Preserving Your Child's Baptism

This post is the first in a series on decorating and keeping a Catholic home...


This post is going to be very simple and straightforward. When you are coming into the Catholic church as a convert or as a newborn, its going to come with some stuff. Yes, forgiveness of sin, the indelible mark of baptism, and whole new host of family in the form of parish members and all the angels and saints in Heaven. But it also comes with actual stuff in the form of certificates, baptismal candles and garments, gifts from all those new family members.

You might be tempted to toss it all in a nice keepsake box (or shoebox whatever your style may be) and pack it away to give to the darling child when they are ready to move out of your house. But why not display it in such a way that they have a daily tangible reminder of their faith and the forgiveness we receive daily from our Father? My children were all baptized into the Catholic church earlier this year at Easter Vigil. They received many lovely gifts and we took some awesome pictures of them with their Godparents. These aren't things I want to see stuffed in a box, but it was a bit of a dilemma figuring out how to display a stole and a candle in their already cluttered rooms. The problem was solved with a shadow box.

I think my daughter's display turned out the best. She had the most room on her walls and we had to include the picture I took of her Godfather snapping a group selfie.

This arrangement might not work for you, but try and think outside of the box (pun totally intended). Dedicate a shelf in your child's room strictly to the mementos they receive at religious ceremonies. Or if you don't feel that you have the room to display, purchase a large keepsake box or trunk to put smaller containers inside that contain those things received at Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and when they get married.