Christening parties traditionally follow the format of religious ceremonies in many faiths , but they’re not just for religious families , they can also be a personal way to mark the birth of your new child.
While historically baptisms symbolize the act of baptizing and naming a child, today the event also marks the beginning of a wonderful journey of faith that your child begins to embark on.
In other words, you can make your baptism party whatever you want it to be.
A chance to celebrate love
The ceremony itself is often formal and religious, so it has become popular to hold a christening party afterwards to celebrate the occasion in a more relaxed atmosphere.
Christening parties are the perfect time to bring your family and friends together and shower your child with love to let them know how special they are, how much they mean to you.
Now is the time to focus on your loved ones and create lasting memories that your child can cherish for years to come.
Who organizes the baptism party?
There is no official rule for determining who has the honor of hosting a christening party. Although the responsibility usually lies with the parents, baptism parties can be organized by any guest. Whether it’s a close friend, sister, or godfather, the role of the host is up to you.
How to organize a baptism party?
There is no one right way to host a christening reception.
The important thing is that the guest of honor is celebrated and everyone feels welcome.
The first thing to do is make a guest list. Once you have decided on the date and location, you can send out the invitations.
1. The place for a baptism party
Depending on how big you want your party to be, it will be easy to see if you can accommodate everyone at your home, at a friend’s or family member’s. Your party can also take place outside, such as in a restaurant or in the town hall of your city.
If your church has a parish hall, you can contact the parish office and check availability.
2. A decoration adapted to the event
If you’re having your party at home, paper ornaments and candles are simple, yet effective decorative items you can use without worrying about the budget.
Balloons, banners, streamers and garlands are all easy to prepare. Think of the light garlands which will also be a nice asset. Whether draped along a wall or hung from a door or window, they will add a magical touch to your christening party.
Reception halls and communal halls can be a little dull, so flower arrangements on the tables are a good idea to bring some life to your venue.
It is advisable to set up a central table for the cake and treats, which will make it easier for guests to gather and exchange.
Don’t forget that your party will be an opportunity for many of your guests to get together. Extended family, from second cousins, to in-laws and uncles, will likely be there, so consider giving them space to talk to each other.
It is in the uses that the guests bring gifts, in this case, think of installing a place reserved for this purpose where they can deposit them. A small side table or even a simple rug placed on the floor can become a suitable place for the gifts your child will receive.
For a nice touch, the little extra touch would be to attach a banner bearing the name of the guest of honor.
3. A delicious meal for your guests
It is, of course, customary to provide snacks and a cake. The type of food you serve will depend on the time of day the baptism takes place.
For morning baptisms, a simple breakfast like toast with fresh cheese, madeleines and a fruit salad may suffice. For afternoon and evening baptisms, you can offer larger dishes.
If you are expecting a lot of people, you can ask your friends and family to help you prepare something.
A sit-down meal is more suited to a formal party, but a buffet is a great way to allow guests to chat. If you go for a buffet, appetizers are a perfect choice.
As for the drinks, remember that there will be people of all ages, so you should choose non-alcoholic drinks to satisfy all of your guests.
Christenings are a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, so make sure your cake is exceptional, the centerpiece worth celebrating.
A personalized cake is a nice surprise and can be made according to your preferences.
Cupcakes are also becoming very trendy for baptism parties.
4. Entertainment for all
There are sure to be a lot of younger participants, so it’s all about providing activities to keep everyone entertained. Even the simplest things, like coloring pages and crayons on the tables, will keep the kids occupied during times when the adults want to hang out together.
Do not hesitate to call on a facilitator, it is a great way to involve your young guests and keep them in a good mood.
Game ideas for children:
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- “Hide and seek”, “treasure hunt” and “capture the flag” are timeless classics.
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- Water games that get wet: If you’re having your baptism party in the summer and you have an outdoor space, bring water-filled balloons and squirt guns.
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- Card games and board games: Choose child-friendly options, such as the game of 7 families, checkers or the game Connect 4.
Game ideas for adults:
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- Ask everyone to bring a picture of themselves as a baby, shuffle all the pictures and see how many partygoers can correctly associate child with adult.
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- Charades Game: Divide your guests into teams and have one person on your team try to act out a book, movie, song, etc. Then try to guess what it is as quickly as possible.
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- The Cereal Box: This game is a tad physical. Take an empty cereal box and place it in the middle of the room. The goal is to pick up the cereal box using your mouth and nothing else, without putting your hands on the floor or other support. Each time a participant succeeds, they have to cut a bit from the box making it ever smaller and harder to catch.
5. Lasting memories of your Baptism celebration
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- Write a letter to your child
A beautiful tradition is to write letters to your children during important events in their lives. You can write about all the love you have for them and how honored and proud you are to be their parents.
It would also be a significant gesture on the part of godparents.
- Write a letter to your child
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- Collect messages
Ask each of your guests to write a personal message that your child will read, for example, on his eighteenth birthday. They can choose to share their favorite Bible verses, important life lessons, or helpful tips.
Group all these messages in a glass jar and keep it preciously until the chosen date.
- Collect messages
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- To plant a tree
Plant a tree on the day of your child’s baptism and watch it grow over the years. Common types of trees to plant include birch, oak, conifer, and fruit tree varieties.
- A gift for the guests
When the party is over and your guests are ready to go, giving small presents that your loved ones can take away is a great way for them to remember the event.
Food is always appreciated, especially sweets. Sweets like sugared almonds, chocolate and cookies can be wrapped in cute packets that will be handed out to children.
Items such as coasters, pins, candles and small trinkets can be personalized to indicate the date of the baptism and provide a lasting memory of that special day.
If you have opted to rent a photobooth to entertain your guests, a souvenir photograph of your magnificent party is a perfect gift.
- To plant a tree
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- Take hundreds of photos
Be sure to take plenty of photos during the event. Later, you can use these photos to create a photo album that you and your child will cherish.
You can’t go wrong renting a photobooth for your christening party. It is entertainment for both adults and children.
Everyone will want to participate and it’s also the perfect way to commemorate your child’s baptism party quietly and without stress: you just have to leave the photobooth available to the guests!
In addition, the photobooths include the possibility of having several prints of the photographs, for you and your guests. Not jealous !
A photobooth is the perfect way to remember your child’s celebration forever and show your little one just how precious they are.
- Take hundreds of photos
An occasion as important and sacred as the baptism of a child deserves a celebration full of joy. With this list as your guide, you’ll be able to plan your Christening party in no time, then focus your attention on this very special time in your family’s life.
