Elijah's Dol!! (July 31, 2010)

We celebrated Elijah's dol (a traditional Korean celebration for the first birthday) with family and friends. When Elijah turned one year old, we were in Nepal and although we celebrated, we were alone. So, although six months late, we had a "Dol" celebration and it was a blast!

One of the activities of dol is called doljabee. Here's a description from a website describing doljabee:

"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 (we replaced them with a carabiner for rock climbing--daddy's preference)
-needle and thread: the child will live long
-jujube: the child will have many descendants (we used grapes)
-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"

What did Elijah choose first? He chose a knife. He chose the pencil second. He has already shown his liking for playing kitchen and cooking. We think he's a pretty smart little guy. So, we will see if he becomes a scholar? ;) Third was the carabiner!