The Gift That Grows With Her: A Holiday Gift Guide for Granddaughters, Goddaughters & Little Girls
Every holiday season, the same question comes up: what do you give a little girl that she won’t outgrow by spring? Toys get put away. Clothes get handed down. But some gifts become part of her story.
For more than a century, families have answered that question with an Add-A-Pearl necklace. It begins with a single pearl on a delicate chain. Each birthday, holiday and milestone after that, another pearl is added, until one day she wears a full strand of pearls, each one a memory of the people who love her.
Whether you’re a grandparent, godparent, aunt or family friend, this guide will help you choose the right holiday gift, and start a tradition she’ll carry for a lifetime.
Why a gift that grows beats a gift she’ll outgrow
The best gifts for children do two things: they delight her today, and they still mean something years from now. An Add-A-Pearl necklace is one of the few gifts that does both.
- It lasts. Real cultured or natural pearls, strung by hand on 14k yellow gold, 14k white gold or sterling silver, are made to be worn for decades.
- It grows with her. One pearl today becomes a full strand by her sweet 16, graduation or wedding day.
- It tells her story. Every pearl marks a moment: her first Christmas, first steps, first recital.
- It connects generations. Many women still wear the strand their grandmother started for them. It’s an heirloom in the making.
Holiday gift ideas by age
Newborns and baby’s first Christmas
A first pearl is a beautiful way to welcome a new baby and celebrate her very first holiday season. She won’t wear it yet, but her family will keep it safe until she’s ready, and it becomes the very first chapter of her story. Pair it with an engraved charm marking the year.
Toddlers (ages 1–3)
If her necklace has already begun, a Christmas pearl is a lovely tradition to add each year. If not, the holidays are a wonderful time to start one, often alongside a first or second birthday.
Little girls (ages 4–8)
This is when the magic really starts. She’s old enough to understand that each pearl means something, and to look forward to the next one. Many girls wear their necklace for the first time to a holiday party, First Communion or recital.
Tweens and teens
It’s never too late to begin. A starter necklace with several pearls makes a grown-up, meaningful gift for an older girl, and she’ll have years of milestones ahead to fill her strand: a sweet 16, graduation, and beyond.
Holiday gift ideas by giver
From grandparents
Grandparents often start the tradition, and it’s easy to see why. An engraved charm that reads “Love, Grandma” or “Love, Grandpa” means she’ll always know who began her necklace.
From parents
Many parents add a pearl every Christmas morning or birthday, so she grows up with a gift that’s waiting for her each year.
From godparents
A first pearl is a meaningful baptism, christening or First Communion gift, and a lovely way for a godparent to stay part of her milestones for years to come.
From aunts, uncles and family friends
You don’t have to start the necklace to be part of it. Adding a pearl to a necklace someone else began is a thoughtful gift, and a sweet way to join the tradition.
How the whole family can build it together
One of the most beautiful things about an Add-A-Pearl necklace is that it doesn’t have to come from just one person. Parents, grandparents, godparents and friends can all add pearls over the years.
- Necklace Tracker: When you’re signed in to your account, we keep track of every pearl on her necklace, so the family always knows where her strand stands.
- Reminders: Schedule reminders so you never miss a birthday or holiday pearl.
- Pearls on Hold: Buy pearls now and have them added later. This is perfect if you want to give a pearl but don’t have the necklace on hand.
- Free stringing: Send in her necklace and we’ll string new Add-A-Pearl pearls by hand, free of charge, until her strand is complete.
What arrives under the tree
Every Add-A-Pearl gift is made to be given.
- Hand-strung in our Chicago studio
- Arrives gift-ready in our signature box
- Free gift wrap and a free personal gift message
- Each added pearl comes on its own gift card, ready to wrap
- Optional engraved charm (heart, oval or rectangle) and clasp upgrades, including our best-selling Engravable Clasp
Holiday ordering dates
Order by December 20 for Christmas delivery.
Engraved charms and custom pieces may need a little extra time, so we recommend ordering personalized gifts early. If you’re ever unsure, call our pearl specialists at 855-392-6640. We still answer the phone ourselves.
Why buy direct from Add-A-Pearl
Add-A-Pearl is the original add-a-pearl tradition, created in 1915 and carried on by Juergens & Andersen, a Chicago jeweler since 1854. When you shop at addapearl.com, you get:
- The original Add-A-Pearl necklace, hand-strung in our own studio
- The Necklace Tracker, reminders and Pearls on Hold, only available with your Add-A-Pearl account
- Free stringing of Add-A-Pearl pearls for the life of her necklace
- Personal help from pearl specialists who know the tradition inside and out
More than 9,800 families have rated us 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Frequently asked questions
What is a meaningful Christmas gift for a granddaughter?
A gift she can keep for a lifetime. An Add-A-Pearl necklace starts with one pearl and grows each year as pearls are added for birthdays, holidays and milestones, until she has a full strand. Many grandparents add an engraved charm so she always remembers who started it.
Is a pearl necklace a good gift for a baby?
Yes. Many families start an Add-A-Pearl necklace at birth, on a first birthday or at a christening. Her family keeps it safe until she’s old enough to wear it, and pearls are added along the way.
What do you give a baby girl for her first Christmas?
A keepsake that will still mean something when she’s grown. A first pearl, with a charm engraved with the year, marks her very first Christmas and begins a tradition that continues every year.
What is a good gift from a godparent?
A first pearl for a baptism, christening or First Communion is a classic godparent gift, and adding a pearl each year keeps you part of her milestones.
How many pearls should I start with?
Most necklaces begin with one pearl. Some families start with three or more so the necklace is ready to wear sooner. Either is a beautiful beginning. For help choosing, see What Size Pearl Should I Start With?
Can more than one person add pearls?
Absolutely. Parents, grandparents, godparents and friends can all add pearls over the years, and our Necklace Tracker keeps a record of every one.
What if I don’t have her necklace?
Use Pearls on Hold. You can purchase a pearl now as a gift, and it will be added to her necklace whenever the family sends it in.
Is it too late to start a necklace for an older girl?
Not at all. A starter necklace with several pearls is a meaningful gift for a tween or teen, with plenty of milestones still ahead.
When should I order for Christmas?
Order by December 20 for Christmas delivery. Order personalized and engraved gifts earlier.
Where can I buy an authentic Add-A-Pearl necklace?
Directly from addapearl.com, the original Add-A-Pearl since 1915, hand-strung in Chicago.
Start her pearl story this Christmas
The best gifts aren’t the ones she unwraps once. They’re the ones she keeps adding to, year after year, until one day she wears them on her wedding day and remembers every person who gave her a pearl.
