My family has one that has been going on for over 110 years. Everyone in our family, at the time of baptism or christening, uses the same hand-painted porcelain bowl to hold the baptismal water. It is a great surprise that this delicate bowl has lasted throughout the years without cracks or chips. It is still wrapped in an old kitchen towel (the same one for years) and contained in a rickety cardboard box.
Do you have any family traditions for the day of your child’s baptism? If not, maybe now is the time to start. After all, someone did it in my family. How about starting with the child’s outfit, gown or suit? An heirloom christening gown worn by your child can be a treasured piece passed down to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Here are some tips on how to choose the christening outfit.
..If you want this set to become “your” tradition, choose one with a Classic design. You want your relatives in a few years to love you as much as you do.
..Christening, baptism or bris dresses should always be beautiful and of the best quality with lace, embroidery, ribbons and/or other embellishments. They should be made of soft, delicate fabrics suitable for a baby. Whether intricate or unadorned, your traditional christening gown must be made to exacting standards.
..The season of the year will definitely be a consideration when deciding on the style of baptism or christening gown. The thickness of the fabric and the length of the sleeve should be appropriate for the temperatures during that time of year, if possible.
Whatever style and fabric content you choose, I am confident that if handled correctly, the outfit will last for years and generations to come. Choose a suitable container for storage, but more importantly, start a journal inside it. This will keep the history of use alive and will be passed down from generation to generation.