This past Saturday at my Korean Church we had a special event – a baby’s first birthday party.

In Korea, the baby’s first birthday party is very important, and one of the events at the birthday party is said to even foretell the baby’s future. This is called 돌잡이 (doljabi). Generally, many different things are spread out on a table, and the baby is encouraged to pick one of the things. The object that the baby picks is said to influence the baby’s future. Usually on the table is money (means the baby will be rich), rice (means he won’t go hungry), a pencil (means he will be scholarly), among other objects that all have a significance for his future.

At this particular 돌잡이 there was a debit card instead of cash (nobody had any! ㅋㅋ) and also rice, a pen, a book, and a few other things on the table. Everyone was telling the baby to pick the money, but in the end, he picked the book. I did not get to ask what that means, but I would assume it means something like the pencil – that he will be scholarly.

This was my first time experiencing a 돌잡이, and it was a fun experience! Have any of you been to a 돌잡이? Did anyone have a 돌잡이, and do you remember what you picked?

setting up the 돌잡이

shihoon picks a book