By Laurel Whitworth –
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the sacrament of baptism is “the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.” Baptism frees us from the original sin we are born with and allows us to be reborn as sons of God, officially welcoming us into the Catholic church. For Catholic parents, the baptism ceremony is one of the most exciting and memorable events of their baby’s first year, so making it a special celebration for the whole family is an important part of the process. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience! Here’s how to plan an unforgettable baptism celebration.
What to Wear: All About the Christening Gown
Traditionally, both baby boys and girls wear a christening gown, otherwise known as a baptismal gown, during the baptism. These are long, white garments that are only worn during the baptism ceremony and reception. They typically feature handmade and intricate details of embroidery, lace, smocking or pleating. Modern baptismal dress may include embroidered crosses and bows. If you or any member of your family has the gown you wore during your baptism, you might want to consider dressing your child in it rather than buying one brand-new.
What do guests wear to a baptism? The baptism ceremony often happens during regular Sunday Mass — this is considered an acceptable part of liturgy to bring the community together and tie one sacrament to another important one, the Eucharist — but it may be performed at another time in a private ceremony. Either way, baptisms call for your Sunday best, so make sure that you dress appropriately, based on what’s expected by your parish. It’s a good idea to wear a nice dress, blouse or suit for the occasion. Don’t forget that there will be plenty of family photos throughout the day!
Honouring Your Child’s Godparents
Besides the parents and the baby, the two most important guests of honour are the Godmother and Godfather. The Godparents (also referred to as sponsors) should be practicing members of the Catholic church who are willing to help the child grow in the practice of the Catholic faith. You should be sure that you ask the baptism sponsors if they will accept the role at least four weeks before the ceremony and make sure that they can attend. It is customary that the sponsors stand alongside the parents, priest and baby at the baptismal font. To honour this newly forged relationship, it is common, but not necessary, to give the Godmother and Godfather a gift to commemorate the occasion.
Putting Together a Celebration to Remember
Planning your child’s christening reception may be the very first — but certainly not last — celebration you will plan in his or her honour. While planning is needed, the important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t get too hung up on the details. Keep it focused on the sacrament and your baby’s welcome into the church.
• Choose a Reception Location — You can typically host a small gathering post-baptism in your own home. The intimate, personal setting will help to add to the joyful occasion. The church’s fellowship hall or gym may be available if your home is not a viable option. It is also perfectly acceptable to host the reception at a restaurant or event venue if your budget allows for a more formal setting. Just make sure it’s close enough to the church that parishioners and guests don’t have to travel far.
• Send Invitations — If you’re inviting more than just your immediate family, you will need to send out invitations. Follow all the typical invitation etiquette rules here and be sure to send them out at least four weeks in advance. Many modern parents choose to include a photo (or design personalized photo invitations) and use the invites as birth announcements as well.
• Pick Out Gifts — Parents, grandparents, Godparents and family members traditionally give the baby baptism gifts to commemorate the occasion. The goal here is to choose something the parents will hold onto for a lifetime so that the child can look back on the keepsake as a symbol of her baptism day. Traditional baptism gifts include wall crosses (especially those featuring a child kneeling in prayer) and baby rosaries. More contemporary gifts include wall art, religious stuffed animals, Catholic baby books, or even heirloom quality jewellery.
• Pick a Theme — Because you only get to plan one baptism per child, it’s totally OK to just go for the basic baptism theme — religious imagery, babies and soft colours are customary. With that said, your baptism is still a party that’s meant to be enjoyed by everyone, so adding some special personality, colour and excitement to your party won’t be discouraged. You can integrate all sorts of unique motifs into your baptism theme, like floral, woodland, garden or nautical.
• Hand Out Prayer Cards — Another traditional aspect of the Catholic baptism is the distribution of baptismal prayer cards like this one. These small, laminated papers can serve as ceremony supplements as well as favours that guests can save to remember the occasion long after your child has been baptized. Choose personalized prayer cards with baby’s name and the date of the baptism so you have something extra-special for her baptism page in the scrapbook!
• Decide on Food and Favours — Spend some time designing a menu that makes sense for the time of day (usually midday), like a brunch or luncheon. Make sure it’s food that appeals to a crowd. Traditional baptism reception menus often pile on the sweet stuff, so go crazy with the Italian pastries, cut-out cookies and cake.
Tying it All Together
At the end of the day, we hope that you can look back fondly on your baby’s baptism and feel as though you put together a memorable event enjoyed by all. Take ample photos and be sure to keep all of your baby’s special presents so that you can share the day with her when she’s older!
Laurel Whitworth is married to David and is a mom to four little people. She is the VP of Merchandise for Aquinas & More as well as the manager of all things family life. She and her family are enjoying their new life in Colorado with many trips into the mountains and forging new friendships in church and school. Laurel dreams of a world where all baptized Catholics rise up and follow their faith in every aspect of life.