Christening and Baptism Invitations, Announcements, Cards and Videos

Christening or baptism: what is the difference?

For most churches a christening and a baptism are the same thing, not two different events. Baptism is the Christian rite of washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and it can be received at any age. Christening is the everyday word most families use for an infant baptism, and it carries the older sense of giving the child their Christian name. In practice the words are interchangeable; the Church of England tells families there is no difference between a christening service and a baptism service, and some churches simply prefer one word over the other.

The arrival of new life with the will and blessings of Lord Jesus is a joyous occasion when a new born baby is welcomed into the warm fold of the church.

The conscious decision to follow the Lord is marked by Baptism, a Christian sacrament in which the child is washed in water and sealed as Christ’s own forever.

Christening and Baptism ceremony is a rite of passage and is an important milestone in the life of a child and their family.

How baptism differs by church and community

The water and the words are shared by every church: the person is washed in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. What changes from one tradition to another is who is baptised, how the water is applied, and when it happens.

Here is how the main churches that Indian Christian families belong to approach it. Customs also vary from one diocese and parish to the next, so treat this as a guide and confirm the details with your own church.

Traditions and dioceses vary, so confirm the exact rite, the requirements and the paperwork with your own parish or minister.

For families combining the naming and the baptism, Pikaaso also carries Christian baby naming ceremony invitations.

Infant baptism or adult baptism, and at what age?

There is no single fixed age at which a person must be baptised; it depends on the church.

In churches that baptise infants (Roman Catholic, the Orthodox and Syrian churches, Anglican, CSI, CNI, Mar Thoma, Lutheran and Methodist), babies are usually baptised in the first weeks or months of life. Catholic guidance, for instance, asks parents to have an infant baptised within the first weeks after birth. Among Kerala Syrian Christians the custom has historically been very early: some accounts describe baptism within about the first eight days, older Syro-Malabar practice points to the fortieth day, and many families today choose a later date still. Churches that practise believer’s baptism (Baptist, Pentecostal and most independent evangelical churches) wait instead until the person is old enough to understand and profess their own faith, so there the age is later and personal rather than fixed.

The right timing for your child is set by your own church, so speak to your priest or minister when you plan the date.

Who can be a godparent, and what do they do?

A godparent, also called a sponsor, is a baptised believer who presents the child at the font and promises to help the parents raise the child in the faith.

The clearest set of rules comes from the Catholic Church, and many other churches follow something close to it. Under Catholic practice a child usually has at least one godparent, and a sponsor is normally sixteen or older, a fully initiated Catholic who has been baptised, has made first communion and has been confirmed, and who is living the faith in good standing. Two godparents are a common tradition rather than a requirement, and where a child has two, the Church expects one man and one woman rather than two of the same role.

A parent cannot be their own child’s godparent. If you want to involve family or friends from another church, the Catholic rite makes room for it: an Orthodox Christian may serve alongside a Catholic godparent, and a baptised Protestant may stand as a Christian witness together with a Catholic sponsor. Other traditions such as CSI, Mar Thoma and the Pentecostal churches use sponsors or witnesses too, each with their own expectations.

Your parish confirms who is eligible and any paperwork or sponsor certificate you will need, so check with the church office early.

Baptism planning checklist and timeline

Start with the church, not the party. Contact your parish or minister well ahead, generally around two to six months before the day you have in mind, because clergy and venues book out and some churches ask parents and godparents to attend a short baptism preparation class first. Once the date is set with the priest, send your invitations about three to six weeks before the ceremony.

• Contact the church and agree a date with the priest or minister (aim for roughly 2 to 6 months ahead).
• Complete any baptism preparation class or course the church requires.
• Choose your godparents and check they meet your church’s eligibility rules.
• Size the guest list to both the church and the reception space.
• Sort the christening outfit, and the candle or white garment if your rite uses one.
• Book the reception venue and any catering.
• Send invitations about 3 to 6 weeks before the ceremony.
• Prepare thank-you notes for after the day.

Timelines and any required preparation are set by each church, so confirm the steps with your parish when you book.

Ceremony etiquette: invitations, what to wear, and gifts

Keep the invitation clear, dress simply and modestly, and choose a gift that lasts. Here is what each of those means for a christening or baptism.

Invitations

A baptism invitation needs the baby’s name, the type of ceremony (christening or baptism), the date and time, the church address and the reception address, the hosts’ names and an RSVP line. Send it about three to six weeks before the day so guests can plan. Christening and Baptism ceremony Save the Dates and Invitation Cards can be shared by email, WhatsApp or print, and you can reuse the same baptism wording across all three.

What to wear

The baby traditionally wears white. White has long stood for purity and for new life in Christ, which is why the christening gown became the custom; in the older rite the child was even changed into a white garment during the service to mark the new life of the baptised. Guests usually dress smart and modest to suit the church.

Gifts

Traditional christening gifts are keepsakes a child can grow up with: a rosary, a children’s Bible or storybook, a cross or a piece of religious jewellery, a christening blanket or a personalised keepsake. In many traditions the godparents give something lasting, and historically they also provided the white garment and the baptismal candle.

Baptism and christening invitation wording

Not sure what to write? Below are ready-to-use lines you can copy and edit for a christening, baptism or naming-and-baptism invitation, plus a birth-and-baptism announcement and a blessing you can print inside the card. Swap in your own names, date and venue.

Formal

• Together with joyful hearts, [Parents’ names] invite you to the christening of their beloved [Baby’s name] on [Date] at [Time], at [Church], followed by a reception at [Venue].
• The family of [Baby’s name] requests the honour of your presence at [his/her] baptism on [Date], [Time], [Church]. Your prayers and blessings mean the world to us.

Religious and scripture-led

• “Let the little children come to me.” Please join us as we welcome [Baby’s name] into God’s family through holy baptism on [Date] at [Church].
• Washed in water and the Spirit, our [Baby’s name] will be baptised on [Date]. Come and share in this blessing with us.

Warm and short

• Our little blessing [Baby’s name] is being christened! Join us on [Date] at [Church].
• Two tiny hands, one big blessing. [Baby’s name]’s baptism, [Date], [Church]. Please come.

Announcement (birth and baptism)

• With grateful hearts we announce the birth of [Baby’s name] on [Birth date], and warmly invite you to [his/her] baptism on [Date] at [Church].

A blessing to print inside the card

Take this little one dear Father into your loving arms.

Anonymous

In your language

Pikaaso’s templates come in several Indian languages, so here is a short blessing line in each. These are transliterations, so please have a native speaker or your priest check the exact wording before you print.

• Telugu: [Baby’s name] baptisma / naama-karana vedukaku mimmalni sadaramga ahvanistunnamu. (We warmly invite you to [Baby’s name]’s baptism / naming ceremony.)
• Tamil: [Baby’s name]-in gnaana-snaana vizhaavukku ungalai anbudan azhaikkirom. (We lovingly invite you to [Baby’s name]’s baptism ceremony.)
• Kannada: [Baby’s name] avara deeksha-snaana samarambhakke taavu bandu ashirvadisi. (Please come and bless [Baby’s name]’s baptism ceremony.)
• Malayalam (Mamodisa): [Baby’s name]-inte mammodisa cherangil pankedukkan snehapurvam kshanikkunnu. (We lovingly invite you to take part in [Baby’s name]’s Mamodisa / baptism.)

Planning a wedding in the same community? See Pikaaso’s Christian wedding invitations.

E-cards, videos, GIFs, AR and custom designs

Pick the format that fits how you want to invite people: a video when you are short on time, a printable card or e-card when you want something to hand out, a GIF for a quick WhatsApp share, or an AR invitation to add a digital layer over a printed card. If nothing on the page is quite right, the team can build a fully custom design with your own wording and photos.

When compared to printed invite cards, invitation videos are a good option for families who are tight on time.

Add the latest technology to your Christening ceremony invitations. Turn your traditional invitation into an AR invitation using augmented reality.

If you have specific ideas for your invitation, give us a call. Our team can help you finalize designs that suit your family and your budget.

You can customize a new invitation for Baptism ceremony with your custom wording and pictures within a specified timeline, or you can make changes in the existing videos.

Browse all baptism and christening invitation cards.

How to create your baptism invitation on Pikaaso

You can make and receive a baptism or christening invitation in a few simple steps, and most video invitations come back to you within a few hours.

1. Browse the baptism and christening samples in the grid above and select a template.
2. Click on the product title to open it and find the form.
3. Fill in your details, your wording and any photos, then click submit.
4. Receive your video or card within a few hours, ready to download and share.

Frequently asked questions