Messages · Christening
What to write in a christening card
36 messages in 6 groups. Free to use.
Short, for any christening card
When several people sign, or the card is small.
Congratulations on Aoife's christening. A lovely day for a lovely girl.
Welcome to the church and to the family, little one. With love on your christening day.
Wishing you a joyful christening day, and every blessing in the years ahead.
Congratulations on your baby's christening. We're so glad to share the day with you.
With love and congratulations on this special day.
A beautiful name for a beautiful day. Congratulations to you all.
With a religious note
For families for whom faith is part of the day.
May God bless and keep you, today and always. With love on your christening.
On your baptism day, we pray you'll always know how loved you are, by your family and by God.
Welcome into the family of the church, little one. May your life be full of light.
With every blessing on Cian's christening, and a prayer for the whole family.
May faith, hope and love go with you all your days. Congratulations on your christening.
Today you were welcomed with water and with love. May both stay with you.
Warm, without religion
For families who celebrate the day mainly as a family gathering, or if you're not sure.
What a day: everyone who loves you, in one place, for you. Congratulations, little one.
Congratulations on the christening. We hope today is the first of many days full of the people who love her.
Wishing your son a life full of good people, starting with the ones in the room today.
A day to celebrate a very small person with a very big welcome. Congratulations.
We're so happy to be part of your day. Welcome, little one, to a family that's lucky to have you.
Congratulations on the christening. May she always feel as surrounded as she was today.
From a godparent
A godparent's card can make a small promise. Keep it one you can keep.
To my godson: I promised today to be there for you, and I meant it. See you at every birthday.
Dear Aoife, being asked to be your godmother is one of the proudest moments of my life. I'll be there, always.
To my goddaughter, on your christening day: whatever you need, whenever you need it, just ask.
Today I became your godfather. That means someone extra in your corner, for life.
Little one, I'll be the one who takes you on adventures and brings you home in time for tea. Love, your godmother.
My promise to you on your christening day: to listen, to cheer you on, and to always be glad to see you.
From grandparents
Grandparents' words are often kept longest. A memory of the day makes them precious.
To our grandson on his christening day: we held you at the font today, and we'll never forget it.
Dear Aoife, your grandad cried a little today. Don't tell him we told you.
On your christening day, we wore the same smiles as on the day your mum was christened, all those years ago.
To our granddaughter: welcome to a family that has waited for you with so much love.
May you grow up knowing that your nana and grandad are always just around the corner.
Today we watched you being welcomed by everyone who loves you. We're so proud to be among them.
To write in a book
An inscription lasts longer than a card. Add the date and your name.
For Cian, on your christening day, 14 June. So that one day you'll read about the day everyone came for you.
This book was given to you on your christening day, by your godmother, who loves you very much.
For our granddaughter, christened today. We'll read this to you until you can read it to us.
To you, little one, on the day you were welcomed. May this story be the first of many.
For your christening, with love. One day you'll ask what it was like; the answer is in this book.
Dear Aoife, you slept through most of your christening. Here's what you missed.
Write your own message in four steps
Use the child's name
The day is about one small person. “Congratulations on Aoife's christening” reads warmer than any general formula.
Match the family's tone
Some families celebrate the christening as a sacrament, others mainly as a family day. If you're not sure, a warm message without religious language works for everyone.
Add one memory or detail
The christening gown that was worn by three generations, the church, the grandad who cried. One detail makes the card worth keeping.
If you're a godparent, make a promise you can keep
“I'll be at every birthday” means more than “I'll always be there for you”, because the child will be able to check.
Slips to avoid
Assuming how religious the family is
A card full of scripture for a family who celebrate mainly as a family, or no mention of faith for a family for whom it's everything. If you're not sure, ask, or keep it warm and simple.
Writing only to the parents
The card is for the child, and they may read it one day. At least one line can speak to them.
Promises that are too big
“I'll always be there for you” is lovely and hard to keep. A smaller, concrete promise lasts longer.
Frequently asked questions
- What do you write in a christening card?
- Congratulations, the child's name, and a wish for their life. Match the family's tone: with a religious note if faith is central to the day, warm and simple if you're not sure.
- What does a godparent write in a christening card?
- A small, concrete promise works well: to be at every birthday, to take the child on adventures, to always listen. In Ireland and the United States, a Catholic godparent must be at least 16 and confirmed, so the promise is one made by an adult.
- Is a baptism card different from a christening card?
- No, the words are used for the same day: christening is more common in Ireland and the UK, baptism in the United States. The messages on this page work for both.
- What goes in an inscription in a christening book?
- The date, the child's name, your name and a sentence that will mean something later: what the day was like, who was there, what you felt.
All the messages on this page were written for Sagalino and are free to use, with no credit needed. Copy them, change them or print them on a card without asking.
Sources
- Freckles: The beautiful tradition of christening in Ireland. For a Catholic baptism in Ireland, at least one godparent who is a confirmed, practising Catholic aged 16 or over.
- U.S. Catholic: Who can be a godparent? A Catholic godparent must be at least 16 and fully initiated.
So the message becomes a keepsake
A book in which the child is the hero is kept and reread for years. You read the whole story for free and only pay afterwards.
Also worth reading: messages for a new baby, messages for a child's birthday, messages for a First Holy Communion. Or see all occasions.