Christening
洗礼仪式

Babies are baptized in the Protestant faith usually between two and six months of age, although in some faiths children are not baptized until they are eight or nine years old and can read the service with the member of clergy and be active participants in their own baptismal ceremony. Catholic infants are baptized as soon as possible, usually from two to six weeks after birth.
新教教徒的孩子通常在2至6个月大的时候行洗礼。而在有些宗教中，在孩子8至9岁时才举行洗礼。这时，孩子可以和牧师一起祷告，并可成为本人洗礼仪式的积极参与者。天主教徒一般会尽可能早地为孩子安排洗礼，通常是在出生后的2至6个星期内。

If the christening is to take place during a regular church service, arrangements must be made well in advance. The baby is handed to its godmother with its outer wraps removed. In the Catholic ceremony, the godmother holds the baby over the font to receive the holy water. After the ceremony the clergyman signs the baptismal certificate. The child will need it later in order to receive Holy Communion, for confirmation, and in order to be married.
如果洗礼是在教堂常规礼拜时举行，必须事先做好安排。婴儿衣服外面包裹的衣物必须脱去，然后交给教母。天主教举行洗礼时，教母会用手托着孩子，举在洗礼盆上方，接受圣水的洗礼。仪式后牧师会签署一份洗礼证书。这份证书在孩子以后举行圣餐仪式、坚信礼以及结婚时都会用到。

A late morning christening is usually followed by a luncheon, often buffet. A late afternoon ceremony may be followed either by a formal tea or by a cocktail party. The food is more or less the kind served at wedding receptions, but an important ingredient of the party is a festival beverage with which to toast the baby's health: champagne, or champagne punch, or even white wine.
倘若近中午时分举行洗礼仪式，仪式后会举行午餐会，通常是自助餐。而近傍晚举行洗礼的话，之后还会有一场正式的茶会或鸡尾酒会。吃的东西与婚礼宴会上的类似，但必须有一种用以祝福孩子身体健康的欢庆饮料，那就是香槟酒或是香槟混合饮料，也可以是白葡萄酒。