KOREAN TRADITIONAL FIRST BIRTHDAY

TOL-Celebration

Tol is probably the most well known of all the Korean birthday celebrations. This celebration happens on the first birthday of a child. In the past, due to a lack of medical information, Korea's seasonal temperature differences, and many childhood related diseases, the death rate for children was extremely high. Many children died before their first birthday. After the age of one year, the survival rate steeply increased, making this milestone a very happy one for the child's parents. It has also been a custom to celebrate a child's 100 day birthday (baek-il) , but in most areas this birthday is less important than the Tol and any celebrations are smaller in scale.

Tol-Celebration Tol has two meanings in Korean. The most common meaning is a child's first birthday. It can also be used as a generic description for birthdays: Chut-tol (first birthday), Du-tol (second birthday), Seo-tol (third birthday), etc.

FOUR MAJOR  COMPONENTS (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.

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 that Samshin resided in the cloth surrounding a baby.

PRAYING AND GIVING THANKS

To prepare the praying table, the parents placed a bowl of steamed white rice, sea mustard soup (miyeok-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.

PRAYING AND GIVING THANKS

To prepare the praying table, the parents placed a bowl of steamed white rice, sea mustard soup (miyeok-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.

PRAYING AND GIVING THANKS

rice cakes, miyeok guk and rice as offering to samshin halmoni

2. Making and wearing the

birthday clothes.

clothesTOL-BOK The clothes worn for the tol (tol-bok) are colorful, dressy clothes. They differ depending on the child's sex. Both boys and girls wear a long tol-ddi (a belt that wraps around the body twice) for longevity and a tol-jumuni (pouch) for luck. Silk cloth is used to make the tol-jumuni, folded at the top with a colorful thread pull-string to open and close. For the child's longevity buttons are not used.

Boy’s clothes

Striped jogori (jacket) with puple or gray paji (pants)-striped durumagi (long jacket) and a blue vest printed with a gold or silver pattern or a striped magoja (jacket) and a jonbok (long blue vest) with a gold or silver pattern and a hongsadae (traditional belt) over it-bokgun (black hat with a long tail)-tarae-busun (traditional socks)-yumnang (traditional round shaped pouch)

Boy’s clothes

Boy’s clothes

Boy’s clothes

striped jogory (jacket)-long, red chima (skirt)-gold and silver printed jobawi (hat)-tarae-busun (traditional socks)-yumnang (traditional round shaped pouch)

Girl's Clothes

striped jogory (jacket)-long, red chima (skirt)-gold and silver printed jobawi (hat)-tarae-busun (traditional socks)-yumnang (traditional round shaped pouch)

Girl's Clothes

Girl's Clothes

Girl's Clothes

3. Preparing the table and performing the

Toljabee

Birthday TableThe 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.

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.

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:

Toljabee

TOL VIDEOS

TOL VIDEOS

TOL VIDEO

TOL VIDEO

Toljabee

bow and arrow: the child will become a warrior

Toljabee

needle and thread: the child will live long

Toljabee

jujube: the child will have many descendants

Toljabee

book, pencil, or related items: the child will become a successful scholar

Toljabee

rice or rice cake: the child will become rich (some resources say choosing a rice

cake means the child is not smart)

Toljabee

ruler, needle, scissors: the child will be talented with his/her hands.

Toljabee

knife: the child will be a good cook.

Toljabee

Money - Wealthy

Girl's Clothes

4) Sharing the food with guests and neighbors

SHARING FOODSSharing 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.

What Gifts Should I Bring?In addition to expressing good wishes, guests also give presents such as a gold ring, clothes, or toys.

This is the best!