Planning a Wiccaning

A Wiccaning is when you present your child to the universe and give them with their first Magical name, that they change once they are old enough to pick their own.  It is a right of passage, and is similar to a “christening” in Christianity.

Timing:  The timing for the child's Wiccaning is largely influenced by the time of year the child was born.  Some people would prefer to have it on a solstice or equinox of the season the child was born, while others wish to present the new addition during a new moon.  Our daughter was born on May 11th, so we are planning hers for Thursday, June 2nd on the date of the next new moon.  Make sure both parents are well enough to participate (I had a C-section, so we have to wait a bit longer).

Who to invite: Invite family, close friends, maybe even your coven.  Since we do not belong to a coven here, and our family lives 600 miles away, we will be doing this ritual by ourselves.  Your guests can bring gifts if they choose.

Sometimes your child might cry, especially if they aren't used to a lot of people or noise.  Don't worry about this, the child just wants to be apart of the fun!  Try to keep calm, and think of the Goddess.

Altar: A standard altar representing all four elements and corners would be a great start, also placing any gifts given to the child on the altar. 

Name:  Choosing a baby's wiccan name can be as hard as her real name.  Try to pick a name everyone agrees with, you might want to ask your coven leaders for suggestions, or friends and family.  We haven't come up with a Wiccan name for Genevieve yet.  Maybe, you could suggest names to your child and see if they react in some way positively, since they are not speaking age.  You might meditate or ask for the Goddess to suggest something in a dream or in a sign.

The Ritual:  I don't feel comfortable or experienced enough to write my own Wiccaning ceremony, so we have decided to use the one on this page: http://herbalmusings.com/wiccaning-ritual.htm  Remember, pre-written ceremonies aren't mandatory, they are merely guides on a suggested way to perform a ritual.  Mix it up with your own things!