To not have alcohol at ds's christening party?

[PumpkinPie2013]

My ds is being christened on Sunday and we have hired a small hall for a party to celebrate the event.

For various reasons we haven't bought any alcohol for the party;

1. Some of my family members can get a bit "giddy" with alcohol but not in a good way and I don't want my son's christening to be spoiled (other family events have been spoiled in this way)

1. We have spent quite a lot on food/tea/coffee and fruit juices already to make sure everyone can enjoy the buffet and providing alcohol for around 25 people would be costly.

To me, dh, his family and some of mine it won't matter at all but I have a feeling some people are going to be 'put out' and find it odd.

I know it's our day etc. but does anyone think it's unreasonable to not have alcohol?

I went to a friend's DS's christening & her aunt, the alcoholic one that gets pissed as often as possible, became so drunk that she passed out in the garden & had to be put to bed. It transpired later that her FIL had been plying her with whisky on top of the champagne toast. Not good.

Thinking about it, I went to a naming ceremony in a hall recently, and there was no alcohol. I wouldn't have been drinking anyway, as I was driving, but I didn't think it odd at all.

I have heard horror stories about Christening parties and alcohol (the father putting on really loud rock music/the mother getting tipsy and not being able to find the baby; cue all her friends running around screaming "where's the baby" while the baby was being quietly being fed by someone in another room), so I can totally understand where you are coming from.

DS2 was Christened at the methodist church and the reception was held in the church hall after. No alcohol allowed, no one minded.

I would be surprised if there was no alcohol served - a glass of fizz at the least but would accept you wanted a booze free affair and assume you wanted it to finish at an early hour.

Obviously, if it's a Methodist Chrisening, nobody would mind, if it's Catholic Christening, people will presume some catastrophe happened involving the transport of the alcohol to the venue.

"I would be a bit suprised that booze wasn't provided"

I wouldn't. I haven't been to many christenings, but it isn't the norm in my family.

In my family they are nearly always alcohol free. It's a tea and cakes occasion, not a booze up.

Same for other people's I've been to.

Stella, its not a case of not being able to manage without alcohol. But I do think it is like being invited to a wedding and there being no alcohol. Of course I can manage without alcohol, but it is odd not to provide even 1 glass.

But, if you are in a hall, on a Sunday, you aren't going to want to be there for hours, and hours, anyway.

I've been to a few alcohol free weddings. They didn't have discos either.

Funnily enough, everybody seemed to have a good time.

"But I do think it is like being invited to a wedding and there being no alcohol."

But it isn't IMO. it is nothing like a wedding.

I think Christening parties are more like first birthday parties. DD's first birthday party was epic, and we didn't serve alochol.

I wouldn't expect alcohol to be served at any even that happened before mid-afternoon tbh. Ours was a bit different because we had ds dunked as part of morning service (he was the only one, plus it meant my Gran could crow in front of all her buddies) but afaik aren't most (at least CofE) ones done at about 11? Bit early for the majority I would have thought...

Can you reply to anyone querying the lack of alcohol with a polite "At this time of day? Really? Bit early for us!" and maybe follow up with some concern about their alcohol intake nice and passive aggressive

I think we agree, then, Grennie as it's not compulsory for weddings either.

Though as you rightly point out, for most it's not a case of being unable to go without, and so there's no reason to expect guests would feel a need to leave early.

A C of E christening at 11 is pretty unusual. Are you getting confused with getting confirmed?

Bun I think that Purple means time not age.

YANBU. If some of the guests have form on alcohol, it's best not to serve any at your DC's celebration.

No, weddings are normally all day events, so it's fine, although TBH, I've always been offered a alcohol at every Christening I've been to, even if it's just a toast for the baby when the cake is cut. (Is that something you'd consider? A glass of fizz each for a toast, not enough to get drunk on, just enough that it's not a 'dry' christening if you think you'll get comments).

I'd be surprised that there was no alcohol. Any christening I've been to, the parents have provided a glass of wine or a whiskey on arrival at the venue.

So I would think to myself that it's unusual, but I certainly wouldn't mention it to anyone else and I'm quite capable of going to an event and not drinking.

Yes sorry - normal service for us is 9:30am, christenings would be later so maybe around 11am

Half your guests will be driving any way .

I wouldn't mind at all.

I would be miffed if there wasn't any tea and preferably coffee but you're serving those!

Enjoy the day

I think I've only been to one christening where alcohol was available. Tea/coffee and fruit juices sounds lovely.

YANBU. A small glass to toast the baby might be nice and expected but in some ways it can cause more problems with those people who want any excuse to drink to get drunk/merry as that wouldn't be enough to do either.

"Oh well, never mind" at no booze is a bit pathetic imo.

I also wouldn't supply booze "as to make it not a dry one so as to not get comments." If people are so rude to comment then they don't deserve to be there and if they can't cope with a couple of hours at a celebration without booze, or don't want to, then maybe it is time to rethink their relationship with alcohol.

I combined DS naming ceremony with DH's 40th, but then I kick with the same foot as Chunderella it seems and grew up believing 'blessed sacrament' was a synonym for 'vodka or whisky?'