A baby’s christening or baptism is a very special occasion.  It is the very first step in their spiritual life so there should be as many keepsakes of the day as possible.  Since the baby won’t have any first-hand memories of this special day, it’s up to the parents, godparents and family members to create lasting memories for them. 

There are always the popular items that make treasured keepsakes, but there are many other ideas that might get overlooked.  For instance, are the invitations just for inviting guests to the celebration and providing all the important details?  That is their main purpose, but saving just one of them to be framed or placed in a memory album/scrapbook will create a lasting souvenir of the occasion.

Here is a list of some more obvious and not-so-obvious items that make great baptism or christening keepsakes creating lifetime memories for the baby.

Gown or Outfit – Choosing heirloom quality fabric and taking the proper storage measures will help preserve the gown or outfit for future generations or just for a lasting remembrance.

Accessories such as shoes, socks, bib, blanket, bonnet, towel, headband, boutonniere -  They all add an extra special touch to the gown or outfit and make great mementos.

Setting a theme for the party is easy to do. Just announce it on the invitations and address what sort of gift should be brought. Some ideas for theme parties are:

- For the honeymoon: Guests bring gifts that would be useful on the honeymoon. Be sure to include the brides size requirements. It is also wise to include any allergies to fruit since some gifts, like edible body gels, may include actual fruit extracts.

- For the kitchen: This can include not only cooking utensils, but food. Encourage guests to help the couple stock their new kitchen. You can go a step further by requesting special gadgets, like sandwich machines and indoor grills.

- Garden Party: This party theme is for the gardening bride. Have guests bring things to help the bride establish a garden at her new home. Guests can bring tools, flowers or even clipping from their own garden.

These are just a few ideas on theme parties, but they should give you a good starting spot. You can see that giving the guests a set theme idea will help them easily chose a gift.