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In the past, due to a lack of medical information, Korea's seasonal temperature differences,
and many childhood related diseases, the death rate for children was extremely high. Many children
died before their first birthday. After the age of one year, the survival rate steeply increased,
making this milestone a very happy one for the child's parents. It has also been a custom to
celebrate a child's 100 day birthday (baek-il) , but in most areas this birthday is less important than the
Tol and any celebrations are smaller in scale.Tol has two meanings in Korean. The most common meaning is a child's first birthday. It can also be used as a generic description for birthdays: Chut-tol (first birthday), Du-tol (second birthday), Seo-tol (third birthday), etc. |
Traditional Tol CelebrationThe traditional celebration had four major components:
In modern times, due to the improvements in medicine, the influence of Western culture, and modern industrialization, the Shamanistic reasons for the Tol celebration have been reduced. However, the event is still celebrated as a time of congratulations for the parents and family. In the modern Tol, taking picture is an important part of the event. As many Korean homes are very small, many families rent a room in a banquet hall. The modern celebration includes the child's parents greeting guests, lighting candles on a birthday cake, the Toljabee event, and a toast. |
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Other Celebrations Saei-rye (21-day Celebration) This event involved little ceremony. The baby and mother were still recovering from birth, so people were not allowed to see them. However, close family members met and prayed for the healthy recovery of the baby's mohter on this day. Baek-il (100-day Celebration) Similar to the Tol, the Baek-il event has 2 aspects. First, family members give thanks to Samsin (the three gods who take care of the baby's life while growing up). Second, they pray for jae-ak (wealth), longevity, and cho-bok (original luck). The food differed from the extensive table prepared for the Tol, mostly comprising 4 types of Korean foods: baekseogi (for longevity, representing cleanliness and freshness), susupo-ttteok (to prohibit bad things), injeolmi (for patience), and songpyeon (for thought). |
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