Baby Naming Ceremonies

Traditionally, babies were baptised or christened into a particular faith or religion, with Godparents being “sworn in” to care for a child’s spiritual welfare.  Nowadays, it is getting more popular to appoint Guide Parents and to celebrate new life in the form of a Baby Naming Ceremony.  This is a pivotal moment for families and children as we welcome them officially into this world and bestow them with good fortune and warm wishes for a happy life.

In welcoming a child into the word, we get to celebrate one of life’s most glorious natural phenomena – the birth of a human being and the continuation of humankind.

We also get to bring that child into the care and concern of those people, in modern society, we now call Guide Parents and the love of the entire extended family. It is such a special time for new families and indeed a time for the whole family, young and old, to come together in joy and celebration.

There can be several ways to achieve such a grand welcome.   Whether you would like a lavish celebration at a hotel, a quiet do in your home or you like to get outside in nature and celebrate with the elements, there are many rituals and elements that can be incorporated to make your day special… here are a few ideas:

• A hand-fasting – similar to that of a wedding ceremony – a ribbon is passed between parents, children and Guide Parents to link them forever and create a special bond.  One or several ribbons of different colours can be used, the colours marking a different aspect of your way of being eg.  Green for health and harmony

• Sand or Candle Unity Ceremony :  Multi coloured sand is collected and blended in a ceremony, making it impossible to be separated.  Similarly candles are lit using one flame as a symbolism for unity and being “of one flame” .

• Wishing Tree or box:  Good luck notes are written on heart-shaped cards and hung on the tree or put in a box.

• Personalised cakes/treats:  Your child’s name written on rice paper and used to decorate small cakes (or big ones)!

• Surprise item of jewellery:  You may wish to give your child a locket, or something similar for remembrance or a good luck charm.  This can be placed underneath a guest chair and audience participation crafted around this.

• Time capsule :  Ask your guests to bring a small memento of “life as we know it” to place in a time capsule.  This can be buried/hidden as part of your ceremony or done at a later date in a favourite place.

• Make handprints – craft corner:  If you have many little ones attending, it may be nice to create a craft corner where they can make a collage or similar of their handprints.  The ideas for this are endless and can provide hours of fun.

• Magician :  To keep your little ones (and big ones) amused whilst adults are talking amongst themselves.

• Personalised poem or story :  There are many illustrators/authors now who can create a beautiful book or poem, personalised for your child/family.