Baby Christening – Everything You Need to Know
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After all the euphoria of the baby’s birth, all the discoveries of mother and child that fill each day of the first months of the new routine , it is time to think about the baby’s christening, this obviously if it is the family’s tradition and beliefs.
Some doubts come first, such as: whether or not to have the baby’s christening party, who to invite, which is the ideal outfit for baptism , which souvenir to choose. But first of all, it must begin with a reflection on the true meaning of baptism. So, from there convinced of your purposes, continue with the next steps.
Meaning of Baptism
Baptism is a religious ceremony, present in different beliefs. In the Catholic Church it represents the first of the sacraments , considered a rite of passage. The child receives the blessing, symbolized by the sacred water that the priest pours under his head, marking the beginning of his life before Christianity.
In other religions baptism takes place at other stages of life, awaiting the age of conscience for a confession of faith and a desire to follow a life obedient to God. Whatever your religion or belief, baptism is always a very special moment that deserves a preparation made with a lot of love and care.
Preparations for Baptism
Firstly, it is necessary to define the date and time of the baby’s baptism and which church will hold the ceremony. There will be a little party after the baptism and then think about the guests, souvenirs, the clothes that the baby will wear and the main one, who will be the godparents .
People who have great affinity and involvement should be chosen as sponsors , after all you will give them a great responsibility! Think carefully and make the invitation as soon as you decide, so they will also have time to prepare and participate in everything.
Ah! As soon as you choose the church, find out about the requirement to take a preparatory course for parents and godparents, so you are not caught off guard and are able to organize yourself properly to proceed as scheduled.
When to perform the baby baptism
Generally, the baptism in the Catholic Church takes place before the first birthday , which makes it easier, since the young baby is quieter during the ceremony that lasts about 40 minutes. But there are those who prefer to wait a little while to do it with the first anniversary, so take the opportunity to join the two celebrations in a single party.
If you choose to do so, it is worth considering some important tips that we have highlighted in this article, which will certainly help you to define how to plan and take care of all the preparations for the baby’s birthday and christening, after all it is a double party!
As in any celebration or ceremony, the important thing is to prioritize the family moment , the baby’s well-being and that regardless of having a double party or not having a party, you register every detail that represents this very special passage.
Who to invite at Baby’s Christening
The baby’s baptism is a ceremony held at the church and usually only godparents, family and close friends are invited . After the baby’s baptism, parents usually prepare a party to celebrate among those closest to them.
How to Organize a Baby Christening Party
It is common for the baby’s baptism to happen in the morning, which favors thinking about a nice breakfast, a more intimate brunch or a lunch . But if you are a party girl and don’t miss an opportunity to throw a big party, don’t worry, there are many ideas to rock the baby’s christening party and celebrate in style, without losing the delicate essence of this religious moment.
If the baby’s baptism takes place in the first months, as expected, before deciding whether to have a christening party, remember that soon you will have to plan your 1st birthday . Leaving to baptize close to this date, no problem, so take advantage and have a party only.
Party Organization Tips
Now if you want and can offer a party for every occasion, it will be great too. Take advantage of some tips that will help you to list all the important points to organize a beautiful party.
- If you have your baby’s christening party along with your birthday, be careful with your choice of decor. Opt for more delicate themes.
- Use personalized invitations for this occasion. If you are going to gather only the godparents and family, you can choose to make an informal invitation.
- If the religious ceremony takes place early in the morning, a brunch is a good option for the celebration.
- If the baptism ends around lunchtime, serving a meal is well suited. It can be at the home of parents, godparents or grandparents. Choosing a good restaurant is also a great option.
- A cocktail party character characterizes a more intimate meeting, with pleasant conversations and a family atmosphere.
The decoration of the baby’s christening party should be more discreet, with delicate themes that refer to the religious ceremony. A delicate ornament on the tables of the guests, floral arrangements and an elegant table for the cake and sweets already complete a beautiful christening party.
The colors most used in the decoration of these parties are white and other light tones . Offer a souvenir to the guests. Simple or well designed, there are countless options for all tastes and budgets.
Christening favors
This is the time to go for it! After all, it is the souvenir that will seal the record of this very important passage in the life of the baptized person and it is a way to thank the godparents, friends and family for having been part of this moment. Even if you do not offer a party, it is delicate to give a souvenir, which can be given at the end of the religious ceremony.
There are many options for traditional souvenirs of this type of celebration, such as the rosaries kept in delicate boxes , little bottles with holy water, prayer books, soap and well-christened cookies. Although common, they are great ideas and the most chosen.
But it is not forbidden to want to innovate and offer another type of souvenir such as chocolates, personalized candles, scented sachets , in short, you can follow for countless ideas, the ones we usually use for birthday souvenirs.
If you are gifted and have manual skills, you can use EVA, felt and other materials used in crafts that are cheap and you can create amazing baby christening souvenirs. Always think about the themes of angel, cross, rosary and opt for softer colors.
Christening Outfits
There are many models of baby christening clothes that are suitable for this date. The traditional mandrões, a kind of baptism nightgown , are ideal for children up to 1 year old, dress both girls and boys and are usually already family members and pass from generation to generation.
If the child is older, the ideal is to opt for even social clothes and preferably in white color that symbolizes peace and purity, super to do with the symbolism of this celebration. For girls you can choose a delicate white dress , you can even have some details in other light shades. For the boys, a pair of pants, a shirt or even a well-aligned jumpsuit, they look super charming.
Many moms have the habit of keeping the baby’s christening clothes as a souvenir, if that is your wish, it is really worth choosing the modelinho. Ah! It is traditional for the groomsmen to offer the baby’s clothes , so if that is the will of your chosen ones, talk to them about your preferences and accept the gift with affection.
With or without a party, celebrate the baby’s christening with your family and friends with much love and harmony. In fact, it is a very beautiful event and deserves good moments to be remembered.
See also: How to Choose the Baptism Sponsors of Our Children?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.