Pagan Equivalent of Christening?

TargetWidow

Hi all,

I've always referred to myself as Pagan (but usually in the sense that Christians mean in that I'm non-religious) and lately I identify more and more with the ideals of Paganism proper such as are known today. I married in a pagan ceremony and recently had my first child. I'm not keen on aligning myself with any particular "religion" and prefer to try to lead a "spiritual" life in a kind of a la carte pick and mix of different beliefs. My family want a day out; equivalent to a traditional Christening, but they know there will be no Christening. My problem is that because I have never aligned myself to any particular faith I don't really know of the rites or rituals for Paganism having been raised Catholic myself by a Catholic father and grandmother and vaguely Pagan mother. All I know is that we won't be Christening her unless she asks for it herself. I've looked around the net and don't seem to be finding anything that I could say does it for me. Any ideas on where I could shop for ideas please?

Nevyn

Congratulations on having started on the long hard and wonderful path of the mysteries of motherhood

Sounds like you are looking for info on a naming or what is sometimes called in america a wiccaning.

It basically it is a rite to introduce/welcome the child formally to the family and to convey blessings on the child. Some will include presenting the child to the 4 elements and or cardinal points, some will have the child's lineage named reciting family ties. Some will offer family memebers a chance to bless the child and to pledge to support her parents in her upbring.

So really what would you like to do/have done ?

TargetWidow

Hi T,Thank you for taking the time to help me out here. In our marriage ceremony we combined an old Druidic handfasting with some Wiccan elements (the cardinal points & four elements) and it was very accessible and relevant to everyone who knew us. The family rag me messing that anyday now they expect an invitation to a ceremony whereby we offer the child up to the gods and kill a chicken! I laugh it off. I've read the posts in the Pagan threads and I suppose I would mostly be of the wiccan mindset except that I worship no specific Gods or Goddesses (except I do have a softspot for Brigantia and tip my hat to her at certain times of year), as I don't really believe in specific deities. I like the Druidic thought of the God within the lifeforce in nature, so I suppose I see all living things as divine. I see it as an "inside job"! I also dont practise any magic other than that wonderful stuff all women do! What I want is to formally introduce her to family and friends, ask for their support in raising her (as we asked in our marriage for our relationship -did wonders to dissolve negativity from my MIL), and maybe state our intentions towards her and make some promises to her as we did to each other when we married. I'm not hugely keen on family do's as many of my family have the old allergy to the firewater and it tends to be tense till they are well watered and ugly thereafter. I'd love to have something small around Samhain or Imbolg.

Nevyn

You don't have to bring diety into it if you don't want to or you could mention the All Mother and All Father if you wished.

I would suggest looking over what you did for your wedding and writing something yourself,
sounds like you have a good idea of what you want and don't want that it will be more personal and meaningful.

TargetWidow

That's a good idea, thank you. I'll go dig out my old wedding order of service.