10 Celebrations That Mark A Baby’s First Year In Cultures Around The World

Chinese culture believes that a baby's first month and first 100 days are very special occasions. Historians believe this is due to high infant mortality rates in previous generations, when medical care was hard to come by. Mothers are encouraged not to leave the home with or without the baby during those 100 days, so it's also special for them to return to their larger families and social circles after the fourth trimester.

Celebrations typically include red eggs and ginger, which are symbols of fertility in the Chinese culture. Some also mark the moment by cutting a lock of the baby's hair at the celebration. If you're looking for invites for such a celebration, Evite has you covered.

Koreans celebrate the 100th day of a baby's life for similar reasons to the Chinese. One of the special activities to mark the occasion is the baby's parents providing rice cakes, called baekseolgi, to at least 100 people. They pray for the child's continued health as they are introduced to the world.  Check out Evite's 100-day celebration invitation here!

Annaprashan is celebrated by Hindu families around a baby's 6-month mark. The celebration marks the first time a baby eats solid food.

The religious ceremony is often followed by a game where the child is presented with gifts that are symbolic of where their future may lead, such as books signifying learning or a pen symbolizing wisdom. Families watch what the child gravitates toward, believing it holds a special place in the child's future. Evite also has invitations for annaprashan.

Godh bharai is an Indian baby shower-style event in celebration of an unborn child. Depending on the family's background, it is celebrated at the end of the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.

Mom and baby are showered with gifts and prayers for a safe road to delivery. The gathering is traditionally women only, with the women anointing the mom-to-be with oils, prayers, and advice from their own experiences. Evite has a beautiful godh bharai template.

A brit milah, also known as a bris, is the Jewish ceremony when baby boys are circumcised. The bris happens on the eighth day of a baby's life. The ceremony itself usually is performed at a synagogue, followed by dinner at the family home. Check out bris invites on Evite.

Agra hadig is an Armenian celebration commemorating a baby's first tooth coming in. It takes place when a baby is anywhere between 4 and 7 months old.

It also shares a common element with annaprashan. Babies are presented with ceremonial gifts that are symbolic. Armenians believe what the baby chooses will indicate their future career. Evite offers several options for a fun celebration of agra hadig.

Aqeeqah is a traditional Muslim ceremony in which an animal is sacrificed on the occasion of a child's birth. It typically happens on the seventh day after a child is born, but can sometimes be pushed to the 14th or 21st. In modern times, it's more of a celebration of the newborn as the baby's name is revealed for the first time. Evite has lovely aqeeqah invites.

In Polynesian culture and in Hawaii, first birthdays are a big deal. The occasion is marked with a luau, but it's more than anything you've ever seen. The event has hundreds of guests bringing gifts for the guest of honor.

In Nigeria, a baby's first birthday calls for a serious feast. Everyone a family knows is invited to the enormous celebration. Often, whole animals are roasted and presented to the family in celebration of the little one.

During the early weeks of a baby's life, many Maori families participate in a ritual burying of the mother's placenta. The idea is to plant the baby's placenta on the land your ancestors came from, tying the baby to both other familial generations and the land itself.