First birthdays are a really big deal in Korea. In the past with lack of medical information, Korea's seasonal temperature, and many childhood related diseases, the death rate of children was really high. Many children died before their first birthday. After the age of one year, the survival rate increased greatly, making this milestone a very happy one for the child's parents. It is also a custom to celebrate a child's 100 day birthday but in most areas, it is smaller in scale compared to the Tol.
The Traditional Tol Celebration consists of 4 parts:
1. Praying and Giving Thanks
2. Making and Wearing the Birthday Clothes
3. Preparing the Table and Performing the Toljabee
4. Sharing the Food with Guests and Neighbors
In modern times, due to the improvements in medicine, the influence of Western culture, and modern industrialization, the Shamanistic reasons for the Tol celebration have been reduced. However, the event is still celebrated as a time of congratulations for the parents and family.
In the modern Tol, taking picture is an important part of the event. As many Korean homes are very small, many families rent a room in a banquet hall. The modern celebration includes the child's parents greeting guests, lighting candles on a birthday cake, the Toljabee event, and a toast.
In the modern Tol, taking picture is an important part of the event. As many Korean homes are very small, many families rent a room in a banquet hall. The modern celebration includes the child's parents greeting guests, lighting candles on a birthday cake, the Toljabee event, and a toast.
| Praying |
Traditionally, Koreans would pray to Sanshin (a mountain god) and Samshin (a birth god, also called Samshin-halmuni"grandmother") on certain days following a child's birth (birth, 3-7 days after birth, and 100 days after birth). They believed thatSamshin resided in the cloth surrounding a baby.To prepare the praying table, the parents placed a bowl of steamed white rice, sea mustard soup (mnyeok-guk), and a bowl of pure water on the table. Next to the table they placed samshin siru (layered red bean rice cake). This rice cake was not shared outside the family because they believed that sharing this particular item with people outside the family would bring bad luck to the child.
After the table was prepared, the child's mother or grandmother would pray with two hands together. Rubbing her palms together, she would ask for her child's longevity, wish luck to the mountain god, and and give thanks to the birth god. This was acomppanied by repeated bowing. Male family members were not allowed to join in thes ceremony. Only female family members were allowed to participate.
Seoulites perform this ceremony early in the morning on the child's birthday. Residents of some other areas do it the night before the birthday.
Making and Wearing the Birthday Clothes:
Tol Table and the Toljabee
Birthday Table The parents prepare a special Tol table to celebrate the child's birthday. The main food includes ddeok (rice cakes) and fruits. Over 12 different kinds of ddeok are prepared, including paekseolgi (white steamed rice cakes), susu-kyongdan (rice cakes coated with rough red bean powder), chapsal-ddeok or chal-ddeok, mujigae-ddeok (rainbow colored steamed rice cake), songp'yeon (half moon shaped rice cakes), injulmi (coated glutinous rice cakes), and gyep'i-ddeok (puffed air rice cakes). Among these, paekseolgi and susu-kyongdan are always included. Fruits can vary according to the season of the birthday. Different colors of seasonal fruits can be prepared and displayed in a row. Also, a bowl of rice, sea mustard soup, and many other various foods can be displayed.Along with food, other items are needed for holding the Toljabee event. Items such as large bundle of thread, a brush, a Korean calligraphy set, pencil, book, money (10,000 won bills), bow and arrow (needle, scissors, and ruler for girls) are arranged on the table to predict the child's future. |
Table Setting The birthday child will be placed at the table so that the other guests can face him or her. Parents often sit the child on the bolou (Korean traditional mattress) and several bangsuk (Korean cushions). Since the child is small, this allows for getting better pictures. For the background, a Korean traditional screen is used at the hotel or other banquet hall. |
Toljabee Event In this event, the birthday child goes around the table and picks up items that attract him or her. The child's future is predicted according to the what he or she grabs. After placing the child in front of the table, the child's father becomes the guide for the child to go around the table and grab whatever he or she wants. The first and second items the child grabs are considered the most important. Usually Korean parents place the items that they want the child to choose near to the edge of the table. The child's future is predicted according to the items:-bow and arrow: the child will become a warrior -needle and thread: the child will live long -jujube: the child will have many descendants -book, pencil, or related items: the child will become a successful scholar -rice or rice cake: the child will become rich (some resources say choosing a rice cake means the child is not smart) -ruler, needle, scissors: the child will be talented with his/her hands -knife: the child will be a good cook Sharing Food Sharing After the Toljabee, the parents share most of the Tol food with the guests and relatives. It is a Korean custom that when the guests and neighbors receive the food they say kind words and wish for the child's longevity and good fortune. They also give presents such as a gold ring, clothes, or toys.Food Meanings  Each food type and other items on the table have specific meanings.-paekseolgi (white steamed rice cakes) symbolize a pure and divine clean spirit and longevity. -susu-kyongdan (rice cakes coated with rough red bean powder) are used to ward off evil spirits so that the child can grow without any disease. (Koreans believed that evil dislikes red color.) Koreans believed that if they prepared these two rice cakes for each birthday until 10 years old, the child would not fall down and would grow healthy. -injulmi (sticky rice cakes) and chal-ddeok (sticky rice cakes) are prepared to wish the child to be tenacious and strong due to the stickiness of the rice cakes. -songp'yeon (stuffed rice cakes shaped like a half-moon) Two different moon cakes are prepared. One is left empty and the other one filled. The empty moon cake means the child will grow with a big heart. The filled one means to grow to be wise. -jujubes and fruit are for the child's descendants to multiply and prosper -noodles and thread represent a long life Presents When Koreans are invited to the first birthday of a child, they often present a gold ring to the parents. Friends and colleagues collect money to buy a gold ring. However, the rings are not for the child to wear. Instead, the parents use them later to pay for child's education or other needs. We're two days away from Zoe's first birthday. We pray (not to a mountain god, but to our Lord) that she has a great birthday in Korea. We pray that she is home soon. Never in a million years would we have ever thought that we would have a child who wasn't at home to celebrate their first birthday. However, we are confident that God will have her home in His perfect timing. We will celebrate with traditional Korean food and some birthday cake. We pray that on the other side of the world, that she feel God's love on her special day! Hold on baby girl, we're coming! We may be apart on your first birthday, but we'll be together for many birthdays to come! ~Paula |
Paula, what a great post and explaination! I am so praying that she is in your arms soon!
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