Create Meaningful Ceremony – Welcoming Ceremonies

 in Ceremony / Welcoming Ceremony  tagged child naming / child welcoming / meaningful ceremony / naming ceremony by

Create meaningful ceremony to celebrate the important moments in life. Share your love with a personal wedding as discussed in my last blog post. Welcome a new child to your family with a sweet naming or welcoming ceremony. Honor a loved one with a poignant memorial service. Mark a new phase of life with an inspirational celebration. This week’s focus is on how to create a sweet welcoming or naming ceremony to celebrate a new addition to the family.

Naming or welcoming ceremonies are appreciated by families who are not religious, but want to celebrate the amazing experience of adding to their family. If the child is truly a newborn when the ceremony is held, a Naming Ceremony makes sense. If the child is 6 months or older, a more general Welcoming Ceremony may be more appropriate.

Family puzzle for Child Welcoming ceremony.

In either case, here are a few guidelines to remember:

  • If an infant or small child is the honoree, keep it short and sweet as attention spans are short. You might even want to keep it very informal – gather in a circle and let the little one wander inside while the ceremony happens.
  • Plan the ceremony around the child’s schedule. You don’t want a cranky child in need of a nap when everyone is gathering.
  • Include a ritual or activity that results in some kind of keepsake that can be shared with the child as they grow up and you can tell them about the ceremony.
  • It’s fun and appropriate to recognize parents, grandparents and others you expect to have an ongoing and influential role in the child’s life.
  • Keep the attendance list to family or very close friends. A child welcoming ceremony is often held at home, so keeping the guest list small helps.

With a Welcoming Ceremony you create meaningful ceremony for the parents and family now, and for the child later on when it can be shared with them. It is cause to gather, to celebrate, and to share food as you welcome the newest addition to the family.

Next time I’ll tackle the important memorial service. How to create meaningful ceremony to honor, celebrate and grieve the loss of a loved one.