Celebrating Family, Celebrating New Beginnings
by Diane McLeish, SICA Chair, Perthshire.
Naming & Welcoming Ceremonies Across Scotland
Across Scotland, families are embracing a beautiful shift — choosing Naming, Blessing and Welcoming Ceremonies as heartfelt ways to honour life’s new beginnings. As Chair of the Scottish Independent Celebrants Association, and as a celebrant myself, I have the privilege of witnessing these moments unfold in homes, gardens, forests, beaches, hotels and community spaces. Each ceremony is different, yet all share a quiet thread of belonging: a gathering of people who pause to say, “You are part of us.”
These ceremonies are wonderfully inclusive. They honour the arrival of a baby, the joining of an adopted child with their forever family, the blending of families and households, or the moment an adolescent or adult steps into a new name or identity. They are shaped entirely around the beliefs, heritage and hopes of the family involved, allowing space for either non-religious or interfaith traditions, spiritual expression, or a simple desire for something meaningful and personal.
What makes these ceremonies so cherished is their freedom. They can be gentle and intimate or vibrant and full of laughter. They might include poetry, music, candlelight, blessing pebbles, symbolic gestures or the planting of a tree. Some families weave in their languages or cultural traditions; others create new rituals that will be remembered for generations. Siblings, grandparents, friends and mentors often play a part, offering words of love or promises of support. Every ceremony becomes a small piece of family history — a story that will be read, retold and treasured.
There is no single place or time that suits everyone. Some families gather at dawn by a loch, others in a sunlit garden or a cosy living room. What matters is the sense of connection, the feeling that this moment, in this place, marks a turning point in someone’s life.
SICA celebrants across Scotland specialise in crafting these ceremonies with care, creativity and deep respect for the people they serve. They listen closely, guide gently and help shape a ceremony that feels authentic to your family’s story. Their work is rooted in compassion, cultural sensitivity and the belief that every person deserves to be welcomed with intention and joy.
If you feel drawn to marking a new beginning in this way, we invite you to explore the profiles of our members in the SICA Directory. There you’ll find celebrants from every corner of Scotland, each bringing their own warmth, experience and artistry to this meaningful work.
A naming or welcoming ceremony is a celebration of identity, belonging and love. When you’re ready, our celebrants are here to help you create a moment that will live long in the memory of your family and community.
