Birthday Gift Keys

In some countries, birthday gift keys are a tradition. It’s a nice tradition. The keys can be given as “the key to your future”, “the key to your middle ages”, “the key to happiness”, or some other sentiment.

Unique Birthday Gift Custom

Birthday gift keys are a wonderful custom unique to New Zealand and Australia. In that part of the southern hemisphere, birthday gift keys are given on the 21st birthday to symbolize the recipient’s coming of age. The key represents the keys to the family’s home. It implies that the twenty-one year old is mature enough to be trusted with such a key. He or she is ready to take on adult responsibilities. He or she is ready to come and go without a curfew.

The origins of the 21st birthday gift key and its celebration are unknown, but the symbol has been in use for many years.

Birthday gift keys are a beautiful custom, and one that translates readily to the northern half of the globe. It also translates to other stages in life in addition to that important coming-of-age birthday.

Appearance of Birthday Gift Keys

What does a birthday gift key look like? Is it small or large?

It would take many pages to describe the variety of birthday gift keys available. Then there would be more that are custom-made, or handmade by family members.

In general, the traditional birthday gift keys are large, and are made of wood. Among these, one might find the following variations.

* Message Variations on the shaft of the key range from sentiments such as “Congratulations and best wishes on your 21st birthday” to a simple “Happy 21st Birthday”.

* Birthday Photos on birthday gift keys are often fitted into a holder on the head end of the key. Most keys add a word or phrase above or below the photo. “Congratulations” or “For Someone Very Special” are but two of the possibilities. Often, the number “21″ appears boldly above the photo.

* Other Decorations on the head of the birthday gift key might include flowers, sports equipment, or other symbols that are important to the one having the birthday.

Although many birthday gift keys are of wood, birthday gift key jewelry is another way to carry out the custom. We saw a sparkling one styled as a 9 ct gold key pendant with cubic zirconium stones forming your choice of an “18″ or a “21″ in the middle of the shaft. A less elaborate birthday gift key came as a silver-colored key with a filigree head centered with either an “18″ or “21″ and a key chain attached.

Adopting the Birthday Gift Key Custom

You can adopt the birthday gift key custom in any of a number of ways. You can use it for any of the more important, milestone years. You can custom-order your key to feature the number and message you want. If you are a craftsperson or artisan, use your specialty to fashion birthday gift keys. Mount a large, fancy key in a frame. Add the recipient’s birth date and name. Finish with a few words of congratulations.

With a little imagination, you can give a birthday gift key that will be appreciated and treasured throughout life.