The first months of a child’s life are a great joy for parents and many occasions for celebration. It is also the period when a christening is traditionally held. How do you prepare not only for this celebration, but also for your child’s first birthday? Find out our tips!
Preparations for a christening
Baptism is an important event in every religious family. Although there are no specific rules or requirements that specify the age of the little one receiving the sacrament, it usually takes place in the first few months of life. Some people also opt to wait until the child is a year old – we will talk about the first birthday a little later. Importantly, parents have a certain amount of freedom in finding a suitable date – you can choose a date that simply suits you best or one where the weather is expected to be favourable.
How do you start preparing for a christening? Before you even get down to topics such as christening invitations, decorations or souvenirs, start with the formalities. The first step should be to register with the church – this should be done at least three weeks before your planned christening date. This is also the point at which you will find out about available dates. Depending on the venue, the baptism may be on a Saturday or Sunday and either during or after Mass. You will need:
- the child’s certificate of birth, i.e. a copy of the birth certificate from the Registry Office,
- parents’ marriage certificate,
- details of the godparents – names, surnames and dates of birth,
- from 2020, also a document from the parish of the godparents confirming that they can become godparents.
Beforehand, it is of course advisable to ask the potential godparents if they want to become godparents. It will also be a good idea to consult them about the date, so that the ceremony can take place without hindrance.
Who should you invite to the christening?
A child’s first sacraments, i.e. baptism and communion, are almost always also combined with a larger or smaller party for family and close friends. Who should you invite to the christening? The godparents, who play a key role in the whole event, must not be absent. On top of this, it is worth ensuring the presence of close family members – for example, grandparents or the child’s uncles and aunts. Ultimately, the choice is yours as a parent – there is nothing to prevent friends from also attending the party. The guest list can range from a few to as many as several dozen people. To ensure the best possible impression from the start, opt for striking christening invitations.
Which christening invitation should you choose?
When sending out or handing out christening invitations, you can choose from a number of different suggestions. From versatile ready-made cards, to hand-written invitations, to special designs with personalised printing – the options are truly plentiful! Which one will work best? It’s definitely worth ensuring that your christening invitations are unique, striking and stylish. This is ensured by custom-made products, thanks to which you can also give all the most important information about the ceremony in a simple and elegant form. The day, the time, the location, the name of the child and the parents and the names of the invitees should all be included on the invitation.
However, this is only the beginning. The next step is to hand out the invitations to the guests. You can hand them out in person or send them by post – depending on whether you are able to meet the invitees in good time. What can you do to make a good impression with your christening invitation? You could even opt for interesting packaging – for example, using our organza bags. They are even available in large enough sizes to fit the invitation together with a small gift.
Blue organza pouches for christenings
Christening decorations and invitations – colours
When talking about christening invitations and decorations, the important topic of the colours associated with this celebration cannot be overlooked. For years, white has played a major role here, which also dominates for communion and the reception of other sacraments. It is a colour that symbolises purity and innocence. The issue of children’s clothes is a little more complicated – although many parents opt for white, delicate shades of pink and blue are also often seen.
Nowadays, pink is associated with clothes for girls, and blue for boys. Interestingly, in the context of christenings, until relatively recently these colours were ‘assigned’ in reverse. Until the mid-20th century, it was young boys who were dressed in pink and girls in blue. This was due to religious symbolism – little Jesus was often depicted in pink robes, while blue was associated with Mary. Today, there is a certain amount of freedom – although white is still the most important colour, parents can opt for a variety of options that suit their preferences.
The most fashionable christening decorations
Vignettes, placemats, table napkins, balloons, cutlery, garlands – these are just a few of the very long list of suggestions that can be used when preparing christening decorations. It is advisable to match their colour to the baby’s robe. If you have opted for white, the decorations should also be white. If, on the other hand, you have chosen pink or blue, the decoration elements should match the base colour – again, there should be no lack of white.
What are the most fashionable christening decorations? Nowadays, parents rely primarily on original solutions to make their house, flat or hall stand out from other festivities. For example, white, blue or pink bags are ideal.
Pink gift bags for christenings or birthdays
An original christening souvenir
Although Baptism is less associated with gifts than First Holy Communion, it is also worth taking care of gifts for the child on this day. Among the gifts, toys of all kinds reign supreme. If your child already has enough of these, an interesting christening gift that will remind him or her of the day even years later is better.
What might a christening gift for a girl look like? An interesting option would be, for example, a medal, a figurine, a music box or a silver spoon. Each of these options can be enhanced with a personalised engraving, which can include the date of the christening and the child’s name. An interesting christening gift for a boy can also be personalised – if you want to buy a silver piggy bank, a medal or a teddy bear, go for a product with engraving or printing.
If you want to make the christening souvenir special, remember to wrap the gift properly! You can do this with our pouches, which are available in many different sizes. Furthermore, the pouch itself can sometimes work as a modest, functional and useful gift for other occasions as well.
Acknowledgement for godparents in a perfect way
The godparents are important guests at the ceremony – so it is worth ensuring that they feel appreciated. Elegant thank-you notes for godparents, for example, come in handy. These can be caskets, chests, pictures or the ever-popular baby feet gift. For the more religious, candles or rosaries, among other things, are also good choices.
What else can a thank-you note for the godparents look like? An impressive, personal and original choice is the baby’s nametag. This is a gift which, in addition to the thank-you note itself, also includes a photo of the child, the date and time of birth or the weight at birth. Some proposals of this type even provide a special place to imprint the baby’s hands or feet – the perfect idea for a unique gift! You can wrap it up in the christening pouches you’ll find in our range.
A baby’s first birthday – a special party for your loved ones
As with a christening, a first birthday party is usually a party mainly for close family. It’s worth remembering that only people your child knows well should take part in the celebrations – at this age, your little one is probably quite distrustful of strangers and may react differently to strange guests. How do you prepare the party? Start with a guest list – this will usually mainly include grandparents, uncles or other close family members. Then you can order or make your own invitations for the birthday party to hand out to the guests.
The birthday invitation should be personalised, so that you can bring joy to the guest’s face even before the party. What themes should you go for? The best choice is something associated with your child – a favourite cartoon character, for example.
A birthday party invitation written from the child’s perspective would also be an interesting idea. Of course, it will still take some time before your little one learns to write, but the content written in the first person will certainly move the invitees. It is also worth bearing in mind that this is generally a “looser” celebration than a christening, which can already be taken into account when it comes to the content of the invitation.
Organza gift bag for guests (for christenings, birthdays, communions)
Souvenir for a birthday – what gifts to choose?
A baby’s birth certificate will be ideal. It is a gift that can accompany the child into adulthood, reminiscent of the carefree early years of life. You could also opt for a moneybox, a figurine, a picture, a book or a mascot, among others. Each should also be available in personalised versions, for example with the child’s name. If, on the other hand, you want to give something that will also be useful to the parents, baby clothes or blankets are a good choice – but first it’s worth making sure it’s the right choice and the right size.
When wrapping a gift, you don’t have to rely on standard boxes or bags. You can also choose more original solutions, such as the gift bags available in our range. It is worth noting that our pouches come in a variety of sizes that will allow you to wrap any gift. This will make your anniversary gift extra special.
