybe something like a Diplomat Esteem. To me, a gift one might use is better than a gift that will definitely stay in a draw.
Show threadSerge from BabkaFeb 27

@clare_hooley

Oh interesting... I'm so unfamiliar with pens at this price point! Thank you!

Show threadSerge from BabkaFeb 27

@clare_hooley

As for traditions: It seems to have been a largely American phenomenon, but as the Bar Mitzvah is the shifting from boyhood to manhood, the gift of a fountain pen represented the shift away from pencils to pens, from writing instruments of childhood to adulthood.

Today, based on my research, pens are not generally given as bar mitzvah gifts. :(

Show threadTerryBFeb 27
@serge @clare_hooley No. I'm not surprised. Though they were very common in the UK back in Once Upon A Time. Most lads getting up to half a dozen Parker pens for a B/m. But then we wrote with them in school in the Good Old Days.
Show threadBarryFeb 27
@serge I know nothing about Barmitzvah or related customs, but a birth-dated coin is a very thoughtful gift.
Show threadTerryBFeb 27
@serge That coin sounds a nice gift. I'd be shocked if a 13 year old even knew which end of the pen to put the batteries. 🤣😳
In the recent past we've given Swiss Army knives. Probably not very PC but definitely very practical and appreciated. I haven't lost my love for these over half a century+ (not the same ones of course). And Victorinox offer a very cheap refurbish and repair service( £5-10 from the UK depending on the level of damage) when they're worn/misused/put through the washing machine in a pocket.
Show threadAvi FlaxFeb 27
@serge maybe a watch? (Ideally with a gift receipt so it can be exchanged)
Show threadSerge from BabkaFeb 27

@avi

It's funny that I think a watch is more old fashioned, but also more expensive. :)

(as for returning, buying a watch in Canada and returning it in Israel would be challenging)

Show threadTerryBFeb 27
@serge I still shudder at some of the "gifts" I received 50 odd years ago. The trick is not to present the kid with a gift that the giver thinks he *ought* to want.
And also ( I'm pretty sure Serge wouldn't do this) not tailoring the gift to how wealthy the parents are. I still resent certain relations ( presumably long deceased) for this. My cousins with wealthier parents getting better gifts. Though doing the opposite might be virtuous - giving a good gift to kids with less.
Show threadפְּרִיMar 3
@serge I gave a distant cousin a 1oz silver coin and that seemed well received.