The Christening Gown is an important and long standing part of the traditional Christening. The colour of the Christening Dress should be white to symbolise joy, purity and new life.
The Christening Dress is often a very long garment which has been made, bought or passed down from one generation to another specifically for the Christening Ceremony. They are usually made from a quality white fabric, usually cotton or linen and may be accessorised with lace, embroidery or sequins and often have matching bonnets. Although, often a beautiful garment it has a much greater significance as it symbolises the importance of family life and signifies the child's rite of passage in life. Many gowns are family heirlooms which are passed down from one generation to the next and the wearing of the outfit often reinforces the importance of family.
Aside from the traditional family heirloom another custom which is becoming more popular is for gown to be made from part of their mother's wedding dress. Depending of the design of your wedding dress, this may be a simple or complex process as you decide which part of your dress will make the ideal outfit for your baby. This tradition may not suit everyone as some mothers may want to preserve and keep their wedding dress in tact, and may even want to pass it down to their own daughter(s) to wear on their wedding day. However, if using the fabric from your wedding dress is not appropriate or suitable you can perhaps still accessorise the outfit with some sequins or lace which can be discreetly taken from your wedding dress, veil or train. Alternatively, there are plenty of department stores and boutiques which specialise in selling or making christening outfits.
For the daughter of Catholic parents, the Christening Gown signifies one of "Three White Dresses" they will wear in their lives, each one of which marks a significant rite of passage in their lives. The second and third "white dresses" are worn when making their holy communion/confirmation and on their wedding day.
For most religions, the traditional dress is only worn on the actual day of the ceremony. However, some religions such as the Eastern Orthodox Church wear the baptismal robe for a period of eight days and on the eighth day a special ceremony is held for the removal of the baptismal garment.
In today's market, there is a wide range of outfits to choose from. The most important aspect is to choose christening wear for your baby which you are happy with and which your baby will be comfortable in during the ceremony and for the remainder of the celebrations.
