As part of the ceremony we had a glass bowl of water on the table and everyone was handed a decorative pebble (bought from one of those garden shops that specialise in pebble mulch) as they arrived. During the ceremony we invited everyone to come up, make a wish out loud for the baby and drop their stone into water. Everyone participated, and the wishes, all made while really engaging with the baby, were varied and personal.
Afterwards, so many of the guests came to me and told me how much that appreciated being part of the ceremony, and the mother wrote later:
We thought the ceremony was beautifully done in a caring manner. All of our guests also said this...That's one of the big pluses of a civil namegiving, the baby is never an object, but the subject and focus of a ceremony in which the child's community of family and friends actively participate, and I'm sure the remarks made to me, while flattering, really reflected appreciation at being part of the ceremony rather than just admiring spectators.
That experience can only be a positive one for the embedding of the child into that community.
Til next time
