Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for the ‘Baptism’ Category

Baby baptisms are special occasions. It’s the time when you will dedicate your baby to Christ and promise to raise him or her in a Christian tradition. You’ll also have god parents to choose who will promise to raise your children should anything happen to you and your husband, and who also will guide your child along through life.

So, who gets invited to this big day? It will depend on how you want to do it. First off, you’re going to pick two people to be god parents. These are typically the two closest members of your family—one male and one female. But it can also be anyone you choose from a close family friend to a cousin. It is considered an honor to be chosen as a god parent, so no one is likely going to turn your invitation down. Just be sure you choose someone trustworthy and who you know will be in your life forever.

The Catholic tradition baptizes babies. Other faiths have adult baptisms if they have them at all. So, it’s a cultural as well as a traditional custom used by only certain religious groups. When thinking about inviting people to the actual ceremony, consider their religion as well as their relationship to you. You want to include everyone from your immediate family as well as the people closest to you in your family. Aunts, uncles, cousins and other close family are always invited.

When it comes to your friends outside of your family, consider a few things. Will they have to travel a far distance to make it to the baptism? Will they be uncomfortable in your church if they are from another faith? Will it pose an inconvenience to them to have to make arrangements to come (are they ill or unable to travel)?

Most times it’s more a factor of how many people your event hall or home can hold rather than a person’s situation that will dictate who you invite to a baptism. For instance, if you’re having the reception at your house and only have room for 20 people, you’re going to have to start cutting some of your friends out. However, if you have a hall booked and can accommodate any number of people, go ahead and invite everyone you want. If someone is unable to travel, they can politely say no. They will usually send a baptism gift anyway even if they can’t make it.

You need to invite everyone to the actual baptism as well as the reception. The highlight of the day is seeing the baby get baptized. Many people have the event catered afterwards, but you can cook everything the night before and refrigerate it. When everyone gets to your house, just start warming things up. You can also decorate your home, and/or prepare baptism favors for your guests.

Baptisms are sometimes held on Saturday mornings so as not to interfere with the normal Sunday mass schedule. But you can ask at your church if Sunday afternoons are offered. Sometimes it’s easier to have it on a Saturday rather than a Sunday when people have to be up early for work the next day. But it will depend on when your church offers baptisms.

Related Articles:

• Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby
• Baptism Party Favor Ideas

In the Bible it says, “And now why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22.16).  Baptism is mentioned again and again in the Bible and symbolizes a washing away of sins.  Early baptisms were held in rivers, and in fact, they still are in many religions.  The terms baptism and christening are used interchangeably, but there are differences between the two ceremonies.

Baptism and christening are both rites of passage and rituals that take place in a variety of faiths.  John the Baptist baptized his followers in the River Jordan; Jesus is the most famous of those baptized.  The ceremony symbolizes the baptism gift of washing away of sins.  A christening, on the other hand, has traditionally been a naming ceremony which welcomes the baby into the church.  Most parents today do not delay naming their baby, so the actual meaning of a christening is changed.  Today, it is not an official naming as much as a welcome to the church.

The differences between a christening and baptism are related to the specific faith.  For Catholics, Lutherans, and Episcopalians, for instance, baptism and christening are one and the same.  The baby is sprinkled with water to wash away original sin and become an official part of the church.  In this case, baptism and christening really are interchangeable terms.  One does not happen without the other.

In religions that baptize and christen when children are newborns or babies, the two ceremonies are intertwined.  In other faiths, baptism and christening are distinct and separate.  According to the beliefs of religions such as Baptist, Evangelical, or Methodist, babies are not baptized.  Why?  Because, in their view, it has no effect or meaning.  A baby cannot consciously choose whether he wants to follow Christ; it is his parents’ decision at that point. These faiths site the Bible, saying there is no mention of infant baptism. John, as we recall, baptized an adult Jesus.  These churches baptize older children and adults because of the ability to make that commitment.

The ceremony of baptism itself is also different.  Typically, the person being baptized is submerged in a river or pond.  Some churches have baptism tanks instead, which are similar to small pools.  At a christening/baptism for a baby, the priest sprinkles water over the baby’s forehead.  This ceremony uses water much more symbolically – and sparingly.

For many faiths, christening and baptism are part of the same ceremony, welcoming the baby into the faith.  For others, baptism must be a conscious decision, undertaken to affirm a commitment to Christ.   While some churches baptize babies, all will baptize people who want to be welcomed into the faith, regardless of age.  Even in the Catholic Church, which baptizes and christens infants, there are adult converts who are baptized.  In other churches, people are considered reborn when they undergo baptism.

After the ceremony or service, many times family and/or friends get together at the home of the baptized baby and share in a meal, open baptism gifts and even receive baptism favors.

Whatever the age, the symbolism of baptism is similar.  It involves the washing away of sins and a commitment to following God and the teachings of the church into which one is baptized.  Today, many people who aren’t particularly religious are continuing the tradition of baptism and choosing godparents in order to help their child grow up with a strong sense of morals and support.

Related Articles:

• Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby
• Baptism Party Favor Ideas

When your baby is being christened, you want to tell the whole world! When you realize that you’ll have to cut that number down to just your closest friends and family, you’ll still need a way to get the word out.

Christening invitations can be purchased online or in party stores. But you can also make them yourself. All you need is a little time when you won’t be interrupted and a little creativity. Start off by thinking of a theme. Start off with something white since white is the color of christening gowns and attire. Then think about an accent color. You can choose blue in any shade for a boy or pink in any shade for a girl. But you can also choose orange polka dots or brown stripes. It’s totally up to you. It's a good idea to have the same thing on your invitations as your christening party favors.

One cute thing you can do is purchase a rubber stamp with some sort of baby theme on it. The larger the stamp, the less you’ll have to stamp. Try to find a stamp that will take up most of the card for the invitation and you’ve got just about everything you need. Good stamps to look for are a vintage baby, a baby rattle, a baby buggy or pram, a cradle, a cross, or a dove. These will each work well.

Choose an ink color that matches with your card stock accent color. This can be brown ink for a brown polka dot card or just about any color you like. Ink now comes in just about every shade and even metallic. Find them at craft and hobby shops in the rubber stamping aisle. It may be best to stamp on white or cream-colored card stock, cut the image out and then place the image on top of your accent paper. Use scrapbooking paper with a cute baby theme or use any paper you like-- even wallpaper will work.

Just be sure that the whole thing fits on a sturdy piece of card stock so that you can place it in an envelope and it won’t tear going in or out. The sturdier, the better in this case.

As for the information you’ll need, print out several copies of the info on your computer printer and you won’t have to write at all. Print on white paper and then cut out the words and paste them on a colorful border paper. It’s a great way to use up scrap paper, but also a fun way to paste and go. There’s not much work involved, but the result is an adorable handmade invite that you did yourself. Everyone will ask, “How did you find time to do this with a new baby?” They’ll think it took forever to make, but actually, it’s really easy.

Add a bow or a little bell for a final embellishment, or glue on a piece of baby confetti or two that you can find in a craft sore. Typically, these confetti pieces are cut in the shape of rattles, rubber duckies, and baby bottles. Very cute! Or you can sprinkle the confetti inside the envelope for a nice added touch.

Buying christening invitations online is fine. But if you find that you do have the time and the inclination, making them yourself can be great fun. Be sure to also purchase or make matching thank you cards as well for all those christening gifts!

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• Personalized Baby Shower Favor Ideas
• It's A Boy Baby Shower
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In the Bible it says, “And now why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22.16).  Baptism is mentioned again and again in the Bible and symbolizes a washing away of sins.  Early baptisms were held in rivers, and in fact, they still are in many religions.  The terms baptism and christening are used interchangeably, but there are differences between the two ceremonies.

Baptism and christening are both rites of passage and rituals that take place in a variety of faiths.  John the Baptist baptized his followers in the River Jordan; Jesus is the most famous of those baptized.  The ceremony symbolizes the washing away of sins.  A christening, on the other hand, has traditionally been a naming ceremony which welcomes the baby into the church.  Most parents today do not delay naming their baby, so the actual meaning of a christening is changed.  Today, it is not an official naming as much as a welcome to the church.

The differences between a christening and baptism are related to the specific faith.  For Catholics, Lutherans, and Episcopalians, for instance, baptism and christening are one and the same.  The baby is sprinkled with water to wash away original sin and become an official part of the church.  In this case, baptism and christening really are interchangeable terms.  One does not happen without the other.

In religions that baptize and christen when children are newborns or babies, the two ceremonies are intertwined.  In other faiths, baptism and christening are distinct and separate.  According to the beliefs of religions such as Baptist, Evangelical, or Methodist, babies are not baptized.  Why?  Because, in their view, it has no effect or meaning.  A baby cannot consciously choose whether he wants to follow Christ; it is his parents’ decision at that point. These faiths site the Bible, saying there is no mention of infant baptism. John, as we recall, baptized an adult Jesus.  These churches baptize older children and adults because of the ability to make that commitment. Often times they're given baptism gifts afterward to celebrate. There are also many different forms of baby baptism favors that are given to guests of the celebration.

The ceremony of baptism itself is also different.  Typically, the person being baptized is submerged in a river or pond.  Some churches have baptism tanks instead, which are similar to small pools.  At a christening/baptism for a baby, the priest sprinkles water over the baby’s forehead.  This ceremony uses water much more symbolically – and sparingly.

For many faiths, christening and baptism are part of the same ceremony, welcoming the baby into the faith.  For others, baptism must be a conscious decision, undertaken to affirm a commitment to Christ.   While some churches baptize babies, all will baptize people who want to be welcomed into the faith, regardless of age.  Even in the Catholic Church, which baptizes and christens infants, there are adult converts who are baptized.  In other churches, people are considered reborn when they undergo baptism.

Whatever the age, the symbolism of baptism is similar.  It involves the washing away of sins and a commitment to following God and the teachings of the church into which one is baptized.  Today, many people who aren’t particularly religious are continuing the tradition of baptism and choosing godparents in order to help their child grow up with a strong sense of morals and support.

Related Articles:

• Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby
• Baptism Party Favor Ideas

Many faiths practice baptism, and the ritual is followed even by those who are not particularly religious.  Baptism represents a washing away of sin and a welcoming to the faith.  Baptism at any age is an extraordinary and special event; when it is a baby or child being baptized, it is that much more meaningful for family and friends.  Planning a baptism isn’t difficult; as with any event, it requires some preparation and a little bit of work.  Planning a long-distance baptism doesn’t have to be any more challenging or stressful.

The first question to answer is why do you need a long-distance baptism at all?  It could be that you’ve had a child but you live far away from most of your friends and family.  It could be that you live somewhere else but want your child baptized in the very same church you were baptized in.  Or it could be that you are the one being baptized and want to be welcomed into a church that happens to be further away.  Whatever the reason, a long-distance baptism may be a necessity for you.  You can make it work.  The first item on your to-do list is to contact the officiator of the church in which you would like the ceremony conducted.

A church official, whether the pastor, priest, minister, or lay assistant, can answer any questions you have about the requirements for baptism.  Some churches require that parents take baptism classes before the rite can take place.  If you are the one being baptized, you will almost certainly have to take classes to learn more about the faith so you can make an informed, conscious decision to follow Christ and that faith.  If this is a requirement in the church you want, you can call a church of the same faith in your area and see if they offer classes.  You may also ask if independent lessons or private meetings with the pastor will suffice.

Ask which specific documents you need to provide the church.  These may include:

• A baptismal application
• Copy of birth certificate
• Certificate or letter as proof that baptism classes have been attended (if required)
• Letter of permission from parish priest
• Marriage certificate (in the Catholic Church, for instance, godparents who live “together as husband and wife” need to show a marriage certificate as proof of a valid marriage.

There may be others that you are required to provide, so make sure to ask. Make a list, and check off each item when you have made a copy and sent it to the church.

Next, you will want to decide on a time.  If you have a date in mind, see if the church is available on that day.  Some only do baptisms on certain days, while others are more flexible.  Check on availability as soon as possible.  This is also a good time to ask potential godparents or sponsors if they would like to take part in the ceremony and whether they can travel or attend on the specified date.

Decide who you want to invite and send invitations so you can get a fairly accurate idea of how many guests you are having.  Besides the ceremony at the church, you may also want to hold a gathering or reception after the baptism, where you can celebrate new life and open Christening gifts.  In this case, make sure you have the use of a friend or family member’s home or rent a hall.  Because you are working on this long-distance, you may want to hire a caterer.  Having a small reception in a restaurant may be a good alternative. If it's too much stress, skip the baptism favors and just focus on a few simple things such as food, cake and decor.

Planning a baptism, especially one long-distance, takes preparation.  Get help from your church, make a good to-do list, and approach each task one at a time.

More on baptism:

Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby

Baptism Party Favor Ideas