Christening dress for a girl

Baptism is considered to be one of the main events in the life of Orthodox people. Christians believe that it is on this day that the child finds his guardian, who will protect him from troubles all his life.

Baptism is the rite of initiation of a child into the church. Although a person can undergo this ceremony at any age, it is customary in Orthodox society to baptize a baby in the period from the eighth to the fortieth day of his life. The process of baptism itself does not require any special preparations. It is enough to agree in advance with the priest on the date of the ceremony and come to the church at the appointed time with the necessary set of things and the future godparents of your child.

To conduct a church ceremony, you need a cross, a baptismal shirt or dress, and a diaper. According to custom, the cross should be bought by the godfather. It can be purchased both in advance and directly in the church, the main thing is that the priest has time to bless the cross before the ceremony.

There are many traditions and signs associated with the rite of baptism. Firstly, throughout the ceremony, the baby should be held in his arms not by his parents, but by his godparents. If this is a boy, then before diving into the font, his godmother should hold him, and then his father, and vice versa.

The baptism of a girl is also the first “outing” of your child. All eyes during this ceremony will be turned to your baby, so you should choose a baptismal dress in which she will look charming.

The simplest option is a loose-fitting cotton christening shirt. These can be bought at the church shop. The classic christening gown has a loose fit and slips right over the head. These items facilitate the process of dressing the baby after being adopted by her godmother after the font.

Instead of a traditional shirt that barely covers the baby's knees, you can choose a shirt to the heels. Such an elegant dress is distinguished by the presence of elegant lace trim, white thread embroidery, or small artificial flowers. These decorative elements add sophistication to the outfit.

An additional element of the baptismal dress can be a hood. In a dress with a hood, your child will be warm, and he will not need a cap. The hood, like the dress itself, can be decorated with lace, embroidery, satin ribbons and other small details.

The traditional color of the baptismal dress is white. It is the white shirt that symbolizes purity, which only the souls of babies differ in. But if you wish, you can deviate a little from this custom and choose a dress of other pastel shades for your baby. It can be beige, light shades of pink or blue. You can also choose a golden color dress, which is also a symbol of the bright soul of the child.

Traditionally, a christening gown has a length just below the knees. But you can follow Western fashion and pick up a long dress for your child.The baptismal attire should not completely cover the child's legs, because after the font the priest anoints them with Peace. Otherwise, the church does not regulate the length of the baptismal attire, and you choose the option that you think is more suitable for the child yourself.

Materials for sewing a baptismal dress should be natural and pleasant to the touch. Simple shirts can be made from soft linen or cotton. More refined - from thin cambric, embroidered with silk or viscose threads. Popular and such an option as a knitted dress. To create it, either thin cotton yarn or denser wool is used.

There are no special criteria for choosing a christening dress for a child, but we can give you some tips to help you choose the right outfit for your little one. First, the color of the dress should be light. As already mentioned, it is not necessary to dwell on the classic white shirt, but dark-colored outfits are not suitable for christening.

There should not be too many decorative elements on the dress. Often, a baptismal outfit is decorated with embroidery, appliqués, ribbons or bows. It all looks cute on its own, but if the outfit is overly decorated, then this is already too much. Moreover, the Orthodox Church does not encourage excessive pretentiousness.

Of the accessories, a christening gown needs only a cap and a cross, which is worn around the child's neck during the ceremony. The bonnet can either be made in the same style as the dress, or be its harmonious addition from a different material and with other decorations. For older girls, the cap can be replaced with a scarf, which is also decorated with embroidery or lace.

A dress for a newborn baby should be as free and pleasant to the body as possible. In such a dress with a dense base and a translucent top, decorated with a print of white flowers, the baby will feel good, and guests will be charmed by her cute outfit. It will be complemented by a matching cap, decorated with printed flowers.

For the baptism of a child who is only a few months old, a delicate flared shirt is suitable. A simple cut allows you to dress the baby without any problems, and undress her, and an elegant lace trim at the bottom, at the collar and along the edges of the sleeves make the outfit elegant. The shirt is unbuttoned on the breast, and the legs remain slightly ajar, which is very convenient for the Anointing process. A cap decorated with lace also comes with the dress.

For older babies, a set of a baptismal dress and a scarf that matches the style is suitable.The most delicate linen dress, decorated with wicker inserts, reaches to the middle of the lower leg. The collar, decorated with elegant lace patterns, can be easily unbuttoned if necessary. The kerchief also looks nice, complemented by the same patterned trim as the dress itself.

A christening dress for your little girl can be a very cute and dainty outfit. Choose a dress made of quality material, skillfully decorated with embroidery or lace, and everyone will be fascinated not only by the sacred rite, but also by the beauty of your baby.