What do little boys wear for their christening?

[AbiGilby]

I was baptised as a baby and my Mum kept my gown. DS is going to be baptised soon (in the next two or three months) and I was wondering if he should wear my gown? DH was baptised as a baby too, but wore a little sailor suit, apparently. However, MIL didn’t keep it. What is right?

he can wear anything you want him to - there's no real etiquette these days.
I haven't seen a baby in an actual christening gown for years, but if you'd like him to wear yours there's no reason he shouldn't.
I have seen a child christened in an outfir made from the fabric from is mum's wedding dress, which I thought was quite a nice idea.

Personally I'd be scared to put a baby in an ancestral thing like that because I'd be terrified of sick/cake/mud/nappy explosion etc, and would go for something attractive but not irreplaceable!

boys can wear gowns although we had our ds christened in a little boys outfit. Lovely little outfit that had a waistcoat effect and a hat. Go to boutique shops and have a look.

ds wore the family gown and looked beautiful. Dp wasn't keen so we compromised. For the cermony he wore the gown, had lots of pictures taken, and when we got back to the house we changed him into a smart shirt and trousers. (besides our gown was 120 years old so I couldn't relax until it was off him).

Wear the gown - it's only for 1 day!

Hi,

My ds was 18 months old when christened, so as he wouldn't fit in the family gown, i bought him a really nice pair of trousers with a really smart shirt and a gorgeous waist coat.

But at the end of the day, it's every body to their own.

Hope you decide on something you would like rather than others choices.

Butty.xxx

we didn't have a gown for our boys to wear, so they wore white trousers, a white t-shirt and a white cardican/jacket thing and white socks!
looked nicer than it sounds

Which ever you would prefer. If this one is a DS I will be making a gown out of my wedding dress for him to be christened in. DS1 was christened when he was 2 and wore linen bermuda shorts and short sleeved shirt.

I would say gown.

Although both my girls have been christened in gowns, my brother as a baby was in a gown, and i have a boy, he will wear a gown too - i may only be 23 buti m a tradtional girl through and through!

I really like the idea of him wearing my gown, but my Mum says he’s a boy, and shouldn’t wear a gown. MIL also says boys shouldn’t wear gowns. DH says what-ever I want is fine with him, and he’ll support me with the mothers. I’m just so confused. But, I do like the idea of gown for the ceremony, and smart shirt and trousers for the celebration – thanks PanicPants.

Traditionally, both boy and girl babies wear christening gowns. Ds at 5 months wore the same gown worn by dh when he was 3 months, and we've got a framed photo on our wall of dh's aunt holding dh at his christening, and holding ds in same pose at his.

We changed him into a normal baby outfit for the reception though - christening gowns look lovely I think, but are not practical and you don't want them going anywhere near food.

My DS1 got christened at 8 months & I bought him some sweet little white short dungarees & a sailor hat.
My DS2 has still not been christened at the age of 3 - but hoping to get him done this year & have bought him a cream grandad shirt & some cream striped trousers.

DS wore the gown that my brothers, sister and I wore. he was changed into comfy baby clothes afterwards though.

DD was 6mth old and so was far too big to wear it. my husband made her a very simple gown out of leftover material from my wedding dress.

I have never seen a boy christened in anything other than a christening gown.

just out of curiosity what age are babies normally christened at in UK?

ds was around 8 or 9 weeks old, but I think most babies are usually a bit younger.

when dd was christened at 6mth the priest was looking around for a tiny sleepy babe-in-arms and was quite surprised to see a big chattering giggling girl

Mine both wore my gown but it is up to you.

All mine wore different. DS1 had a silk romper suit from BHS, DS2 had a long blue satin gown that I made (only thing I ever made, start big don't I?) DS3 had a gorgeous tweed shorts and cream shirt combo that I found in a designer shop on t'internet. DS3 was a naming ceremony though. DS 1 and 2 were baptised at about 5 months, ds3's ceremony was on his first birthday.

saw a lovely range of christening type outfits in mothercare of all places the otehr week

ds wore a romper suite type thingy. he was only 3 months and it was June. NIHGTMARE to find anything appropriate.

Glowrom - think the trend is towards a later christening in the UK. In my mind anything between 3 months and a year is 'normal', but I'm aware that different denominations may have different traditions.

My not so petite little boy will be just over 13 months old when we get him christened in July. There was no particular reason for leaving it so late other than I wanted to have a summer do (making use of the garden for the party after) ... and I didnt get my act together quick enough last year. We have got him a gorgeous little Joseph linen three piece (shorts, shirt and waistcoat). He looks fab in it. Only cost £60 which is cheaper than a lot of the gowns I saw, and he can wear it again afterwards. A friend of ours was christened last year and he is in his late 20's. Think it was something to do with getting married.

My Ds wore the most beautiful gown.

Unless he turns out to be a cross dresser, it will be the only time he will get to wear a dress in church.

Mine were baptised Orthodox rather than C of E or Catholic, so it's slightly different. They really do get dunked, so they wear something reasonably smart but easy to take off for the first part, and then they are dressed in the 'dressy' outfit by the godparents after they are dried off from the baptism. DSs both wore shirt/trousers/waistcoat combos. I tend to see gowns as something for little babies (they were 5 and 7 months) I've kept their outfits with all their other baby stuff, but don't really see it being passed on.