Humanists, like all people throughout history, like to mark and celebrate the significant turning points in their lives. These ‘rites of passage’ used to be conducted as religious ceremonies but as religious belief and practice have declined more and more people want to celebrate, like Humanists, without the intrusion of religion in their ceremonies.

Humanist Ceremonies can therefore meet the requirements of those who just want something ‘non-religious’ but otherwise meaningful for their event. The time that used to be taken for religious content can then be better used to make the ceremony more personal and less formal. Even references to Humanism can be left out of the ceremony.

For Humanists and their families and friends, however, a Humanist Ceremony might be expected to acknowledge and celebrate the influence and value of Humanism in their lives, particularly at the funeral of someone who has been an active Humanist.

A sensitive issue is the extent to which the different beliefs and customs of those present at any ceremony should be taken into account when preparing and conducting the ceremony. As a general rule, a Humanist Ceremony, requested as such, would not to be expected to have any religious content, such as spoken prayers or hymns. Humanist Celebrants can often help families resist pressure to turn their intended Humanist ceremony into something else. At funeral ceremonies, it can be suggested that a short period for personal reflection could accommodate the wishes of those present who might like to offer their own silent prayer.

Humanist Ceremonies do not have to conform to any prescribed ritual, liturgy or other set of words. The form and content is worked out between the celebrant and the family or whoever else is organizing the event. Although the starting point can be a clean sheet of paper, it is often most helpful to look through examples of previous ceremonies to get some idea of what could be done in the time available. At funeral ceremonies, it is particularly important to keep within the time allowed. At other ceremonies the time constraint is not so pressing. There are some excellent publications containing examples of Humanist Ceremonies and suggestions for readings that that could be chosen. These include the series of practical guides for funerals, weddings and namings published by the British Humanist Association. Further reference to these and other relevant publications can be found by linking to the menu items on the different kinds of ceremony.

Although most Humanist Ceremonies are conducted for funerals, weddings, partnership affirmations and baby namings, Humanist Celebrants are sometimes invited to conduct or participate in other celebrations or commemorative events. These might be for such as the scattering of ashes following a cremation, a mayoral inauguration, for a memorial meeting or public Armistice Day celebration. The content and form of these other occasional ceremonies is entirely up to those requesting them, to devise in conjunction with the invited celebrant.