Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for the ‘Baptism’ Category

Choosing your baby’s christening or baptism gown can be so much fun. It’s one of those times in your life, like choosing your wedding dress, which you will always remember.

Start off thinking about what you’d like your baby to wear. In days of old, all babies wore the family christening gown, whether they were male or female. Today, you’ll have more choices such as a little tuxedo for a boy or a short set with suspenders all done in white.

If you want to go traditional, you can have your baby wear a white christening gown. These can be purchased new, or you can find them on eBay.com or Etsy.com as well as many other sites. Look for the quality of the item before buying it. Ask for lots of photos. Are there any tears or stains? You’ll want to be sure of how the fabric is holding up because many christening gowns that are vintage are old and lovely but not in any condition for wearing. You can also find good quality vintage christening gowns at flea markets and estate sales. But again, be sure to look the item over for stains, rips and other imperfections. Don’t assume you can get a stain out, as you may not be able to.

Other than buying vintage, you have the option of purchasing new. New christening gowns and attire can be very expensive. Often a grandparent offers to buy the outfit as a gift for the new baby. But if this isn’t the case and they choose to give baptism gifts instead, you may have to budget to get the gown you really have your heart set on. Baby stores usually have a special section for christening gowns. You’ll find that the smaller stores have a limited selection. Some bridal shops also carry christening gowns, but you’ll most likely find that specialty baby stores have the best choices.

When you do go to select your gown, remember that your baby is unique. He may be big for his age or he may be tiny. Don’t go by the size on the label. A zero to six-month-old gown may not fit your two-month-old, depending on the cut and how big she is. It’s one item you’ll want to try on your baby before you leave the store. Or if you order online, make sure there’s a return policy. Then order one in a smaller and one in a bigger size so you can return one.

Gowns for girls usually include an underslip as well as a sheer dress overlay. For boys, you’ll find short sets in satin and a jacket and suspenders or a miniature white tuxedo. Try not to purchase something that will be tight or binding. Go the next size up, since a baby in tight clothes will tend to cry.

You’ll also get a hat of some sort and a set of booties. Or you can use your baby’s own white shoes. Plan on using a diaper cover made of plastic on the day of the christening in case there are any accidents, and don’t dress baby until the moment you are going into the church so the outfit will stay pristine.

Related Articles:

• Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby
• What to Give Your Godchild as a Baptism Gift
• How To Make Baby Baptism Invitations
• The History and Rituals of Baptisms
• How to Choose Your Baby's Godparents

Baptism is an important ritual in many faiths.  While the ceremonies differ, the symbolism is typically the same: baptism is a washing away of sin.  It has traditionally been, and remains, a purification ritual in which water plays a big part, both symbolically and literally.  How did this ritual develop?  How do different cultures celebrate baptism?  And what does it mean today?  Baptism is a beautiful ritual, and when you know its history, it becomes that much more meaningful.

We typically associate baptism with Christian religions, but the roots begin with Judaism.  Mikvah, or ritual immersion, was performed when one needed to be restored to purity.  This happened after being exposed to something deemed by the Torah to be “unclean.”  This could be anything from becoming defiled via contact with a corpse or being with a woman while she was menstruating. Women were to cleanse after menstruation or childbirth.  Until the person was cleansed, he/she was not allowed to attend temple.

The person who needed cleansing brought an offering, such as lambs, doves, or grains, and the priest would ritualistically cleanse the body with water, oils, and perfumes.  Converts to Judaism also underwent the ritual cleansing.  Mikvah is still very important to the Orthodox Jewish community, and often, the baths are elaborately done.

In Islam, there is a ritual called Ghusl, which is a ritual washing required for prayer or certain rituals.  It is done after having sex, menstruation, childbirth, and death by natural causes.  It is also commonly practiced before Friday and Eid prayers, in preparation for haji, or the journey to Mecca, and before converting to Islam. There are rules governing the prayers said during ablution, as well as what types of water are permitted for use.

Both of these rituals have much in common with the Christian idea of baptism.  One key difference, though, is that both mikvah and ghusl are performed on an as-needed basis, so to speak.  They are done repeatedly throughout life to regain purity.  The Christian ritual of baptism is done once in a person’s life.  Instead of purifying the person from a specific “unclean” act, the baptism represents the desire of the baptized to follow the ways of the church and repent from sin. It is not a purification of sin, per se, but a symbolic act.

There are different forms of baptism among Christian religions and different practices concerning the age at which one is baptized.  In the Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran Churches, for instance, baptism is performed near birth to wash away “Original Sin,” which it is believed all people are born with.  In many other faiths, baptism is delayed until a child is older, or even till adulthood.  This is because the belief in Original Sin is not universal in Christianity.  Also, many churches believe the person should be old enough to make the conscious choice to become baptized, and thus an official member of the church.

While water plays an important role in baptism, not all ceremonies are the same.  In Catholic ceremonies, for instance, the baby is held over the baptismal font, and water is sprinkled lightly over his head.  This is called aspersion baptism. In other faiths, the person to be baptized kneels and water is poured over his head.  He may also kneel in water.  This is affusion baptism.

Immersion baptism is when the congregant is fully submerged in water.  This is practiced by Anabaptists and Baptists.  In these faiths, people are not baptized until they are adults.  Immersion is often done in baptismal fonts, swimming pools, bathtubs, rivers, or lakes.  Some sects, including Armenian Baptists, and some Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Anglicans, partially immerse the baptized, dunking their heads under water. Other faiths, like the Baptists and Anabaptists, demand full immersion.

Despite the differences in baptismal practices among faiths, there are many more similarities.  Water purifies and removes sin, whether on a symbolic level or a literal level.  Converts to religions typically undergo baptism to indicate their dedication to following the tenants of the faith.  Whether it is done repeatedly, as with mikvah and ghusl, or once, as with Christian faiths, it is an important ceremony. Often times, after the baptism, family and friends congregate at the home of the little one and celebrate with a meal and baptism gifts.

Related Articles:

• Baptism Gift Ideas for Baby
• What to Give Your Godchild as a Baptism Gift
• How To Make Baby Baptism Invitations
• How to Choose Your Baby's Godparents