No christening but want something else?

[Bangonthedoor]

Hi all, hope this is in the right place!

So DD is 22 months old. We aren't religious at all and neither DP or I have been christened. Therefore I don't feel it right to get DD christened at this stage, if she decides this for herself later in life then that's down to her.

However, we have a couple of really close friends who have been amazing to DD and she has built such a close bond with both of them. These 2 people aren't actually a couple it's just worked out this way. This makes me kind of want to do something to 'confirm' the bond between DD and them and also show them that we are really grateful for how they have been towards our little girl.

Any ideas on what we could do instead? Or experiences!

Tia xx

[Bangonthedoor]

Bump

[MyNameIsKenAdams]

Could you ask if it would be OK for DD to refer to them as Aunt / Uncle? This could then be recognised regularly on cards etc.

[slp123]

we had a naming day in local woods . All very low key with picnic after.

[Bangonthedoor]

Thanks both for your ideas, I'll have a look into both

[CuriosityCola]

We also had a naming ceremony. It was very low key and really lovely. It was important to me that we weren't renouncing religion for our child. Therefore, we didn't have a humanist practitioner. We had a non religious ceremony that focused on wishing dc a good life and each mentor said what they hoped life would bring him. You can call the chosen adults god parents or mentors. It was a great day. We had ours inside due to the weather, but could have been held anywhere.

[stealthsquiggle]

We had a "naming party " for DC1, when he acquired "godparents", each of whom read something, and friends and family attended as they would have done with a christening.

Trouble is, we used up all the good godparents and poor DC2 doesn't have any yet (and she's 7)

[NormHonal]

Our local registry office offers a "naming ceremony" service (for a fee).

We just had a party, loads of people came.

[Bangonthedoor]

Thank you all for your suggestions! My only worry is that people will think we're doing all this a bit late in the day for a 22 month old! When I say people I mean in-laws obviously!

[BikeRunSki]

We had a Humanist naming/welcoming ceremony for each of our dc when they were babies. Both were lovely, v personal to us. Both dc have two "Guideparents". Even kept my Catholic mum happy!

British Humanist Association

[slp123]

Our daughter was 16 months and thoroughly enjoyed running about and getting lots of attention, oh and also helping to plant a special tree. I would say do what is right for you and your child, in my experience, in laws often have their opinion but usually come round to being supportive and on board because they love their grand children.

[Bangonthedoor]

Thank you for the link bike will check it out!

Lovely words thank you, and I assume you're probably right. I do think it would be just perfect for dd

[WaitingForMe]

Ignore the inlaws. Mine thought I was very odd but I come from a big party family but am the only true atheist (eg. DB vaguely atheist but did the church thing for SIL) so wanted the party.

We themed DS's on Water Dragons (born 2012) with a dragon made from cupcakes etc. I used to live in the Far East so it all meant a lot to me and nobody had been to a party quite like it before.

You can do anything you like. Make it up. IMO religion is just really old made up stuff so I figured why not present a Dragon Baby Party as an official event

[bishboschone]

We had a welcome to the world party .. Was fun

[Bangonthedoor]

Lovely examples thank you!

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Your local Registrar can conduct a naming ceremony and you can (if you are married) renew your vows at the same time - I've been to a couple of these celebrations and it feels like a lovely consolidation of the whole family.

[stealthsquiggle]

You could combine it with her 2nd birthday as a big "celebrating DD" party, maybe?

I like the idea of dragon theming - presumably OP's DD is also a water dragon?

[EATmum]

Our first two DDs had a joint naming day at 6ms and 2.5 yrs respectively. Both had a fab time (well DD2 kind of slept through it) and family and friends came to the house after for a celebration. Naming celebration was at the local registry office, which provides this service and was lovely. DD3 had same, but 6 years later (on same actual day of the year though), and we had another really nice celebration. We had ungodparents for each child, and there was an opportunity for grandparents and other family members to be acknowledged too.
One arrangement we had (idea stolen from someone else) was to ask anyone who wanted to give our DDs a present to wrap something (original or new) from their own childhoods that was significant, and put an age on it as to when it should be given to that child. So each year on the naming day 'date' we look in the box at anything that each child has become the right age for - books, films, games, diaries, promises for trips out etc. It's been a really nice thing for them to have - even when some years have no specific gift, they like the opportunity to look at things that are still wrapped but full of potential!

[Bangonthedoor]

I really like these ideas!!

Unfortunately though cakes me and DP aren't married -yet-

Yes stealths DD is also a dragon and I like the idea of combining it with her birthday...I think I'm going to need a note book for all this planning!

eatmum what a lovely idea to do that! That's so special and meaningful too.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

In that case you could combine the naming ceremony with a wedding . Might save you on the fees??

[Bangonthedoor]

Ha love that idea cakes I'll put it to DP!

[CuriosityCola]

Stealth squiggle, is there a reason you can't use the same godparents?

[mummy1973]

Unitarians also do namings. We did that for our two. All faiths and none welcome.