My Top 10 readings for Naming Ceremonies

September 5, 2021 / Diane /

My 10 Favourite Naming Ceremony Readings/Poems

So you are organising a Naming Ceremony ? Congratulations on the new addition to your family.

A naming ceremony is a great way to welcome your child into the family, make promises to them and wish them well for their futures.

I’m sure you’ve been googling readings and poems and have found LOADS !! so I thought I would write down my favourite ones to share with you.

Readings can be funny, serious, or just plain silly and it’s a great way to get your family involved in the ceremony, by asking them to read them.

Other ideas are to use song lyrics, passages from books or religious readings, the choice with a celebrant led ceremony is yours !!

So here are 10 that I like…..and if you would like to get in touch to discuss your child’s ceremony then you know where I am,

Diane x

1. BEFORE YOU CAME – BEVERLY BUTCHER

What did we do, in the days before you came?
Vodka, and dancing, and staying out late,
Breakfast at tea-time,
Reading the papers, a long lie-in,
And space in the bed.

Now it’s daisy chains, and super-heroes,
Butterfly wings, and light-sabres,
Eating pink cake,
Naming stars,
And catching snowflakes in our mouths,
No room in the bed,
And a half-sleep on its edge,
While you snore, stretched out, a star-fish.

Time escaping, before you came,
And cast your spell,
And filled the house with possibility;
All the things you want to do,
And all the things you’re going to be,
So – let’s make a den,
Take our biscuits in,
Carve lanterns at Hallowe’en,
Watch grown-ups do star jumps on a trampoline,
And wonder what we ever did,
In the days before you came.

2. EXAMPLE OF PARENTHOOD

There are little eyes upon you and they’re watching night and day

There are little ears that quickly take in everything you say

There are little hands all eager to do everything you do

And a little boy (girl) who’s dreaming of the day he’ll (she’ll) be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s (lady’s) idol, you’re the wisest of the wise

In his (her) little mind about you no suspicions ever rise

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow (lady) who believes you’re always right

And his (her) ears are always open and he (she) watches day and night.

You are setting an example every day in all you do

For the little boy (girl) who’s waiting to grow up to be like you.

3. IF

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn

If children live with hostility, they learn how to fight

If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty

If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient

If children live with encouragement, they learn to have confidence

If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate

If children live with fairness, they learn justice

If children live with security, they learn to have faith

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves

If children live with love around them, they learn to give love to the world.

4. PARENT’S LOVE

A Parent’s love is something, that no one can explain

It is made of deep devotion, and is sacrifice and pain

It is endless and unselfish, and enduring, come what may

For nothing can destroy it, or take that love away

It is patient and forgiving, when all others are forsaking

And it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking

It believes beyond believing, when the world around condemns

And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems

It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation

And it still remains a secret, like the mysteries of creation

A many splendored miracle, man cannot understand

And special wondrous evidence, of life’s tender guiding hand

5. US TWO

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:
“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.
Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

“What’s twice eleven?” I said to Pooh.
(“Twice what?” said Pooh to Me.)
“I think it ought to be twenty-two.”
“Just what I think myself,” said Pooh.
“It wasn’t an easy sum to do,
But that’s what it is,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what it is,” said Pooh.

“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.
“As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.

“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.
“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!
Silly old dragons!”- and off they flew.

“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,
“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,
“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,
It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. “That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

6.WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn’t looking,

I saw you hang my first picture on the refrigerator, and

immediately I wanted to paint another one.