Secular baptism produces children: many parents wish to celebrate the arrival of their child, surrounded by their loved ones, without necessarily having recourse to the religious ceremony.
Yes: reinventing the baptism ceremony, it is possible. By preferring a secular party to welcome baby, many have the impression of being more honest with themselves, not necessarily being believers or practitioners. They see it as an opportunity to create from scratch a tailor-made event that suits them.
If in France it is possible to opt for a civil ceremony at the town hall, this option is not available in Quebec. Never mind: let's create our own rituals!
“Not being believers, we preferred to have a small party at home, surrounded by our close friends and family members to welcome our son Noam. Everything was done in simplicity, as we wanted. A few bites, a brief speech from the parents, the “ godfather” and the “godmother ”… and bubbles! All we wanted was to introduce our son to these people who were going to be a part of his life. It was not intended to be formal or serious: moreover, on the invitation to the event, we had invited theinvited to Noam's coming out! » – Marie-Eve
A unique ritual
It is therefore up to you to choose the formula that suits you best: whether it is very simple or large-scale, if your ceremony resembles you, you will keep inexhaustible memories. In short, you hold the reins.
Here are some options available to you and points you should consider when organizing your event
- Officiant. When you opt for a religious baptism, there is no question: it is the priest who officiates the ceremony. Would you like one? Who will be the officiant and what will be their role?
- Location. At home or in a room? You could also reserve a section in a restaurant.
- Age of the child. Some prefer to perform the "baptism" (some prefer to call it "birthday") when the child is very small: it is indeed a way of presenting it to everyone, for the first time. It is also possible to wait until baby is a little older, so that he too can participate in the party. For example, you could wait until his first birthday and kill two birds with one stone!
- Rituals. Choose a ritual that speaks to you: plant a tree, ask guests to make a wish for the child, give him a symbolic gift… Parents can take the word, tell, for example, their first meeting, make a testimony of love,express their wishes for baby. You could also collect all the greeting cards and giftsand make a little treasure box for your child.
- Godfather and godmother. If you wish to appoint a godfather and godmother, they will no doubt wish to participate in the ritual, by making a speech or, why not, by offering a song or a poem. Some wait until the child is older: it will be up to him to appoint a godfather or godmother of his choice.
- Certificate. Of course, there is no official certificate when you reinvent the baptism of your child in this way, but you could still polish one. Why not take the opportunity to mark it with your child's footprints?
Music and readings
Choose music and readings that particularly speak to you. If you lack inspiration, do not hesitate to do research on the internet. Here are some reading ideas.
- An excerpt from The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- The Prophet, by Khalil Gibran (excerpt about the child)
- When the child appears, by Victor Hugo
- Wishes for the child, by Nazim Hikmet
- I Clam, by Martin Gray
- To have a daughter, by Gérard Presgurvic
“For my son's ceremony, we had rented a space, the “godmother” and the “godfather” had addressed a note to the guests, the grandparents too, and everyone had filed in to deposit a flower, all different,with music. It was very simple and very beautiful. » – Maude
And as for the songs, there are several. Crush on these songs.
- A child of Jacques Brel
- Steve Faulkner's Meteor
- Circle of Life Elton John
- Oh My Darling Basia Bulat
- I Will The Beatles
- In My Life The Beatles
- Morgan de toi Renaud
- What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
