6 Reasons Why A Christening Dress Is Important

If you are going back and forth about whether buying a christening gown is important in this day and age, you can rest assured that it is one of the few traditions left that should never be allowed to go by the wayside. Here are 6 reasons why having a traditional baptism and traditional christening gown for your child is important for them, and the rest of the family.

Reason #1 – It’s a sign of commitment for the whole family 

If you haven’t been a part of a christening before, you may not be aware that a major part of the ritual involves the family and god parents. They aren’t there as just witnesses to the child’s baptism. They are there to pledge to God that they will do everything in their power to raise the child right and to protect the child. This is a major ceremony of commitment that should be treated with the respect it is due.

Reason #2 – Tradition is a way of showing respect 

White has been worn at Christian and Orthodox Christian baptisms since the religions began. It is a color that acknowledges God’s love of man and the sending of manna, heavenly food, to sustain mankind when they suffered. Churches preserved this ritual and tradition as a core reminder of Christian values. Keeping with a traditional christening gown shows respect for your faith, your Church and God.

Reason #3 – It starts your child’s life on equal footing with all 

Another consideration when you buy a christening dress is that the traditional gowns have a way of starting your child’s life off on an equal foot with all. You can’t tell much about someone’s family, background or circumstances when viewing pictures of a christening. All of the children are given an equal start in life. This can play a surprisingly important role in your child’s life in the future as kids do compare pictures and there is a very judgmental tone to it all. It is not a bad thing, but a part of a child figuring out all the different aspects of the world. By staying with a traditional gown, your child will see themselves as rising from the same pool as everyone else and becoming able to celebrate differences as growth, not pre-determination.

Reason #4 – It brings people together 

One of the nicest things to see at a christening is how everyone gathers together in a slightly more relaxed environment than a wedding, but as a part of a larger family. Families don’t get much of a chance to spend time together with all of their members present except at baptisms, weddings and funerals. Of the three, the baptism is enjoyed the most. When you gather people together to celebrate the arrival of the new generation in the family, it has a light hearted feel that cannot be duplicated any other way.

Reason #5 – It creates an important memory 

Everything surrounding the christening and baptism of a baby creates an important memory for all. For the child looking back as an adult, it can be evidence of the love they were surrounded with that may be needed as some of the people at the christening they may never have met before they passed. It also creates an important, shared memory for the family. Christenings are often used like weddings to mark the passage of time in a family and to help keep people feeling connected although they may not see each other as often as they would like.

Reason #6 – It connects the future and the past 

The christening gown is often passed down from generation to generation. If you are the one doing the buying of the original gown, it may not seem so important, but there is something very powerful to use something that has been used by all the members of the family in the past. This sense of connectedness helps to balance and anchor someone in life. To always have to be doing something new is to always be doing something without foundation. If you are the one charged with starting the tradition for your new branch of the family tree, and then choose wisely knowing it will connect and shape the future to come.