In Korea the first birthday is a really big deal. The first birthday, or doljanchi, is often accompanied here with a huge celebration that is meant to bless the baby with a prosperous future. Parties can be small, but often the doljanchi here is a huge party with all friends and family invited. Often a restaurant, hotel, or even wedding hall is rented out and used for such huge parties.
Given that we are not really huge party types (small personal parties tend to be more our forte) we chose to celebrate Madeline's doljanchi with Tyler's staff at his office. They were quite excited for her first birthday, and it was really neat to be able to share this experience with them.
Babies are given their first hanbok as part of the doljanchi. Often all members of the family- including extended family will dress in hanboks. We've even seen families with matching hanboks for this big day.
The most significat part of the doljanchi is the doljabi, a ritual that fortells the child's future. For the doljabi the baby is placed in front of a table with certain items on it. The child is encouraged to pick an item, and the item chose signifies something about that child's future. The traditional items include a pen (scholar), money (wealth), and string (longevity). To modernize this tradition parents will place other items of their chooseing. We chose to do the traditional items as well as a few modern ones: computer mouse (high-tech field), thermometer (medical field), paint brush (artist) and Tyler's work ID card (diplomat). Madeline did not hesitate at all and bee-lined for the thermometer. Guess we have a future doctor or nurse or something in our future. Her second choice was Tyler's ID card. We joked that she would join the foreign service as a doctor or nurse- combining both choices.
Ms. Choi helping Madeline get dressed.
The Birthday Girl!
Emily and Hannah insisted on wearing their hanboks as well.
Our future doctor (or nurse or dentist or anything she puts her mind to).
You can see the items we chose to place in front of her.
Hannah applying "makeup" on Madeline.
Yellow cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Koreans tend to like deserts that are not as sweet- and this proved to be perfect. And Madeline can eat strawberries by the pound, so really what a perfectly telling cake.
Digging in.
Helping herself to leftovers.
5 comments:
Wow, that Hanbok is beautiful, and Maddie looks great in it. Sounds like a very fun first birthday, especially with two parties!
Oh, did you do the doljabi for Emily and Hannah?
I LOVE the pictures of Madeline in her hanbok. And what a sweet picture of all three girls in their hanboks all together.
We did the doljabi thing with Ethan too, since he was born in Korea. He picked the coin. So with Madeline's medical experience and Ethan's wealth, our two families are set for life! What a fun Korean tradition.
What a beautiful hanbok! She looks so grown up.
What a neat tradition! I love that you are participating in so many local traditions! Maddie looks great!
That is so darling. I love that tradition...definitely something we'll do with the next one. Madeline the doctor...I like the sound of that.
You are so lucky to be able to experience so many Korean traditions. What are you guys doing for Buddha's birthday?
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