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Christening/Naming Ceremonies

Hello all,

Now things are starting to calm down a bit and me and DH have got used to life with this new, amazing, little person I've started to think about 'offical' welcome for Esme.



Does anyone have any experience of christenings or naming ceremonies, the last christening I attended was about 20 yrs ago!



Dh and I aren't practising christians, and were married in a civil service so feel quite hypocritical about a christening, esp. having to attend church for 5 weeks beforehand, in essence just to be able to book a date (we wouldn't continue going afterwards), so would prefer a naming ceremony, but they seem to work out so expensive (unless I've been given duff info!) as we would need to hold the event somewhere - our house isn't big enough for everyone, and you can never guarntee the weather here, plus paying for a celebrant to attend, and I'm not sure whether the venue has to be licensed for civil ceremonies?



What are others doing? If you've been to a naming ceremony, what was it like?



Thanks,

Elf x

Replies

  • Try contacting the Humanist society.



    I am a godparent (only not god because it was a non religous ceremony!) to my friends son, she had a humanist conduct the ceremony and held it at her friends house which was not licensed.



    The same humanist carried out the service for my other friend's wedding held at their parent's home. Obviously with the wedding they had to be married in a register office first to make it legal, but with a naming ceremony the only legal part is registering the babies name, which you will have already done I assume.



    Hope this helps.



    Nell
  • We're having a christening in July for Millie.



    Neither of us are particularly religious, but we think it is the right thing to do. We live in a small village, and don't know many people, so the church is a foot in the door, so to speak, to get us more involved locally. We also have to be church attenders to get Millie in the local primary school, so we may as well bite the bullet now. So really its more of a celebration and social reasons, but it will be a church service. The vicar knows this and was quite happy about it, even though we don't consider ourselves religious, he is quite modern, and happy to have us as part of the community.



    I've never been to a naming ceremony, only Christenings, so don't know anything about them.
  • i have just booked zacs christening 14th august and am so excited i myself am roman catholic but dont go to church and am not really religeous but have some faith oh is a southern baptist and all our children are baptised church of england, there is no need for us to attend church beforehand or after but will always be welcome is what our vicar says

    zac will also be christend c of e we thought about a naming ceremony but would rather give the church a donation the pay ridiculous amount to the register office

    our christenings have never been about religion more about a family get together to celebrate our little ones arrival and cant wait to do it again as it seems most of the time this is the only time we see some family :roll:
  • I went to a naming ceremony about a year ago, however there was no official part to it and I think it was more of a get together & celebration of the baby because they weren't having her christened. It was a really nice day even though there was no ceremony part.



    I would love to have my children christened but OH hates religion of any kind as it is the cause of all wars & evil etc & says if I have it done he won't be attending.
  • Thanks everyone, to be honest for me it would be more about the occassion than the religion, and I agree with you MummyNowto5 naming ceremonies are so expensive!



    Loobyloo - your vicar sounds nice, I've only read on their website, but ours says we definately need to attend 5 times before they'll even let us book!



    Nellanoo - will take a look at the Humanist society.



    Angel_eyez - my dh is the same, I've suggested we go to a service to see what it's like (I think the last time he went to church was at school and thinks it all fire and brimstone and guilt!), he's 'thinking about it' - which usually means 'no, but I need time to think up a good excuse'!



    Will get MIL to work on him over easter, esp. as Next have the most gorgeous christening outfit!



    E x
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