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Christians have many rites that mark certain stages or transition in their lives. One of these rites is baptism when water is put on the forehead of the baby to symbolize the baby has joined the Church or becoming a Christian. Parents are free to choose whether they want to hold a grand celebration out of it, or just throwing a simple reception. In early times, baptism has to take place in moving water to symbolize the movement of the Holy Spirit in human life. Nowadays, baptism ceremony normally take place in the church with a priest leading the ritual. Whether you are hosting the party or being a guest, you must know a thing or two about gifts-giving. As a host, you may wish to prepare thank-you gifts for all your guests. The gift does not necessarily have to be big and expensive; a small thoughtful present is equally appreciated too. As a guest, you may pick gift items that have religious connotations, in line with the baptism theme. Like baby showers, the host and guests must know the importance of gift giving as a sign of gratitude and well-wishes. Once you have decided on the type of ceremony you like to organize, you can proceed to do the necessary matters such as fixing the date, contacting the church and booking the venue for the reception. Choosing and selecting godparents for your baby should not be difficult as you can pick any of your close or most trusted friends. You can pick two godmothers and one godfather for your child, or vice versa. It is entirely up to you, there is no wrong or right about it. Some parents choose one godmother and one godfather for their child. Ceremonies can be held outdoors, example by the park nearby a lovely stream, or indoors at the community hall pre-booked by the host. Wherever the location is, you must discuss thoroughly with all the people involved such as the clergy, godparents, friends and relatives who help you out with the event. This is to make sure that the location chosen is convenient for them. Last minute invitations are not always good. It is recommended that invitation cards are sent out to the guests as early as two weeks prior to the event. They will be grateful to the host for informing them early. The guests can make the necessary arrangements and preparation to attend the ceremony. If for whatsoever reason the guest could not attend, he/she may inform the host about it. This also allow the host to make necessary arrangements like confirming seats booking at the restaurant and preparing door gifts. For the christening ritual, the baby wears white colored gown usually made of luxurious material such as satin, silk and lace. If the host is on a tight budget, he may use the gown that is inherited and passed down from previous generation. The actual service and act of baptizing would only last at most about 20 or 45 minutes, and then you may decide to hold a small reception afterwards. If you do plan to have a reception, you will need to decide where you’re going to have it this is because you may need to book the venue in advance should you decide to use a restaurant or a hall. Normally after the baptism ritual finish, guests will be invited to savor the foods being prepared especially for the occasion. Delightful treats like onion rings, shrimp and cuttlefish balls, and crab meat rolls, variety of salads with Parmesan cheese, French pastries, ice creams and cocktails are sure to entice guests. However, if the host wishes to be more economical, he may opt for home-cooked meals with the assistance of family members, relatives and helpful friends. It is a good idea to prepare a small favor for your guests. These are akin to baby shower favors and can be any small gift or trinket that your guests can take home to remind them of the ceremony. The baptism favors can be given at the ceremony, the reception, or both. It is also a common practice to give a small gift to the godparents. Guest also normally hand out small gifts to the parents, these usually consist of religious items for the baby such as bibles and rosaries unlike baby shower gifts .Last but not least don’t forget to send thank-you cards or letters to all your guests to show your appreciation for coming to your child’s Baptism.
Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com
Elizabeth Ellis is a leading expert in all personalized gifts and has written a number of articles related to baptism gifts, personalized photo mugs, baby shower favors and so on. Please visit peculiarstuffs.com to read her other highly regarded work on such details as baptism favors, baby gifts, photo mugs and so on.
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