BABY NAMINGS

Celebrate your baby's arrival with loved ones

When a new baby is born into your family or you adopt a child, you will want to share the joy with friends and relations by celebrating with a naming or welcoming ceremony.

You will probably want your child to make their own choices about religious beliefs when they are older. Your naming or welcoming ceremony can be non-religious, and it will welcome your new arrival into the family and community with ritual.

Your ceremony can be conducted in your garden, home, a village hall, in a park or hotel. Perhaps you will want to make promises to your child and appoint guide parents, mentors or supporting adults (equivalent to God parents) who will also make promises.

Your ceremony will be written especially for you and your child. Other important members of the family and friends will also be recognised. Siblings will be encouraged to take an active part in the ceremony, by saying something, handing over a picture or singing a song to their new brother or sister.  Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins will also be recognised as having important roles in your child's life.

You might wish to light a candle, give your child a gift, plant a tree, or adopt an animal or a child in a developing country as a symbolic act.

As a special keepsake you will receive a presentation copy of your script.