To stamp my feet about this?

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

I want a naming day for DS. DH and I are both atheists so a christening is out but I don't see why we should miss out on the tradition and ceremony of welcoming a child in to the world.

I agree it's a bit pointless but it's a harmless excuse to get everyone together for a bit of a party. I would ask for no gifts as we got married last year so our friends and family have already been landed with a wedding, baby's birth and Christmas recently. I just want to see everyone, have a nice day, some food and drink and some nice photos.

DH says there is no reason to do it and we should save our money but I don't want a big elaborate do, just a party in the garden.

Do you think DH is BU? I am not sure which of us is so I haven't pushed the issue (yet!)

Why not just keep it simple and say it's a party to introduce the baby to his family and friends? A naming ceremony is always going to be a poor man's christening, if you see what I mean, and there doesn't need to be any ceremony attached, just a chance for the people you love to get together and coo over a lovely baby. Plus, if you don't give the party a pretentious name, then nobody feels obliged to bring gifts and there's no expectations.

Our DCs aren't christened, but we had a party to celebrate the arrival of each of them, informal lunch parties for lots of friends and family. No ceremony, but a very short speech and a toast to the new baby. They were lovely occasions and people did bring them christening style gifts.

We had a Naming Ceremony and we had a great time. I expect others thought it was cringy at times but I wanted my son welcomed into our family and for him to have the equivalent of Godparents. You do what you want and don't worry about what other people think.

Never seen the point in a naming ceremony, do people really need a party to welcome a baby to the family?

However I hate christenings where the family are not religious.

Please, please don't call it a 'naming day'. Let alone have a little 'ceremony'. Utter, utter self-indulgent wank.

Have a BBQ, call it 'A BBQ'. Your friends and family will think better of it, trust.

We combined DD's naming day with her first birthday party. It was mostly a compromise for my dad though who really wanted use to have her christened.

We didn't have a ceremony as such, but I asked a very good family friend who is very outgoing to make a 'speech' which got everyone laughing, my niece read a poem and we got grandparents to make promises.

We also put little note cards out and asked everyone to write a message for DD. They are a lovely memento of the day and will be really nice for DD to read when she is a bit older and see the messages friends and family left for her.

It was a really lovely day (apart from the fact that DD was a little ill ). I must admit, I wasn't as keen on the promises, but they were nice enough and it stopped my dad whinging.

I don't understand people's objections to it to be honest. Why should only religious people get to make enduring promises to children in front of friends and family? If you don't like it, don't have one.

bring a bottle :)