Blessingway ideas?

[lisabc311]

I am planning a bit of a last minute Blessingway for two of my friends (and sort of myself too, I guess). We are all due within weeks of each other. One friend that is due two weeks ahead of me is pretty sure she will have the baby VERY soon...so I had to bump up the date of the Blessingway.

Can you share some ideas for a last minute Blessingway? I am planning on having it in 4 days (this weekend).

I'd really, really, really love to do birthing necklaces. I'd like each guest to bring a few beads for the necklaces to make them. Where can I suggest people buy beads at the last minute? Somewhere like Michael's (craft store)?

Any other activity suggestions?

Food suggestions?

Thanks!

[Chandar]

I had everyone bring a dozen or 2 cookies(the mam's favorite food) 1 to share, and rest for mama to take home. We also do head wreaths for the mama. We have read poetry, and put poems, qoutes, blessings in a journal. Done the necklace too. I used my necklace as prayer like beads in labor. We did a belly cast, and had all the mama's decorate it etc... We have had 3 beautiful blessingways here this year. The color red always is the central theme foor decoration and food too. We also took red embroidery floss, and sat in a circle, and wrapped our left wrists with it, and kept the circle connected until the last woman has hers, then cut and tied, and kept them on until the baby was here. Have fun, and be prepared to be a little weepy have yet to go to a blessingway and not get teary.

[Simplicity]

Using a Henna Body Art Kit you can pamper each other in a unique way. Using wonderful temporary tattoo art on belly (and wherever you all would like) to celebrate the pregnancy or you can paint each others belly and photograph it. It would be a nice keepsake for all.

Connect each person with beautiful yarn. In turn tie a piece to each wrist and cut it from the circle. The women are to wear it until the baby is born. It is a beautiful reminder of the circle of love and support around the mother and baby.

Comfort foods are especially appropriate for a Blessingway. It is very appropriate for each guest to bring her favorite food to share with everyone. Homemade breads, soups, and any other foods that feel "homey" will set a mood of relaxation and intimacy.

[Raven]

What great ideas!

[mezzaluna]

at mine we ground up some lavendar and corn with a mortar & pestle and put them in a sachet for me. also each woman wrote down a wish for me on a little card and those were put in a sachet bag for me to read after the birth.

everyone brought a reading or had a song to sing. i got to soak my feet in a bowl of scented water, and then got a foot and hand massage. we talked about hopes, fears, histories and futures. at the end we broke bread together and then invited in my dh and another husband and we all ate the bread together and shared a huge box of chocolate truffles

[ishtarmaia]

At my blessingway we each chose a different color of embroidery floss, cut a great length of all the colors and each lady took a turn braiding or weaving as she blessed (out loud) something about the pregnancy, birth, and recovery. Afterward it was cut into lengths to make anklets and bracelets for each of us to wear until the baby is born. We had lots of yummy food and desserts, too. I have read in other places about giving each lady a pillar candle to burn when she gets the call that the mother is in labor. These can be blessed at the ceremony, lit for the labor, and extinguished after the baby is born. I got a bunch of beautiful gifts; a patchwork quilt, some homemade calendula salve, a ceremony kit for after the baby is born (this included candles, incense, a bell, sage for smudging, herbs and crystals), and some herbal after birth soak for the bath. It was lovely!

[lisabc311]

Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!

You have all given me some great ideas. I'm just waiting for RSVP's now and hoping we get a good response. I think this could be really, really special if I can pull it all together at the last minute here.

Thank you so much!