How Did You “Welcome” Your Little One?

I actually asked this same question on here a couple of months ago.. My daughter's first birthday party is at the end of the month, and we are doing a blessing ceremony to honor her. It is not religious, but spiritual and I wanted to do it to surround her w/ positive energy, loving well wishes and blessings. Almost every religion or culture formally welcomes their babies in some way, and I wanted my baby to be celebrated also.

My best friend will be her Godmother, but more in the spiritual sense and more as a mentor and someone who she will know she can turn to if she needs anything. (I didn't choose a godfather) My friend is doing a reading and so am I.

I also included a peice of cardstock and a note for people to write down a blessing, prayer, or good wish for my daughter and to bring it to the party. I will put them in the scrapbook with pictures from the party..

I basically researched alot on the internet and also got some materials from people who preform these ceremonies. I also bought the book Baby Blessing by June Cotner. A friend of a friend had a non religious ceremony too and I looked at hers. I took things from different websites and the book to make it my own... If you want to send me a message, I'd be happy to email you my blessing and/or I could send you some of the websites that helped me.

Good Luck and please don't hesitate to contact me if I can help or if you have any questions...
L.

Hi I.,

Well for my family, we make it a BIG Deal because its hard for them to even get to 1. With SIDS and other unknown reasons why some children don't make it to 1. So we celebrate with friends and family. Some would even rent a Hall. I had two big parties for both my kids. And then the rest are low key like cake and coffee, until the big numbers like 5, 10 and what we do Sweet 15 Birthdays. Also, rent a Hall this is a young person coming into an older world. Almost everything changes, friends, relationships, being able to work. etc.... This is how we do it. :) Good Luck! :)

I'm part Cuban. When we baptize our children, before the ceremony the Godmother dresses the baby and the Godfather puts on the shoes. Generally, the Godmother purchases the Christening gown and the Godfather purchases a necklace or pendant with a cross on it for the baby. I hope this helps.

With each of our three children, we had a "blessing" around their first birthday. This ceremony included readings and a commitment to raise the child in our faith. One poem we read was "If a child is raised with criticism, he will be critical. If a child is raised with understanding, he will be tolerant", etc. I don't know the name of this poem. In lieu of presents, we gathered items to be opened at each child's high school graduation. As our children have grown up (they are 11, 9, and 8), they refer to these items, which they've never seen, as their "time capsule" and we have added beloved blankets and clothing through the years. Good luck!