Recent Examples of Celebrated Milestones

Here are some summaries of ceremonies designed by Life Celebrations.

Turning 18 - Emerging into Adulthood

This young woman had been flatting for some time and was approaching her eighteenth birthday. She felt that she would like her independence and self-responsibility to be marked with support from her family and a few friends. Whilst legally not an adult for some purposes (such as marriage without parental consent), eighteen does signal some significant changes in societal responsibility (for example being able to vote). We worked together to design a ceremony which celebrated this transition and presented her to significant others as an adult.

Thanksgiving for a Child (Naming)

A couple, who had their first child, a son, were not comfortable with a conventional christening as they were not active Christians. Yet they wanted this momentous gift marked in a special and sacred way. We designed a Life Celebration which gave them the opportunity to publicly express the meaning of becoming parents and gave family and close friends the opportunity to express their support for and commitment to the child and his parents.
Of this Life Celebration they said: "Planning the thanksgiving ceremony gave us time to think and talk together about what being parents meant to us, and this was a benefit of the event even before it happened. We gave friends and family the chance to express their wishes and blessings for our son, and for many of them that was a very moving experience too. Speaking our truth in public was so powerful and has cemented our relationships".

Marking a Personal Breakthrough with Counselling

When this woman recognised that she had made a personal breakthrough with the assistance of a counsellor, she wanted to mark the significance of it to and for herself. She was uncomfortable with the idea of a ceremony because the meaning of this transformation was deeply personal. We worked with her to develop a ceremonial bath, as she liked the image of cleansing and new beginning. The proceedings were tape-recorded and instructions provided so that she could just turn on the tape machine and hold her own unique Life Celebration in private.

Getting Married

This couple had clear ideas of the form they wanted for their wedding ceremony. We talked through ways of involving people and they selected some verses they wanted included. They drafted an initial outline. The ceremony spoke strongly of their beliefs about marriage and their relationship and the gathering radiated with support and love for them.
Of this Life Celebration the Bride wrote: "Thank you so much for doing such a wonderful job on Saturday. I appreciate so much the time and attention you gave to our wedding and I firmly believe you made all the difference".

Turning 40

For many people decade birthdays assume a greater significance than those that fall between. Perhaps it is because ten years affords a long enough time-frame to see an overview of our past journey and to think of the next phase. When this lifetime hobby-guitarist was considering his birthday he wanted to weave in music as well as words of meaning. A group of friends formed a band to play his specially selected music. Stories were sought from people from each of his past decades and woven into a "This is Your Life" format.
Of this Life Celebration he says: "I had no qualms about turning 40 and I absolutely loved marking it in the way I did. So many friends have also said that it was the best party they have ever been to. Maybe it was that it went one step beyond being 'just a party' and gave people both entertainment and the chance to share something meaningful about life"

Starting School

Starting school is a significant milestone for children in our culture. Whilst the 5th birthday, school visits and kindergarten farewells orient the child to the changes occurring, this starting school celebration gave family and friends the opportunity to openly share their wishes for the child. The participants used small gems for wishing stones that were collected in a treasure box by the child during the life celebration.

Parental Milestone

Many people remember vividly their child's first day of school and its impact on them. For the primary carer of the child this is a particularly significant milestone, but it is one not typically acknowledged in a tangible way. We have created a life celebration specifically for the primary carers of children who have recently started school. It is usually conducted in a group and can either involve people who know each other through a kindergarten or Plunket network, or a mixed group who have not previously met but who come together to share the marking of a transition that they all have in common. Here is some feedback from participants:

"Wow - this is amazing. This should be celebrated by all parents!"
"I enjoyed taking the time to reflect on the fact that our children are on the next stage of their journey."
"It was a superb ceremony and extremely positive in every respect."

After eight years in business, Anna Salek, the owner Tea Total, felt the time was right to celebrate its coming-of-age. She had intended to invite key people to a function of some kind, and explored with us whether a ceremony could be incorporated. We designed a commemorative celebration to conduct during the proceedings. We received the following feedback: "I can't thank you enough for making last night so special. Your ceremony formalised the whole reason for getting everyone together in the most wonderfully appropriate way. I lay awake last night thinking about all the affirming things people had said - very humbling."