CHRISTENING PARTIES

Christening Parties may be said to be strictly family gatherings, only the near relatives of the parents being invited on these occasions.

The Invitations are given in friendly notes, and are not issued on "at home" cards. The notice averages from a week to ten days according to circumstances, meaning the health and strength of the infant's mother.

As a Rule Six Weeks are allowed to elapse between the birth of the child and the date of the christening.

The Relatives are either invited to luncheon after the ceremony, or to a reception tea, or to a dinner-party to be given the same evening. If a luncheon is decided upon it generally takes place at 1.30, or earlier, immediately on the return from the church. The meal usually consists of hot viands—game or poultry—not substantial joints. Hot and cold sweets. Fruit to follow. A smart christening cake should occupy the centre of the table. Champagne, claret, and sherry are given, although the former is probably the only one of the three drunk on the occasion; this, when the health of the infant is proposed—the only health which finds acceptance at these gatherings.

The Guests go in to Luncheon quite informally, the ladies and hostess entering first, followed by the men guests and the host. They should be seated at table by the help of name cards, each lady being placed at the right hand of a gentleman. The clergyman who performs the ceremony, if a friend, should sit at the hostess's left hand, and should be asked to say grace; but in town he seldom joins these family gatherings unless well acquainted with his parishioners.

A Reception Tea, when given, is served in the dining-room; but in this case the guests are received on arrival by the hostess in the drawing-room, and when all have arrived, she accompanies them to the tea-room and remains there with them. The maid-servants should pour out and hand the tea and coffee across the tea-table, but the hostess should hand the cakes, etc., to her relatives, assisted by the host, if present. The refreshments consist of the usual variety in confectionery seen at all smart "at homes," a christening cake being the addition.

Christening Dinner-Parties closely resemble all other family functions of this nature, with the exception that the infant's health is drunk at dessert, and that a christening cake is placed opposite the hostess when the table is cleared for dessert.

The Christening Ceremony takes place in the afternoon, usually at 2.30. The relatives on arrival at the church seat themselves in pews or on chairs near to the font. The godmother holds the infant during the first part of the service, and then places it on the left arm of the officiating clergyman. One of the godfathers should name the child in response to the clergyman's question. If the child is a girl, two godmothers and one godfather are necessary. If a boy, two godfathers and one godmother are required. These godparents are usually the intimate friends of the child's mother. In certain instances the relatives are chosen for the office of godfather and godmother, but oftener not for family reasons.

Christening Presents vary according to means and inclination, and often comprise gifts of jewellery when the infant is a girl, and money and silver plate if a boy; silver spoons, forks, mugs, bowls, etc. The selection is a wide one, and nothing comes amiss, from a robe with fine lace to a chain and pendant or a jewelled watch. These presents are usually sent the day previous to that of the christening.

Fees and Tips.—Only minor fees are given to those assisting at the ceremony. The officiating priest receives some little gift in old silver or china, but not of money; if, however, the parents of the child are wealthy a cheque is sometimes given with a request that he will devote it to the needs of his parish.

Tips to the nurse from the child's godparents vary from five shillings to a sovereign according to individual means.

INDEX

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[1] It is, however, permissible on the occasion of a first call to say, "I shall leave my card in the hall to remind you of my address"; or some such phrase.

[2] See work entitled "The Art of Conversing."

[3] Respecting the arrangement of the dinner table for dessert, see the work entitled "Waiting at Table."

[4] See the work entitled "Waiting at Table."

[5] See chapter "Conversing with New Acquaintances," in the work entitled "The Art of Conversing."

Transcriber's Notes:

Missing page numbers correspond to blank pages.

The following words have been retained in both versions:

The following misprints have been corrected:

Other than the corrections listed above, printer's inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, and ligature usage have been retained.