SoRaiseYourGlasses

Naming Ceremonies are the modern equivalent of a Christening for non-believers and they represent a lovely way to celebrate the child's arrival in the World and a way to mark this very special event in the minds and hearts of those closest to you and your new child.

The ceremony can be put together by yourselves, with your own choice of readings, poetry, music and any other elements you would like to have in it. This can make the ceremony very special as it becomes such a personal event, and of course you can, if you wish, have the equivalent of Godparents or "guideparents" or "supporters" to represent the child and to offer some extra love and guidance over the years to come. There is no set etiquette for a Naming Ceremony but there are some places where you can find guidance and help.

If you want the ceremony to be a formal occasion and you are not comfortable conducting it yourself you can always get a celebrant to run the service for you. The British Humanist Association (www.humanism.org.uk) will provide a trained celebrant for a fee for this purpose, or you can get your ceremony organised entirely at www.civilceremonies.co.uk  Alternatively you can conduct the ceremony yourself or get a friend or family member to do this for you.

The venue for your ceremony is once again a matter of personal choice and will depend to some extent on the number of people that you wish to attend. Many people have naming ceremonies in their own home, and some will hire a hall or a room in a hotel for the purpose.

The important elements of a Naming Ceremony are entirely for you to decide, and of course, it is likely that you will want to put the child and your hopes for his or her future at the centre of the ceremony. As with a Christening you may want to make some promises or commitments for or on behalf of the child or ask the child's supporters to make promises or commitments for the future guidance of the child.

A possible format might look something like this but of course this is only a suggestion, and there is no set format that needs to be followed:

• Welcome
• Introduction of the child and the meaning behind his or her name
• A Reading
• Commitments and Promises from the Supporters
• Some celebratory music
• A Few words in thanks and conclusion

This can then be followed, as with most celebrations, with the serving of some food and drinks for the guests.

At So Raise Your Glasses we can help with Naming Day invitations, napkins, and with balloons, confetti, plastic glasses, plates and other decorations to help to complete the celebration atmosphere,

Make your Special Naming Day Ceremony extra special with So Raise Your Glasses - The Quality Celebration Store