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Christenings

So we've booked for O to be Christened in July but I haven't been to a Christening for years, what am I supposed to do for the 'do' after? I thought about just hiring the church hall for a few sarnies and a drink but it's regularly booked out on a Sunday. Not really keen on having people round the house as I don't fancy the faff, mess or stragglers that hang around when you want finish up.

What did you do?

And what are baby boys supposed to wear? I don't want him to look like a girl. (He'll be 7 months)

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Replies

  • My godsons was at a function room. His mum paid for a buffet and was a bar on for drinks. Little disco on for kids so could run round.

    H's nephew was a carvery in a hired room of a pub. All depends what you want really

  • Oh and both boys wore a little silk cream too and bottom set

  • My God Daughter and Nephews christenings were just in a side room of a pub, with sandwiches and the likes, was done very cheaply. I have also been to one where there was a carvery but a pay for yourself thing. Obviously a pay for yourself bar was avaliable.

    My nephew wore a lovely suit from M&S for his christening a couple of weeks back, looked very cute

    x

  • Well H wants to hire out a function room and invite the world but I just want to invite a few people. What time did it finish? I just think it will be a long day if the Christening is at 2.

  • Not sure about Goddaughters as i ended up in A&E soon after the service. BUt my nephews christening was at 12.30, then the pub bit only lasted from 1.15 - 3.30, and we were one of the last ones there, most people only stayed for an hour, hour half max

    x

  • C's "do" was at home, bit my nephews were in a function room. My SIL put on a bit of food, and a cake, with a few decorations.

    C was 6 months, and wore a cream silk gown. He was still tiny though, and didn't look that old.

    My nephew got Christened at the same age, and wore a cream silk 2 piece suit.

  • With K we went back to the place where we had our wedding reception, just sandwiches etc. Quite low key. For A's we did the same but just went back to my folks. There weren't loads of people though. If service is at 2pm then is there somewhere attached to the church where you could just have tea and cake?

  • Christenings were at 1pm and the function room 'doo' lasted till maybe 5 ish? But a large party of friends and family so were all sat chatting an drinking.

    The pub carvery one lasted a couple of hours. Had cake after the meal.

    Funny you bring it up, my great nanna asked when boys Christening would be the other day Laugh steady on nan!

  • We hired the function hall of the pub across the road from the church, which has a little court yard too, luckily the weather was good so people sat out there too.  We were going to do it at home, but our garden was being landscaped and over ran too much.

    I got caterers in to do a hot buffet and bought some big cakes from Costco for dessert.  We put £250 behind the bar which more than covered the drinks for 60 people.  The christening was at 12pm, and people started to leave the pub at 4pm and the last dozen that were left at 5.30 cam back to ours (a 30 second walk).

    I decorated the hall with bunting and balloons, put out some garden games like Jenga and connect 4, although that wasn't necessary in hindsight, and I put an ipod on the speakers for some background music.

    In all it cost us £600 + outfits, to house, feed and water 60 people.

    We'll most likely do the same next time.

  • If I have a function room do I have to have a DJ? I suppose we need to have the 'how many guests' argument don't we, and then go from there. Shame the village hall is in use as that would have been ideal, the church is in the countryside so there's not really anywhere else around.

  • I'd say definitely no to a DJ.  Assuming it's a Sunday and the service is relatively early people won't stay much later than 5.  Of the 4 christenings I've been to in the last 2 years (excluding A's) they've all finished late afternoon.  

    You can always just put an ipod on quietly for some background music.

  • Just a couple of sandwiches and cakes back at ours - like an afternoon tea.

    We only had about 18 people (including us)

  • You don't have to put O into a proper christening gown if you don't want to. I've seen lots of little boys wear a smart shirt and jeans/trousers at their christenings. WRT the do afterwards, they seem to be a couple of hours long, three at most (these were in village/church halls). It was always buffet food, tables for adults to sit at and an area for kids to run around in/music playing/toys. There was a mini bouncy castle at one I went to bu that depends on number of kids and their ages.

  • We hired a function room at a local hotel and had approx 70 guests. My sons wore an outfit from M&S linen trousers and waistcoat in beige with white shirt. We didn't have a DJ just background music on. It was from 4pm till approx 8pm

  • Not a Christening, but we had E blessed in Synagogue. Morning service started at 10.30 finished at 12. After the service we provided a little food for the whole congregation (this is a Jewish thing though, possibly not required for a Christening as I'm assuming only your invited guests will be there) then after that had some catered food for our guests. People were gone by 2.30PM. We used the hall at the Synagogue.

    No DJ, but if you wanted an iPod and some speakers would probably provide some background music.

  • We're having a Naming Day for our son instead, the ceremony is at the Register Office where we were married the was going to have the reception bit at home but couldn't get the guest list below 50 so have hired a function room in a local pub. Doing our own catering and decorations and just going to have our iPod dock for music. Ceremony at 3pm and we've got the room from 4-8pm so everyone should probably sidle off before then! I'm trying to find a sailor suit for him to wear, have seen some online. There's a site halosandhooligans.com that have some lovely outfits and not too girly for the boys! Really looking forward to it :)

  • We hired a function room with a bar and had a play area set up for the children- ball pit, tunnel, puzzles, etc I did the food myself which saved us a fortune and just decorated with a few Christening balloons, nothing fancy. A few friends have had their boys Christened and picked up outfits from here lollipops247.co.uk. We are hoping to Have M baptised in June when we are back so I should look at what to put him in too as Es gown had little flowers on it Laugh

  • We hired caterers to do a buffet and everyone came back to our house, about 50 people.   The plan was that as it was summer we could all be out in the garden.  We had lots of Pimms too.  Of course it poured down and everyone was squeezed in to the house but it wasn't too bad.  With it being a Sunday most people headed off at a reasonable time, we had one couple staying over who helped clear up but tbh it wasn't too bad as we had used disposable plates, glasses etc.

    This time, yes we are advanced planning, Noodles will be Christened around November time (to fit in the gown we have) and we are inviting about 20 people this time and then going to our favourite place for Sunday lunch afterwards.

  • For my 2 we hired a function room for the afternoon and got caterers in.  J didn't wear a traditional silk gown, he wore linen trousers and a white linen shirt.

  • I had a very small 'do' for N, it was my closest family, two of whom were godfathers and my best friend who was godmother. After the church we went to a nice country pub and had a carvery, the younger ones all played outside and then back to my parents for champagne and the cake. I didn't want a big fuss and everyone had a lovely day without it going on too long. Not sure what or where we will get the next one christened but it will be bigger because there are two families this time.

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