Christening List or Baby Registry? Use the Same List
For the christening you don't need a new list: you switch your baby registry to the christening. On BabyWish the list is the same one, with the same link, and only its occasion changes. What does change between the two events is everything around the list: the gifts people ask for, when you share it and who you share it with. A baby registry gathers practical things before the baby arrives and goes to a wide circle. The christening comes later, the gifts become keepsakes, and the people giving them are fewer and closer: godparents, grandparents, close family. Here is what changes, with a comparison table, and how the switch works step by step.
What really changes between a baby registry and a christening list
With the baby registry, you're asking for help setting up the home before the baby arrives: pram, car seat, cot, the first clothes. At the christening the baby is already here, and gifts become more sentimental than functional. The godparents usually give the most significant one, often something meant to be kept: a cross or a medal, engraved silver, a children's Bible, a savings account in the child's name. Other guests tend to bring smaller keepsakes or something practical for the months ahead.
| Aspect | Birth | Christening |
|---|---|---|
| Type of items | Pram, car seat, cot, first clothes | Keepsakes: cross or medal, engraved silver, frames, ceremony outfit |
| When you share it | Before the birth | When the invitations go out, a few weeks before the day |
| Who gives | Wide circle: relatives, friends, colleagues | Narrow circle: godparents, grandparents, close family |
| Price range | Often pricey items, suited to group gifts | Mostly individual gifts, with one bigger gift from the godparents |
| On BabyWish | The same list and the same link: only the occasion changes | |
If you'd rather not have a religious ceremony, a naming ceremony is the non-religious alternative many UK families choose. It has no legal standing, but the gift customs are much the same, and it works the same way on the list: you can even give the occasion that name. More gift ideas, for both godparents and guests, are in christening gift ideas.
Why the same list works better than a new one
The christening guests are often people who already gave something for the birth. If they open the same link, they see straight away what they and others already gave, marked as reserved, next to the new christening items. With a second, separate list they would have no way of knowing that the frame they have in mind was given four months ago.
Nothing is lost in the switch, either: gifts, reservations and group-gift contributions stay exactly where they are, and so do your delivery address and payment details. The link people already have from the birth keeps working, so you can simply send it again.
How to switch your list to the christening on BabyWish
- Open your list and tap “Edit list”. Next to the occasion (“New baby”) there is a “Change” button: it opens the “Change occasion” dialog.
- Choose “Baptism” as the new occasion. The dialog reminds you that every gift, reservation and contribution stays where it is.
- Add the christening date, if you have it. It's optional: leave it blank and add it later. The due date doesn't carry over, and guests won't see it any more.
- Check the summary of your delivery address and payment details: they don't change with the occasion. If something is out of date, fix it under “Edit list”.
- Confirm the change, then rename the list if its title still mentions the birth: the title doesn't change by itself. “{name}'s Christening” works better than anything generic. Under “Edit list” you can also give the occasion a name of your own, such as “naming ceremony”.
Then add the christening items to the same list, manually or by pasting a product link from any shop, and share the link again with godparents and family. There are ready-made messages to copy in sharing the christening list on WhatsApp. For the bigger gifts, such as a fund for the child's future, you can turn on a group gift: the money never passes through BabyWish, it goes straight to you.
Frequently asked questions about christening lists and baby registries
Can I use my baby registry for the christening too?
Yes. On BabyWish you keep the same list and change its occasion to the christening. Every gift, reservation and contribution stays exactly where it is, the link stays the same, and gifts already reserved for the birth stay marked as reserved, so nobody gives them twice.
Do I have to create a second list for the christening?
No. A BabyWish account has one list, and it follows your family from one occasion to the next: birth, christening, birthday. You switch the occasion from the “Edit list” dialog, and the new christening items go on the same list.
What happens to the due date when I switch to the christening?
The flow asks for the christening date, which is optional: leave it blank if it isn’t set yet and add it later. The previous date doesn’t carry over, and guests no longer see it.
Does the list title change by itself?
No. If the title mentions the birth, rename it under “Edit list”, for example to “Sofia’s Christening”. In the same dialog you can give the occasion a name of your own, such as “naming ceremony”.
When should I share the list for the christening?
There is no fixed rule. Sharing it when the invitations go out, a few weeks before the day, gives godparents and relatives who live far away time to choose without rushing.