How to plan the perfect baby blessing ceremony

Posted by Jeffhinkle Ceremonies on October 22nd, 2019

A baby blessing ceremony can be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life of your new family member. It can be a time to bring friends and family together to relax, celebrate, and commit to helping the child grow into a happy, healthy human. 

Baby Blessing Ceremonies can be a wonderful alternative for people who enjoy the ritual, the comraderie, and the commitment of a baptismal ceremony but prefer a less religiously defined approach. These ceremonies can be as formal or casual as you desire. 

There are some things to consider when deciding if you would like to have a baby blessing party. 

First, are there any other people who will be integrally involved in the child's life? While this role is traditionally held by godparents, some parents prefer to designate these secondary guardian roles with a whole host of fun and meaningful names. Choosing the particular title can be a fun activity all it's own! Consider Superhero Babysitters, Honorary Aunt and Uncle, Backup Parents, Designated Offspring Spoilers, or a whatever seems fun and meaningful to you. A baby blessing ceremony can be a wonderful opportunity to honor the commitment being made by these chosen guardians, as well as a meaningful way to symbolize their ongoing role in your child's life. 

Second, how many people do you want to involve? Is this a private ceremony with just you and the godparents, or is this a larger gathering where your friends and relatives come to meet your newborn and celebrate their future life? Whether you want to recreate the famous Disney scene where the fairies grant wishes to Sleeping Beauty (hopefully without an evil fairy chiming in), or whether you want to create a catalog of hopes and dreams for your child to read when they get older, there are many ways to create a personalized and significant space for your “village” to share with your and your child their well-wishes for you all. 

Third, do you want to have any kind of formal blessing take place? Whether you are seeking something spiritual but non-denominational, or whether you enjoy the formality but prefer a secular touch, having a unifying moment of blessing can unify the ceremony. It can be a time for reading a meaning text, whether that is a poem or the first chapter of a Dr. Seus book. It can be an opportunity to have your sentiments as a parent orated by another before your friends and family. It can be anything as meaningful or irreverant as you desire. 

Whether you want to create a space for friends and family to share their hopes and dreams for your child, or whether you want to bring your own well-wishes into words before witnesses, a secular or spiritual baby blessing ritual can be a beautiful moment shared with those most important to you and your child. Every parent and child relationship is different, and your baby blessing ceremony should reflect that special relationship. Jeff Hinkle has over a decade of experience helping people create rituals and ceremonies out of their hopes and dreams. Contact him at jeffhinkleceremones.com/contact to see how he can help you craft a celebration that is uniquely yours.