1. The primary role of a godparent is to watch over your godchildren, as if they were your very own. If you have a godmother and want to send a special gift of thanks, here are three lighthearted ideas.
2. Sometimes there’s no better way to flaunt being a godmother than with a T-shirt. To show your godmother how much you care, give her a T-shirt that boasts her special role: “World’s Greatest Godmother” or “World’s Best Godmother.” Make your own shirt by purchasing a blank T-shirt, then iron on the letters. Check with specialty shops also. Cafepress.com is a great starting place and carries several godmother-inspired shirts.
3. Present your godmother with a charm bracelet. Purchase a bracelet from your favorite jewelry store and fill it with little charms that will remind her of her godmother duties—including a bottle, a diaper or a soccer ball. Or find a shop that custom makes charms. Charms are found at stores such as Nordstrom, Uncommon Goods or Red Envelope.
4. Shop with a fairy godmother theme in mind. Give a personally engraved wand as comical memorabilia. Or buy a plastic wand and decorate it with special colors, streamers and ribbons designed especially for the recipient. This gift idea is sure to get a laugh as well as a smile.

The gliterrati descended on Stockholm for the baptism of Swedish Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, future heir to the throne.

Estelle is the first royal birth for the Swedes in 30 years.

Attracting blanket media coverage the event diverted attention from recent royal scandals.

Around 400 guests attended the christening of the daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel which was performed by archbishop Anders Wejryd.

Hundreds of people had gathered outside the palace in central Stockholm to catch a glimpse of the royals.

A christening or baptism party should be a very special day for parents, child and family. The christening or baptism of a baby or child is a universal initiation rite of the Christian religion involving the sprinkling of water on the child’s forehead or immersion in water, symbolizing the washing away of sins. At these ceremonies parents and godparents pledge their intentions to teach the child the basic principles and values based on religious teachings in the presence of family and close friends. Today this ceremony is also associated with the taking of a name to symbolize new life. There is no particular recommendation on a specific age when a child should be christened or baptized. In many instances people who have found religion late in life are baptized as adults.

Christening and naming ceremonies are a time when families and close friends get together to celebrate the occasion. A christening or baptism starts with a religious service at which the child is introduced into the Church. And, because this ceremony is often part of a Church service, the celebration party that follows is in the afternoon or evening. Non-religious parents, on the other hand, welcome their child into the world and publicly voice their intentions for the benefit of the family.

The planning of a christening or baptism should take place well in advance of the ceremony. The date of the celebration will depend on the date that the church service will take place. Parents should contact the Church to make arrangements.

In many Churches the godparents play an important role in the ceremony, so make sure that the godparents are well informed of the different events of the day. The next step is to send invitations. Invite friends and family for whom you have a high regard and who might play a strong positive role in the life of your child. Include information of the sequence of events of the day: venues, dress code and directions. If you intend going to a restaurant, book early.

The child should wear a nice white outfit. Make the outfit yourself or have the child’s outfit made. If a baby is being christened, take into account that babies grow fast and might outgrow the outfit before the ceremony.

When planning the party, keep it simple. The location of your party will depend on the number of guests and the type of party you intend having. A simple, small and casual get-together is often the best way to go and can be fun and memorable. A party in a local park, weather permitting, could turn out to be a fun way to celebrate.

Plan games and food well in advance. If there will be a number of children, arranging specific entertainment for them is a good idea: for instance a clown, magician or jumping castle. For the younger children, an area where they will find toys, coloring books and games is a nice touch. Older kids might enjoy a DVD.

Remember to arrange the photography. Today disposable cameras are cheap and readily available. Buy a few and hand them to a few of your guests and instruct them to take photos. Now wait for the surprise snap shots.

What To Wear To A Christening

To share in the joy of a baby’s Christening is a memorable experience. This special occasion calls for dressy attire.

1 Consult the parents about the formality of the event. Business-casual clothing is appropriate for most baptismal ceremonies; however, slightly dressier attire may be expected of godparents.

2 Consider slacks with a shirt and tie, if you’re a man, or a sweater and sport coat. A dressier option would be a suit. Pair loafers with slacks and lace-up shoes with a suit.

3 Select a nice dress, if you’re a woman, or a simple suit for a dressier option. Keep skirt length to the knee or longer; pair with low, comfortable heels.

4 Choose bold colors that complement your natural coloring. White and lighter colors may betray any of the baby’s blunders on your shoulder.

5 Keep jewelry neat, as the baby may grab on to a dangling earring or long necklace.