In Orcadian tradition, the birth of a child is celebrated by a number of feasts. The first is called the blide-meat. Scones and ale are passed to visiting family and neighbors as they come to meet the baby and congratulate the mother. The Fittin' Feast is another celebratory meal that is for the baby's family only and marks mom's return to her daily household duties. The final feast is call the Cirsenin' Feast which takes place immediately after the baby's baptism.
Baptisms are very important to Orcadian tradition.
At one time, any child who died before being baptized could not be buried in consecrated ground, so Orcadian parents would arrange to have their baby baptized soon after birth. Male children where always baptized first. According to tradition, any girl who is baptized before a boy will grow a beard. The boy who comes after her will remain beardless. According to old tradition, baby boys are not only announced by rainbows in the sky, but are promised first to the heavens above.