https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 08:18:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2176971 Wed, 13 May 2015 12:50:17 +0000 lavender 2176971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: can you wall me that info too? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2176888 Wed, 13 May 2015 12:11:08 +0000 youboots 2176888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@WinterBee: thank you!! @HourThyme: I agree, I would not do anything elaborate, that sounds a bit out there- at least they were enthusiastic.@Chaosmaven: that sounds lovely.</p> <p>I asked my sister about it and they had the dean of religious studies of a local college do a blessing for my nephew. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174938 Mon, 11 May 2015 21:19:44 +0000 Chaosmaven 2174938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a dedication performed by our reverend for our Unitarian Universalist congregation. As former Catholics, it was nice to have a service that was solely about asking those we love to help us guide our daughter in life without tying it to a specific belief system. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174935 Mon, 11 May 2015 21:10:36 +0000 HourThyme 2174935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry for my rant, it just still gets me! The rest of my in laws were sooo uncomfortable! </p> <p>I think your idea of the beach sounds lovely! And I totally support doing something special for the baby whether it's a baptism or naming ceremony or any celebration that says "yes, you exist and you are special to us!'" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174934 Mon, 11 May 2015 21:08:38 +0000 HourThyme 2174934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother in law and his wife did an alternative to a baptism and my husband and I thought it was really weird. . . That's not to say yours would be but how they went about it was so strange ---in my opinion! First off, they are white Americans raised Catholic but want to raise their children in a more "worldly" sense and so talk about God as nature and as a female. That's fine. But then they talk about Jesus as God, so that's where it gets confusing (in my opinion, again). </p> <p>Anyway, the blessing consisted of borrowing from a bunch of traditions. The two that stood out the most for me were the African drum circle where all the guests were instructed to get in a circle and were taught and then had to perform an African dance and then all the males in the family had to give speeches about their wishes for the baby. We closed it with a Jewish wish tree. To be honest, it felt odd to borrow from cultures to which you do not belong and to blatantly ignore the roots they do share (Catholicism). I would respect not wanting to do anything Catholic but then why bring in other religions? I'm all for learning about other cultures but to borrow their practices without really knowing much about them to me seems disrespectful </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174928 Mon, 11 May 2015 21:01:18 +0000 Torchwood 2174928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: Thank you! That's really interesting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174840 Mon, 11 May 2015 19:10:42 +0000 Anya 2174840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: sure :) walled you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174827 Mon, 11 May 2015 18:54:57 +0000 WinterBee 2174827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was also going to suggest dedication. Good luck :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174786 Mon, 11 May 2015 18:08:12 +0000 Torchwood 2174786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: Do you mind sharing with me as well? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174785 Mon, 11 May 2015 18:07:51 +0000 Torchwood 2174785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hadn't ever thought about this, but it's kind of a cool idea. I'm former Southern Baptist, so no infant baptism anyway, but they do baby dedications, which are fairly similar. It might be nice to do something secular like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174741 Mon, 11 May 2015 17:03:47 +0000 youboots 2174741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: thank you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174739 Mon, 11 May 2015 17:02:46 +0000 Anya 2174739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was born my parents held a naming dedication for me. I will PM you more info. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/alternative-to-baptism#post-2174736 Mon, 11 May 2015 16:55:51 +0000 youboots 2174736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>M and I were both raised in the church, his family is Catholic, mine is Methodist- but few people in our families actively attend church. We are non practicing and probably identify as agnostic more than anything. My Mom surprised me this weekend by asking if we were going to baptize our daughter. We are not. But it got me thinking, do non religious people do anything to bless a new child? Or is there some sort of celebration or ceremony that we could do to honor our beliefs. I believe in spending time in nature, appreciating the world and seeing as much of it as I can, being kind and empathetic, having confidence in myself and my abilities and loving my family and friends. I mean I think we could write our hopes for her and read them at the beach just the 3 of us and put the letters in her baby box and I would be happy with that. Thoughts? Have you or anyone you know done an alternative celebration for the birth of a child? </p>