About Christenings

A Christening is an important and significant event in a child’s life. Until the fourth century,  adult baptism was the norm, now it is most common for children to be baptised as infants.

A christening or baptism practiced by most Christian churches and communities. Although there are a number of differences between the many Christian denominations, it is generally accepted within Christianity that a Christening is the ritual and sacramental act, with the use of blessed water and in the name of the Holy Trinity, of accepting a person into the church.

What Parents need to know.

Once you have made the decision to get your child Christened, there are a number of things that need to be considered. The first and possibly most important is the church you wish to conduct the Christening. If you are a regular churchgoer then you may already have made the decision to christen the child at your local church. For those who are not familiar with their local churches there are directories that can help. It is important to speak with the priest, minister or clergy to discuss your options and agree a date. The minister might also require of you to attend a baptism preparation course and to attend Church regularly. In the end, why do you want to have your child baptised if you don’t plan to bring it back to Church after wards?

Now you need to consider who will be the Godparents to your child. This is often considered to be the hardest decision to be made when getting a child Christened. There is no right or wrong answer as to how many Godparents you should choose, nor whether they should be family or friends. What is important is that whoever you choose should be aware of the role and the responsibilities that being a Godparent brings. These days the religious significance of being a Godparent is less apparent than the honorary status. Many parents hope that the Godparents will share, with them, a special interest in the development and upbringing of the child, and educate the child in the ways of God and the Christian church.

Once you have decided on the date and venue, and made the difficult choice of Godparents, you need to consider a number of other things. Who do we need to invite? What will the child wear? Where will we hold the gathering after the Christening? What can I buy as a Christening gift? Will we buy a gift for the Godparents? – not a tradition, but as a keepsake,  a card and a nice framed photo of the child.

What Godparents need to know.

A Godparent is expected to be an active participant in the Godchild’s life. It is not just a random honour. Being a Godparent is a task that should not be entered into lightly. Make sure that you are able to fulfil all the conventional obligations of a Godparent before you agree to this rewarding responsibility.

The idea of a Godparent came about because converts to the early Christian church were usually adults whose parents were not Christians. The role of the Godparent was to provide a Christian mentor to help them in their journey as they embraced their new faith. Over the years the role has refined to a supporting one, in which other adults agree to help the parents instruct and inform their new offspring in the Christian faith. Of course the modern view is also that a Godparent is an individual chosen by the parents to take an interest in the child’s upbringing and personal development at the same time as well as helping it during its Christian life journey. Therefor the most important condition for becoming a godparent is being a Christian that lives his or her faith actively and joyfully and that can help the child to achieve the same.

photo credit: RATAEDL

Suitable presents for a Christening.

There are a surprisingly large number of christening gifts available.

Suitable gifts from parents and grandparents would be something that will last, perhaps silver, pewter or china.Traditionally a Godparent will buy their Godchild a gift, and as it is you that has been charged with the responsibility of helping your child stay close to God, something with a religious theme is usually well received. Perhaps jewellery, a necklace in gold or silver, with a cross or pendant. Another suitable idea is a bible, either personalised or with a silver cross.

If you are looking to get away from the religious theme then consider a keepsake box, a photo frame, a money box, a tankard, a trinket box, a jewellery box or a tooth fairy box, all of which can be personalised and will stand the test of time.