A Moment in Time

If you are looking for an alternative to a traditional christening, Naming ceremonies are a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of a new baby with your wider circle of friends and family.  As there is no legal requirement, you can hold the ceremony at home, in a village hall, in your garden, in a function room or at any venue you would like. Everyone can get involved; grandparents, siblings and specially nominated adults who can act as guardians. And after the ceremony, you can have a party to really celebrate!

Guests may ask you “what gift could I bring?”. Instead of traditional gifts, you could suggest that they bring something that can go in a time capsule. This will give your child an evocative snapshot of the year in which he or she was born as time capsules have been used for thousands of years to preserve a piece of the present for the future.

Photos or objects can speak louder than words. Let your guests know when you plan to open it with your child; 18 years, 21 years etc.

The sorts of things that could be included are local and national newspapers, coins, shopping receipts, poems and drawings by siblings, photos, articles about current fashion and food tastes and any examples of quirky trends that are current. You could ask some close family members to fill in a questionnaire asking what they think the future will be like in 10, 18 and 50 years.

Think about how you will protect the various items in the time capsule (individual plastic bags?) and where you will store it until it’s time to open it. It certainly doesn’t have to be buried but if you do, make sure you dig it up before you move house!

This timeless gift is fun to make, and even more fun to open years down the line. What a treasure for the future!