Christening candle and gown: what to do after the service
29/09/2026 · The Hero of the Book Team
What to do with the christening candle and gown once the service is over: when to light the candle, how to wash the gown and how to pack both for a move.
The christening candle and the gown (or shawl) come home with you after the service — they belong to your child, unless the church only lent them. The candle is kept for christening anniversaries and family milestones, the gown for a younger brother or sister's christening or simply as a keepsake. To last for decades and survive a house move, the candle mainly needs a cool spot and a sturdy case; the fabric needs washing, acid-free tissue paper and no plastic bags.
Why the candle and the gown are worth keeping
Both are part of the christening itself, not decoration. The white gown stands for a new beginning, and the lit candle for the light of Christ that the child receives. In the Church of England a christening and a baptism are the same service, and parents and godparents take on the promises on the child's behalf — which is why the candle comes back out at the moments that build on that day.
That has a practical side too: these aren't things you throw away without a second thought. Until then, the best approach is to treat them like a family document — they should have their own place, a label and someone who knows where they are.
Christening gown, shawl or robe: what you actually have
The word gown covers several different things in practice. Many babies wear a full christening gown, often a long white family heirloom; others wear a simpler romper or dress, or are wrapped in a white christening shawl. They all mean the same and need the same care.
Before you leave the church, check with the vicar whether the candle is yours to take home — it's much harder to sort out afterwards. If the gown is yours, you can pass it on to a younger sibling or to cousins. Families who do this embroider the initials and year of each child christened in it, in fine thread, inside the hem; in thirty years that becomes the most precious part of the whole garment.
When to light the christening candle again
The candle isn't lit for dinner, but for moments that link back to the christening. It only ever burns for a short while, so that it lasts into adulthood.
- The christening anniversaryMany families light it for a few minutes at the table or at bedtime and tell the child who came to the christening and what happened that day. With small children this works even better than a birthday party — it's short and it gives them a clear picture.
- A sibling's christeningWhen a younger brother or sister is christened, the older child's candle can stand next to the new one. Check it a few weeks beforehand, not on the morning of the service.
- Big days later in lifeSome people take it along to their wedding or another milestone of their own. By then it's their decision — and there has to be some candle left for it.
- How to burn it so it lastsStand it on a saucer, because coloured wax drips from the decoration. Let it burn for just a few minutes, then trim the wick, and never let it burn down below the decoration with the name and date.
Candle and gown: what harms them and how to store them
Each is damaged by something different. The candle is afraid of heat; the fabric of light, damp and sharp creases.
| Christening candle | Christening gown and shawl | |
|---|---|---|
| Worst enemy | heat — the wax softens and the candle bends long before it starts to melt | milk and food stains that turn yellow over the years |
| Light | the coloured decoration and print fade | white fabric yellows and the fibres weaken, especially silk |
| Packaging | a sturdy tube or box, lined with acid-free paper | a cotton bag or a box, layered with acid-free tissue paper |
| What to avoid | cling film directly on the decoration — wax ornaments stick to it | plastic bags, fabric conditioner, starch and pins |
| Where at home | a cupboard in a living area, lying flat or upright in its case | a cupboard in a living area, never the loft or the cellar |
| How often to check | every few years; a white bloom on beeswax is normal and polishes off with a dry cloth | once a year, take it out and refold it differently so the fabric doesn't keep breaking along the same crease |
Straight after the service: five things before it disappears into a box
- 1Find out what's yoursThe candle or the gown may belong to the church or another family. Return what needs returning straight away, and take home what's yours.
- 2Wash the gown within a weekThe fabric often picks up milk, dribble or crumbs from the party. On fresh fabric it comes out easily; in ten years it becomes a yellow stain. Lukewarm water, a gentle detergent, no bleach or fabric conditioner, dry flat and then let it dry out completely.
- 3Let the candle cool and clean itTrim the wick, wipe the soot around it with a dry paper towel, and wrap it the next day, once the wax has hardened all the way through.
- 4Write a labelThe date, the church, who conducted the service, who the godparents were, who decorated the candle. In twenty years nobody will remember it all. There's a template below.
- 5Photograph bothThe candle and the gown separately, against a plain background. If something goes missing in a move, at least you'll have a picture — and the photo is perfect for an album or a first-year photo book.
How to pack the candle and gown for a house move
Most christening candles don't perish in a box in the wardrobe, but during a move: in a sweltering van, under a pile of books or in a box nobody unpacks for years.
- 1The candle in a sturdy caseWrap it in acid-free paper, then bubble wrap, and put it in a poster tube or a wine bottle box. Pad out the gaps so it can't move — it's the candle that can knock against the sides that breaks.
- 2Roll the gown, don't fold itRoll it around a cardboard tube, or put tissue paper into every fold, and slip it into a cotton pillowcase.
- 3Both in one small boxLabel it clearly: “christening keepsakes — keep away from heat, travelling with us”. A small box won't get lost among a hundred identical ones.
- 4Take it with you, not in the vanThe back of a removal van, or a car parked in the sun, gets hot enough in summer to bend the candle. Put the box in the cab or in the car you're travelling in.
- 5Unpack it within a weekA new home is often damp for the first few weeks and the boxes sit on the floor. Check the candle and the gown, let the fabric air and put them straight into their new place.
One box for all the keepsakes from the early years
The candle and the gown go missing mostly when each thing lives somewhere different. What works is one sturdy box in the living part of your home, which also holds a copy of the christening certificate (the original belongs with your documents), photos from the christening and the godparents' gifts — usually a keepsake meant to last, silver, a children's Bible or an inscribed book; more on who gives what in Christening gifts: who gives what, and how to avoid doubling up — and perhaps a hand and foot print too.
One day you'll hand the box over to your child — when they leave home or get married. Hand it over with the label and a few lines about the day. A candle without a story is just decorated wax; with the label it's a piece of family history.
A label for the christening keepsakes box
Copy it and fill in the gaps. The first label is a factual record, the second a short message your child will read when they receive the box.
Sources
- Church of England: a christening and a baptism are the same service, normally with three godparents
- Keeping textiles: acid-free tissue paper, no plastic, cool and dark storage