My BIL who is 34 is getting baptized in a couple weeks. My question is, do you get an adult a baptism gift like you would when a baby is baptized? I've never been to an adult baptism before.

Thanks,
Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I've never heard of a gift being given, tho I think cards would be appropriate.

I've also never heard of one being "scheduled" like that - in a couple of weeks. For our church family, one gets baptized at the time one realizes one needs to be baptized, rather than waiting.

Not all churches have baptismal fonts and thus they have to prepare for and/or schedule baptisms.

Some churches require that prospective members take "membership" and receive counseling before being baptized.

But to answer the OP--I have never seen a present given at an adult baptism.

__________________
Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Yep....I grew up Baptist (and baptized in a Baptist church) and we had scheduled baptisms and now I am Methodist and we STILL have scheduled baptisms. I don't recall going to classes when I was going to the Baptist church we do DO have membership classes for the Methodist denomination.

As for the gift...I don't think so. But, I think as a previous poster stated, a card WOULD be very nice and probably very appreciated!!

__________________
Mom to a beautiful 15 year old DD and my handsome little man who's 6!

~~~GO DALE JR!!~~~

I would get him a nice card and probably put something in it...maybe a gift card for Barnes and Noble or something like that. ~Lisa

I've never heard of getting a gift for an adult when he is baptized. And yes, in the Baptist church they are scheduled. You can't fill up that baptismal pool every time someone wants to be baptized. It takes a while for it to fill up and be warm! We're talking full emersion, right?

A card would be appropriate. If you go to a religious bookstore, you will find beautiful cards for adult baptisms rather than baby baptisms.

I would say it depends on a few things - the first being - what is the religion?

I grew up Catholic and was baptized as an adult - this is simply the fulfillment of the scrament and I would have just wanted people to be there.

Baptism in the Baptist religion is claiming that you have been saved. This I would think is reward in itself. Again, I know alot of Baptist's who have just asked me to be there.

Personally I like to celebrate the big events in peoples lives and think that baptism as an adult shows alot more thought and desision than as a child. I would get the person a devitional book ($10-20) in their choice of religion along with a card.

__________________
saraedawson@yahoo.com

Mommy to Jake, Alexis, Abigail and Joshua, Wife to Matt

I still stick by my original post...I think that a card would be very nice and if you get him a gift card to a bookstore, hopefully he can use it to get a nice religious book...I think that not getting him anything is cheap and tacky! ~Lisa

Lisa, I really don't think of it as cheap and tacky not to gift someone for this occasion. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone "gifting" for this reason. I guess I'd have felt awkward were it seemed like something so exciting yet somber were turned into a present-giving thing... kind of like, well, I know one is a happy occasion and one a sad occasion, but kind of like a funeral, where you want to acknowledge that something happened and that you care, and so you make some overture - a card, flowers, etc - but it's not the sort of occasion I think of giving/getting a *present* for.

In our faith, the baptistry is always filled and warm, and when someone decides they need to be baptized, it's not something they tend to want to wait to do... much like in the Bible, when someone would ask, "What must I do to be saved" and the response would be to repent and be baptized, they would immediately go find somewhere for the baptism.

Personally, I would give a gift on this occasion (not that I think you *should* just that *I* would :-) In my religion we do tend to give some sort of gift at each of the life change celebrations. As far as funerals go, I don't usually give a gift but when my niece lost one of her two-month-old twins to cancer last summer, I gave her a necklace and her boyfriend a keychain - each had their daughter's name and dates of birth/death engraved on them. It just felt right to give them each a keepsake.

reannag, to me, that's a little different... but that may just be me. I guess a memento of sorts somehow feels a little different to me than some other "presents" might, if that makes sense. I know when our daughter was baptized (middle school age) my sister-in-law, who is a missionary, gave her a whistle from the country she lives in. It was carved by someone that attends their church, and there was a touching story behind it. It definitely had a connection to what had happened and had a sentiment attached.... and certainly wasn't like giving her a Barbie or something from Bath and Body Works.

OK, maybe it's the difference of religions. A baptism is a sacrament in the Catholic religion...something to be celebrated. Baptisms aren't an everyday occurence. Just curious, do you not give a gift when a baby is baptized? ~Lisa

I'm like you...I do it because I want to. I think that is so nice of you for giving them that gift. You sound like a very sweet and thoughtful person. ~Lisa

I wouldn't give someone a gift like a Barbie, a new dress shirt, or perfume for a baptism. I'd give them a religous gift of some sort marking the occasion...or as I said previously, perhaps a gift card to a book store...hoping they'd use it to get an inspirational book. ~Lisa

Thanks for all the input.

I don't know what religion it is. I'm pretty sure it is not Catholic or Lutheran because I don't think he's been taking classes, just going to the church. I guess that would be the 1st thing to find out. I usually give a cash gift in a card for a baby. I don't think this BIL would benefit from a book or gift card for a book. I don't think he reads much - other than to find out when NASCAR is on.

At this point, I'll probably plan to at least do a nice card. I just don't know if I'll put anything in it. Maybe I'll see what others in the family are doing.


Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Actually, no, I've never been to a baby baptism, or had a close friend whose baby was being baptized.

Our religion - and most of the religions in the area where I have lived most of my life - practices adult baptism only. Well, not "adult", but baptism that's the result of a decision on the part of the one being baptized, rather than an infant whose parents are choosing to have the child baptized.

It's not that I'd consider them an everyday occurrence - I guess my experience at baptisms has been a lot of hugging, singing, and saying "congratulations!"... but not present-giving.

Oh, we definitely don't do gifts like a barbie or something! I meant that at our children's Paganing they each received a necklace with a pentacle and another charm that represented the religious name they had chosen. When one of our Elders had her Croning we made her a necklace with a pentacle and 66 beads representing each year of her life and her journey towards wisdom. I meant I would give something meaningful to the adult being baptized - a spiritual book from their faith, a necklace or bracelet with a cross to commemorate this important event in their life, that sort of thing. Definitely no barbies or gift cards

reanna, that sounds really nice! And very much appropriate! :-)

I guess my first thought when I saw "gift" was something akin to a birthday party, rather than something meaningful to commemorrate what is, for all intents and purposes, apt to be the biggest decision/commitment one makes in life.

That may not've been where everyone else's mind went, though! :-)

I belong to a Methodist church and baptisms that occur during worship services are scheduled. You can also choose to be baptized privately and possibly these could be done at a moments notice, but I don't really know for sure. I grew up Presbyterian and my oldest son was baptized there. We had to attend a class with the minister before DS could be baptized. At the Methodist church where my youngest son was baptized, all we had to do was call in advance and schedule it.

To the OP -- I don't think a gift is necessary. I think a card with a nice note would be just fine. If you do want to give a gift, I would give some kind of momento or something with special meaning -- maybe a favorite Christian book with a note written by you in the front cover, a laminated card or bookmark with a favorite scrpture verse, or something like that, rather than a gift card to store or something like that.

When my oldest was baptized, some of my family gave gifts, but they were mostly toys -- nothing special or a keepsake and a few gave savings bonds. When DS#2 was baptized, he did not receive any gifts. When I have been invited to a baby baptism, I have usually given a special embroidered blanket, monogramed cup or spoon, or children's bible -- something personal and (hopefully) a keepsake.

Just my two cents........
Sarah.......mom to Jason & Devin

I think a card and/or a gift certificate to a bookstore would be a lovely gift.

__________________
Mommy Cracked

Ok, I asked MIL and she does not know what religion it is. She thinks it is some modern Christian church...not a regular denomination like Methodist or Presbyterian or anything like that.

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

You said he doesn't read and I don't know your finances, but how about taking him and his family out to eat afterwards? A way to celebrate this milestone in his life. I would then give him a card.
In our church (Southern Baptist), baptisms are scheduled so the water can be warmed up. We do full submersion baptism. Only the immediate family does something afterwards, usually a lunch.
Judy

I think this is a great idea! ~Lisa