Naming ceremonies can be a great way to welcome new children into the family, whether they are babies or youngsters, or step, foster or adopted children.

Such celebrations involve you making a commitment to loving parenting of your child/ren and family and friends committing to support them, and you, with your responsibilites.

You can make your own special promises to your child/ren in terms of your love, dedication, hopes and dreams for them. You may also want to more formally appoint others to look after and support them.

Like all civil ceremonies, you can choose the venue, music, poems, readings in order to make a very personal and special occasion.

And you can incorporate other symbolic elements to suit you and your family best, such as presenting gifts, blowing bubbles, sand or water pouring, or releasing balloons, for example.

I can also offer a nature-based baby, child or adult naming ceremony for those looking for something more spiritual or more Pagan-like. Often performed outside, these very special ceremonies involve guests in a unique way and incorporate the elements of air, fire, water and earth.