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Rite of Passage: Baptism.


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Author: Thomas Tedeore | Total views: 55 | Word Count: 761 | Category: Christianity | Date: Jul 5th 2007

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Baptism is a ceremony intended to officially introduce a child into a church and faith. During this christening the child is blessed and prayers of thanksgiving are offered celebrating the child's safe birth. This ritual has been practiced since the days of the Roman Empire; however some families opt for it to be a simple naming ceremony rather then a full scale religious practice. A naming ceremony is an open ceremony to welcome the child without committing the child to the religion unlike a baptism ceremony.

If you ask me how I would like to celebrate my baby's christening, I would definitely reply that I want a moderate, fulfilling party. I will make sure that everything goes according to plan and enlist help from experienced people. I would make some mini research about subject of baptism and the art of throwing fabulous party. I know the importance of proper planning and making everybody involved in the ceremony feel good and appreciated. Proper planning means that I must make neat arrangements with all parties involved like the church, food caterer and godparents.

Godfather and godmother are essential elements in a baptism ceremony. Parents of the baby must choose godparents for their child. The decision can be made earlier and the godparents are informed about it. Normally parents would appoint one godmother and one godfather for their child. In other places, the arrangement may be different. The decision is entirely for the parents to make. Parents will need to inform the godparents about their decision. Normally parents would appoint their closest and most trusted friends as godparents to their baby. Godparents also bear the responsibility as guardians of the child. Parents may choose to hold the ceremony indoors or outdoors. Garden party on a sunny, pleasant day would be nice. Reception can also be held in hotels and private clubs.

Once the date for the baptism has been set and determined. You will need to relay this information to your guests; it is time to send out invitations. You should send out invitations early. It is best to begin preparing them about 1 month before the ceremony. You will need time to get the invitations ready and to get send them out to your invitees. You should make sure guests also receive them at least a week prior to the event this is to give them ample time to accept or decline going to the ceremony.

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.

After the solemn ritual ends, the baby's parents may hold a reception for their guests. This is a nice way of celebrating the occasion after some prayers and also good opportunity to get closely together with the guests. The host may choose to hold the reception at a restaurant, hall or at the privacy of the host's own home. If he chooses a public venue for the reception, he may have to make advance booking.

The food you serve need not be extravagant, it can consist of simple fare such as sandwiches, fried chicken, fruit trays, and packet drinks, or you can also choose to have a catered meal prepared. If youre going to do cook yourself, prepare as much as you can the night before and store it at your chosen venue liaise with family members about helping you to set everything up. If you are cash strapped, consider holding a potluck. Guests will be more then happy to bring along some food and you can be sure that there will be plenty of dishes to eat, without the financial headache.

It is a good idea to prepare thank-you cards and presents a week or few days prior to the baptism ritual. Gifts are expressions of the host's appreciation for their guests. It is very thoughtful of the host/hostess to convey his/her gratitude in the form of small presents. The host may wish to get special gifts for the godparents of the baby. There are many resources in the library that the parents of the baby could refer to for gift ideas. Depending on their budget, there are plenty of choices easily available in the stores and online shops. Gifts are heart-warming; they make your guests feel very special. Gifts also convey messages of love and gratitude.

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About the Author

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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