ALTERNATIVE GUIDES BY KATHLEEN JONES

A birth is a wonderful, miraculous event to be celebrated, yet more than half the babies horn in Britain today enter theworld without any celebration other than the registration of the baby's name. If you want a celebration for the birth and naming of your child and have no particular religious commitment, or if your child is adopted and you want an appropriate welcoming ceremony, or if you simply want to do something non-traditional and different, this book gives all the information necessary to arrange a naming ceremony. It includes traditional and religious ceremonies as well as secular alternatives, abrief guide to the law on naming (and renaming), an anthology of readings, useful addresses, an original selection of children's names and an additional section on coming-of-ageceremonies.

Have you always dreamed of getting married in a garden, or in a hot air balloon, or on a beach? Would you like to write your own wedding vows? Did you know that if you have a civil wedding you are not allowed any religious hymns or readings? Would you feel more comfortable with a New Age ceremony? Is your spouse of a different race, creed or culture? Over the fast twenty-five years people's lives and personal beliefs have greatly changed and for many people the old forms of words of our traditional wedding ceremonies are no longer appropriate. Finding alternatives that are both dignified and personal is very difficult. Whether you simply want to personalise your religious ceremony or have a uniquely different civil wedding or you need to know about the ritual requirements of other cultures, this complete guide gives you all the information you need to arrange your own ceremony. It explains what is legally necessary, offers forms of words, useful addresses and sources of information as well as an anthology of readings.

Not everyone wants a conventional funeral. The choice of Last Rite is not limited to the standard religious service, or the impersonal, crematorium ceremony bland enough to fit every situation. Friends and relatives want something personal, dignified, and moving. A ceremony that will do justice to the person they loved. Other cultures often celebrate funerals with colourful processions, decorated coffins, music, singing and dancing - there are many ideas that can he incorporated into our traditional rituals to enrich them. Whether you just want to adapt and personalise a traditional funeral or arrange a totally DIY ceremony, this
book offers a range of alternatives, clear instructions on how to organise a funeral, useful addresses for further information, websites and an anthology of readings for both religious and secular ceremonies.

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