What to give a Mason, and when
The Masonic calendar has its own gift occasions. Four of them come round every year, and each has a short list of the pieces that fit.
A Lodge marks a handful of nights a year with a gift. A Brother is raised. An officer is installed. A Master hands on the gavel and becomes a Past Master. And outside the Lodge, families mark Father’s Day and birthdays for the Mason in the house. The right gift for each is different, and the wrong one is a small embarrassment: a Past Master shirt for a Brother who has not sat in the East, a ring in a size that does not fit.
The four pages below are written from the Lodge side of the table, by a Mason who has sat through all of these nights. Each one names the traditional piece, the practical alternative, what to engrave, and what to avoid. For the etiquette behind it, read the gift etiquette guide.
Four nights, four lists
Each page keeps to eight pieces or fewer, with the engraving lines worked out.
For a newly raised Master Mason
The Raising Set, the signet ring, the engraved whiskey glass with his name and the year, the Master Mason tee.
See the pieces →For an officer taking the chair
The slate plaque with his office and year, cufflinks and the tie for the night, a glass for each officer in the line.
See the pieces →For the Brother leaving the East
The plaque with his year in the East, the Past Master polo and hoodie, the flute for the toast.
See the pieces →For the Masonic Dad
The Masonic Dad Set, the grilling apron, a personalized glass, and the Christmas list for December.
See the pieces →Other occasions
Lodge anniversaries. For a Lodge’s 50th, 100th or 150th, the personalized slate plaque engraved with the Lodge name and the founding year is the piece for the building, or for the Worshipful Master of the anniversary year. Glasses engraved with the Lodge name and “Est.” and the year make a table gift for every Brother at the anniversary dinner; see the Lodge orders guide. For a single Brother’s 25 or 50 years in the Craft, read the milestones guide.
Retirement from office. A long-serving Secretary or Treasurer deserves the same treatment as a Past Master: the plaque with the office and the years of service, and something for the desk such as the journal or the desk mat.
Christmas. The Christmas page has the ornaments, the stocking and the sweater, and the stocking stuffers that fit a Brother. For the Lodge Christmas party, the table gift is an ornament.
A visiting Brother. When a Brother from another jurisdiction visits, a small piece with the plain square and compasses is the safe gift: a keychain, coasters, or the plain engraved whiskey glass. Nothing here carries a jurisdiction mark, so it travels.
Before you order
Is it appropriate for a non-Mason to give a Masonic gift?
Yes. Wives, children, parents and friends can give Masonic gifts. The only pieces to avoid are those that name an office he has not held. The etiquette guide covers the rest.
Should a gift be given at the Lodge or at home?
A Lodge gift is presented at the festive board after the meeting, by the Worshipful Master or the Brother’s mentor. A family gift is given at home, and there is nothing wrong with bringing it to the next meeting to show it around.
Can a Lodge order several pieces at once?
Yes. For officer gifts, degree-night gifts or a tournament run, message the shop on Etsy before you order so the engraving details for each Brother can be set up together. The Lodge orders guide walks through it.
Is Meet Upon The Level connected to a Grand Lodge?
No. Meet Upon The Level is an independent shop run by a Freemason for Brethren and their families. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Grand Lodge, and every order is placed and paid for through Etsy.