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CELEBRATING A CHILD'S BAPTISMAL ANNIVERSARY:
FOR PARENTS AND GODPARENTS
Child ______________________________________________
Date of Birth ________________________________________
Date of Baptism ______________________________________
Church ___________________________________________
Godparents ________________________________________
This is a sheet to introduce
you to ways of celebrating baptismal anniversaries with your child or
godchild. On the date of their baptism, you can use any of the
following ideas or make up your own to celebrate their special day,
just as you would their birthday.
PRAY FOR YOUR CHILD OR GODCHILD
EVERY DAY
Preschool:
- Do activities together in the water
like playing in the pool, running through the lawn sprinkler, or playing
in the bathtub. You may want to purchase water toys such as:
bathtub toys, pool or beach toys, make puppets out of washcloths,
or give some type of natural bubble bath to your child.
- Consider making or buying a "church
bag" which contains quiet items such as books of saints or great Christians,
lacing, paper and markers, or other items with religious themes.
This bag then will be brought only to church on Sunday (so the child
doesn't get bored with it).
- Another idea is to give a toy that
is to be played with only on Sunday. This way, the idea of setting
aside a day that is special will make the toy more attractive to play
with and will be remembered years later as their "Sunday" toy.
Grade School through
Junior High:
- They, too, love water gadgets like
goggles, fancy soaps, or squirt toys. Or take them to water
places like the pool or beach.
- Other ideas for presents are the following:
candles, anything with the child's name on it, Christian books, videos,
or music.
- Light their baptismal candle and look
at pictures for their baptismal day. Share a prayer and make
the sign of the cross on each other's forehead saying, "Remember your
baptism. You are a child of God." Or "You are baptized in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
- If possible, attend your godchild's
first communion. Let them know that as a member of the family
of God through the works of baptism, they receive forgiveness through
the bread and the wine of the Lord's Supper.
- Read together, watch a movie, play
games together such as "Ungame" or "Scriptionary" where thoughts,
feelings, and values are shared or "Bible Challenge" which is a Bible
trivia game.
- Draw or paint together, send letters
back and forth or e-mail, fax, or telephone each other if you can't
be with one another. But, remind them continually that they
are part of the family of God and are cared and thought of specially
year round.
- Some families, at the time of Confirmation,
burn their children's baptismal candle down. This signifies
that the child has now started down the road of Christian responsibility
and it will be up to them to continue their own growth and learning
supported by their parents and godparents.
Ideas adapted from The
Godparent Book by Elaine Ramshaw, 1993, Liturgy Training Publications.
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