Why Should You Celebrate Baby's 100 Days?
For us, it was a celebration that almost never happened.
But first, I should explain that in some Asian countries such as Korea, a baby’s 100th day after birth – called “Baek il” - is the first milestone worthy of a big celebration. This is because in the olden days, without the advancements we have to fight diseases today, many babies did not survive past the first 100 days. Families were keeping their newborns indoors – away from germs – and only on the 100th day; if the baby was healthy, the family would host a party-- inviting neighbors, friends and family to meet their new bundle of joy. Although the infant mortality rate is much improved today, Asian families around the world still celebrate this “birthday.” (In the Korean culture, you turn 1 when you are born so the 100th Day Celebration is actually your first birthday party. It gets a little confusing but let’s just say if you are Korean, you are at least one year older than your American age. Eek!)
In addition to carrying on this old tradition, it appears that many Asian American families have modernized the look and feel of the 100th Day Celebration—making the party décor and all the foods and festivities a true blend of both American and Asian cultures.
Now back to our little one’s 100th Day which landed on November 6, 2020. At this point, my life was pretty disheveled. I was adjusting to motherhood in my late forties. My business was devastated by the pandemic so there wasn’t much room in our budget for a party. Most of my family live out of state and would not be able to attend and we had some concerns about even gathering local family and friends. Ironically, for the same reasons those people had in the olden days!
Not being a very social person in the first place, I had many excuses not to host a 100 Days baby party in 2020. But having a baby has really changed me. It has taught me that we should celebrate as much as possible – little things and big things, traditional days as well as new holidays we make up along the way! When given the choice, why not choose joy and celebration? Perhaps it's the mantra of an older, wiser mommy but I believe happiness is a choice. Gratitude is a choice. Abundance is also a choice.
So in the end, we did host a pretty great 100 Day Celebration on a shoe-string budget and we kept the guest list short – only inviting those very close to us. In these next few blog posts, I want to show you step by step what we did and how we did it. I hope it gives you some ideas and instruction on how to host your own 100 Days Baby party— a gathering that celebrates new life, good health and good fortune with those dear to you and your baby!
Step 1: 100 Days Baby Dream Theme
Step 2: 100 Days Baby Table-scape
Step 2.1: It's a Sign
Step 2.2: It's a Sign Part 2
Step 3: 100 Days Baby Dress to Impress
Step 4: 100 Days Baby Photoshoot
Step 5: 100 Days Baby Party Favors
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