If there’s one thing that’s always been a fixture in the Vietnamese community, it has got to be the One Month Celebration. Every baby gets to have this event, obviously, one month after they’re born. Not only is it a time to celebrate the baby’s birth and actually see the baby, this is when people give gifts. Traditional Vietnamese tend not to have Baby Showers, as is custom in America, because they’ve always done this event, which is kind of like the same thing – only after the baby is born, and with money.
Yes, Viets prefer giving and receiving money, because that’s just how we roll.
Anyways, the basics of it is this, at least from a Buddhist’s perspective, which is what I grew up in (although we’re raising our family as Atheists):
- A roasted pig is ordered, eggs are boiled and dyed red (for good luck), rice is cooked, fruits and other snacks are bought, and a certain soup is made
- All of that is prepared and placed together at an alter along with some incense as an offering to the Buddhist gods to watch over the baby, keeping it safe and in good health
- The baby also has to be there
- After the incense finally burns out, you can clear away all the food and serve it up for everyone to eat and enjoy
Next, is the party which doesn’t have any rules so no worries there.
The big thing though is everyone gives the parents money in those lucky Red Envelopes and the parents basically show off the baby.
Since it is Vietnamese tradition to perform a “one month in-house sort of cleansing ritual” where you and the baby are basically on lockdown for the entire month, no one usually sees the baby until this event. Don’t know what that is?! Well, I’ll be doing a post about that particular ritual very soon!
Overall, it’s a fairly simple ritual and a very fun event. My mom is very traditional and makes sure she does all these things right and since this is how I grew up, I can’t wait to pass on this tradition when my kids start having kids.
ICYMI: Read about how the Vietnamese like to pierce their daughter’s ears at an early age.
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congrats on one month old! i’ve never actually been to one of these but my brother just had a baby so maybe we’ll do it. i am not sure since his wife isn’t vietnamese but any excuse to eat good food is a good one. happy one month, birthday, baby!
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Thanks! Let me know if he does so you can tell me how it is!
Twitter: mommiecouture
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This is SO interesting! I love learning about different cultures traditions and I love the idea of a one month celebration! BG2 was so gosh darn cute as a lil 1 month old too!
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LOL, thanks!!! I can’t wait to write about what WE as moms have to do for the one month thing (it’s coming up soon & you will be shocked!) ^_^
Hey Vivian, That is so cool to share with the rest of us. I wonder if it is more like a Christening than a shower. The presents there tend to be money or silver things. The one month “lock down” was probably to help the baby stay healthy and away from sickness (and the mother); like the six weeks after birth women waited to go out in earlier days. When you went out after the six weeks it was “Churching;” and you had to be re-blessed to go back in. I think all these things that seem just traditional have roots in health or religion.
Yea, I def have no idea about religious events, but what you’re describing does sound the same. That’s pretty cool. LOL, my mom is SO traditional, but I like things like this and hope to pass it on when my kids have kids
Twitter: IMTomG
says:
hi Vivian!!
i’m going to a one-month at the neighbor’s tomorrow, and was wondering what the tradition was all about. i googled, and *bam* there you are!!
her name is Meriliss – her Daddy is Vietnamese and her Mommy is Cuban. thus, she is Cubanese!! lol she is absolutely precious, we (wife and i) have seen her twice and love her already!
just wanted to share and say “hey”!! have a GREAT day!! thank you!!
))
-TomG
Thanks for the tips Vivian! I’m going to a one-month shower tomorrow for a Vietnamese couple who are friends with my boyfriend and friend and wanted to learn a little more about what to give them. This is great info- I’m going to hard boil some eggs and die them, put some money in an envelope and get them some other baby boy gift!