To be miffed at "Gift list for mother of the baby" enclosed in *Baby naming ceremony* invitation?

Craves - you are being exceedingly rude and judgemental. I am sure some people have naming ceremonies 'just for a party and presents', but that is because there are greedy people, not because of naming ceremonies. You could just as well say that some people have a wedding (church or civil) or a christening in church 'because they want a party and presents'.

IMO, naming ceremonies were invented because there are non-religious people who still want to celebrate the arrival of their child, welcome them to the family and give them special supporters (like godparents), without having to have a religious ceremony. What is wrong with that?

Do you believe that people who have civil wedding ceremonies instead go a church wedding 'are just doing it for a party and the presents'?

Your view is very offensive.

I agree with Pootles, and would also like to say that a naming ceremony can be as diverse an occasion as a wedding or birthday party.

I've been to two naming day parties and BOTH specified no presents. We just ate and drank and had a laugh. At one of them everyone sung a song together and then we all wrote down a wish for the baby and put it in a box. It was really lovely, not 'grabby' or attention seeking at all.

No that's the point pootles it's not unreasonable is it? It's my opinion that's all but you seemed to come across as if you thought I shouldn't be allowed that. I don't like them I think they are a grabby attention seeking thing however you do as you choose. I'm just glad to hear you didn't send a gift list out.

Right i'm going to bow out - I think this is an agree-to-disagree one. I would say that most people don't expect a gift, it's clear that the op's friend is a loon, and the rest of us that having naming ceremonies shouldn't be tarred with her loony-ness.

I invited people to my ds's naming day to celebrate with us, I put on a nice afternoon tea for them all, and we had a lovely time. Obviously unreasonable of me.

I was referring to the op post when talking about having a party to receive presents. It would seem the choice they are making is about the mother of the child getting what she wants hence the list. And calling people chavvy is certainly not nice, however I was referring to the posters choice not herself. Telling people to bugger off as they don't agree with your choice is also not nice. As for the naming ceremony being a made up thing to celebrate the child then go for it but don't expect others to conform and roll up with a gift etc.

Another one here NOT knocking a naming ceremony. It seems a reasonable thing to do if you are an atheist and want to have a party celebrating the new baby.
But it is NOT the same as a Christening. Where do you think the name comes from?

Have a nice day and a chance to celebrate their child's birth
But they presumably raked in a load of gifts and were congratulated on their child's birth 8 months ago, Pootles.
Unless he's the Second Coming a very special child, he must be fairly old hat to everyone except his adoring parents by now. Time to move on.

Right... can't say I considered whether my choice was 'chavvy' (vile word). But to say someone's only had a ceremony to celebrate their child to get presents is attacking it.

I didn't confuse a naming ceremony with a religious ceremony, indeed the difference between the two was the reason for me choosing a naming ceremony!

When we had a naming ceremony it was to have our closest friends and family there (25 people). We spoke about the DC's names and why we had chosen them, introduced their Odd Parents and the Odd Parents each said a few words. The ceremony was about 45 minutes then we all hung out and had a BBQ. It was a lovely day and didn't cost anyone anything.

It's not nice to call people chavvy.

Omg are you for real. I did not attack anyone's choices merely stated a fact. Having read your post I get it now pootles. You realise you made an idiotic maybe even slit oh chavvy choice and defend your ideas by telling me to bugger off. Believe me I in no way attacked anyone or anything in my original post but bloody will do now. I don't care if you choose a religious service or not. I also don't care if you have a naming ceremony and plant a bloody tree. I do however think you should have enough intelligence to know the difference between the two.

Weird. X

Well in my opinion if you go around belittling people's choices then you will probably be told to bugger off! It wasn't a personal attack on you anyway, or it wasn't meant to be - just get a bit sick of people being rude about it all. I hate the thought that maybe all our friends/family thought this of us, or were saying these things behind our backs

They are a made up thing, they're made up so people can have a nice day and a chance to celebrate their child's birth, without being religious.

You have to go just to see what happens. Will the mother sit on a throne whilst her guests present their gifts to her...

Definitely DO NOT buy anything from the list. I am . Your present sounds lovely and also appropriate

I wonder if the baby's future birthdays will also be an opportunity for mummy to treat herself!

A 'hot fork buffet' sounds terrifying. I have visions of red devils and pitchforks all around!

Loving with the word 'foofoo' up thread though.

It's not that I don't like naming ceremonies it's that IMO they are a made up thing for people to still get the presents and have the party. The point being is that it's my opinion and I am entitled to it therefore shall not bugger off as someone so nicely put it.

I think you should go though, OP, so you can come back and tell us how it went!

Buy them some.Mozzie Nets for a third world baby or a goat for a family on Zimbabwe.

We had a blessing and thanksgiving service which would probably be described as a halfway house between a christening and a naming ceremony. We didn't, at the time, attend church and felt it was wrong to make a promise to bring DS up as a church goer. But, for various reasons, we felt 'something' had watched over DS when he was a baby and wanted to give thanks for that.

The one thing we didn't do was send out a gift list! People bought him something if they wanted to, but we didn't ask for it and I'd never have dreamed of asking for something for me!

I'd go if it were me though ... And buy something for baby as a keepsake. But I'm arsey like that

Oh bugger off slagging off naming ceremonies. Just because something's new does that make it bad?

It is something more than just naming the child, it's welcoming them into the family, and giving the 'supporting adults' just the same responsibilities as Godparents!

All this disliking naming ceremonies just for the sake of it is so bloody miserable, frankly I'm sick of it!

Slag people off for wanting presents, but its not linked to it being a naming ceremony rather than a Christening, the two are not linked!

Also would like to point out that a naming ceremony is a made up thing that is in no way equivalent to a christening. It was made up for people who want a party and all the gifts. Simple.

When my two were baptised and some people came with a gift (for the baby!), I felt a little bit bad, guilty even - I sort of thought 'oh no, they thought they had to bring a gift'. Presents of any kind hadn't even crossed my mind.

That is one gift list, OP.

Funniest thing I have ever heard. S they got married in a church as they wanted a nice pretty wedding then turned into non believers. Then decided to have a naming ceremony as they are scared of missing out on gifts and are asking for gifts for themselves not the child. Don't go and make sure you tell them why.

it's the direct equivalent of a christening so the same rules should apply

No it's not. Christening is introducing the child into the Church by baptism, with godparents taking on responsibilities towards the child. It also includes naming the child.

A naming ceremony is just that and no more. And since the child's name is usually given at birth it seems to be nothing more than an excuse for a party. Not that there's anything wrong with a party of course!

And there I thought that the point of any celebration was to have the friends around.

I'm always just happy people turn up. If they bring a gift, it is always appreciated but not expected or pre-ordered.