The emergence of new people is the most important event in the life of mankind. The birth of a baby is a huge holiday on which relatives, friends, and colleagues rush to congratulate the new mother. Firstly, all the people close to me really want to see the baby. Secondly, I can’t wait to congratulate my parents and give them a gift. However, going without an invitation to a house where a tiny person has just recently appeared is somehow awkward. And that’s right – there’s no need to rush.
Traditionally, in Rus' they tried not to show the child to anyone in the first 40 days after his birth. Of course, our great-grandmothers were guided primarily by superstitions, fearing damage and the evil eye. Well, we are modern people, not superstitious, but it is still better to wait these six weeks before showing the baby to relatives and friends.
You can invite several people to a tea party, introducing them to your child. Not all mothers have helpers. Taking care of a child takes up all the time, and regular work for mothers on maternity leave is no longer a surprise to anyone. While caring for a child and working part-time at the same time, a mother is unlikely to be able to gather a large number of guests and organize gatherings. But if you have assistants, and you don’t have to work on maternity leave, you can do it differently: arrange a baby shower and invite all relatives and friends at once.
"Spoon for a tooth"
This was usually timed to coincide with the date of the christening. Moreover, if today it is customary to bring gifts to the baby, then before the main character of the holiday was the woman in labor. Presents were prepared for her. But, of course, most often these were things for caring for the baby. Since about 1940, the expression has been interpreted as an offering to a child. If there was such an opportunity (primarily financial), they tried to give silver items. There has always been a special attitude towards this metal; it warded off illnesses and cleansed the house with its presence. Hence the “silvering of a tooth.”
Why exactly a spoon? The fact is that before there were no individual plates; people ate from a common bowl. But everyone should have had a spoon, just like we have a toothbrush today.
Baptism
All children in Rus' were baptized, as this was considered a protective ritual. They were preparing for this event and considered it very important and significant. The midwife who delivered the baby prepared porridge, and it was called “Babkina porridge.” The godparents bought it, after which they divided a spoonful among all the participants in the event.
After this, it was time to “wash the hooves.” This meant drinking to the baby's health. Often, raising a glass, guests handed over their gifts and said parting words.
An alternative to viewing - baby shower
Not everyone has the opportunity to organize a baby shower . But what if you still want to celebrate the birth of your baby? You can arrange a holiday in advance - even before the birth of the child.
We can turn to American tradition and organize a baby shower . This is the name given to a festive event in honor of a newborn, most often an unborn one. That is, the holiday is organized for a pregnant expectant mother. Previously, in America, a baby shower was organized after the birth of a child, but over time the tradition has changed, since the mother of a newborn often has no time for the holidays.
Baby shower literally translates as “baby rain.” You need to understand the name this way: the expectant mother is showered with gifts for the baby who will soon be born. This custom is very old, but even today it is extremely popular. And not only in the states - the tradition was borrowed from many European countries.
According to the rules, the baby shower should be organized by a friend or sister of the expectant mother, but in no case by the hero of the occasion herself. But we can change this tradition slightly - if desired, the expectant mother herself can organize a holiday in honor of the imminent birth of the baby.
Traditionally, only women are present at the baby shower, and those who have already had to go through pregnancy and childbirth must also be invited. Women communicate, treat themselves, play and, of course, shower the expectant mother with a shower of gifts. Today, however, men are also invited, but quite rarely.
Already during pregnancy, decide whether you can organize a viewing party or, perhaps, it would be better to organize a baby shower - have fun, receive gifts, and after the birth of the child do not worry about the holiday.
To organize a baby shower, the same recommendations that we gave above for organizing a viewing party may be useful to you: this also applies to the choice of location, invitations, themed decor, etc.
Newborn and baby shower: games and competitions for guests
Of course, you need to provide a little entertainment for the guests who came to the holiday viewing or to the baby shower (baby shower). Let's borrow games popular among American mothers.
Game "Children's dowry". We take many (at least 20) items that are often used when caring for the baby and for entertaining him. This could be a pacifier, diaper, bottle with pacifier, teething ring, bib, rattle, bottle of baby oil, package of wet wipes, baby monitor, sleeping bag, booties, baby thermometer, oilcloth, etc.
We put it all in a fabric bag or pillowcase and tie it. The host of the game has a list of items in his hands, and he will also need a pen or pencil to cross out what was named. The presenter brings a bag to each participant and asks them to guess one children's item by touch. The one who guesses the last item wins a prize.
The second version of this game. We pass the bag around, giving each guest the opportunity to feel (again, by touch) what lies there. Don't give the guest more than 1 minute to identify the contents. Then everyone writes down on paper a list of what they found in the bag. Accordingly, you will need to hand out a piece of paper and a pen to the guests. The one who writes the most correct answers wins.
Third version of the game. We put many more items in the bag (at least 30) and do not tie it. We pass the bag around, giving each guest the opportunity to look into it and try to remember the contents. Each guest is given 0.5-1 minute for this. Then guests write what they remember from the contents of the bag. Whoever has the larger list wins.
Game "Supermom". You need to pull the rope at the same height as a clothesline is usually hung. You will also need a dozen children's things in a basket (from handkerchiefs and caps to rompers and dresses), a couple of dozen clothespins, a baby-sized doll and a mobile phone (an old non-working one or even a toy one). Task: the participant must hang clothes on a line as quickly as possible, holding a doll (“child”) in his hand and at the same time “talking” on a mobile phone. At the Leader’s sign, the time is noted, and the participant begins to hang out the laundry. The result is recorded on paper. Everyone is welcome to participate. The winner is the one who takes the least amount of time to hang up the children's laundry.
Guessing game “Sweet bottle”. You will need a baby bottle. It needs to be filled with sweets: gummies, dragees, etc. You need to know the exact amount of sweets in the bottle. Guests are invited to guess how many sweets are in the bottle by giving an approximate number. Whoever names the number closest to the real one is declared the winner and receives a bottle of sweets as a gift.
Game "One diaper, two diapers." Take a small gift (for example, a figurine of an angel) and place it in a medium-sized box. Then the box must be wrapped in layers with a large amount of bright paper. Wrap the last paper the way you would swaddle a baby and tie it with ribbon.
The music turns on, the guests stand in a circle and dance, passing the “baby” (box) to each other. The music stops abruptly. The one who has the box in his hands at this moment must remove one diaper from it. Then the music turns on again, and “Kinder surprise in diapers” goes around in a circle again. As a result, the gift gradually loses all its diapers. Whoever has a “naked” box in his hands when the music is turned off must take out the present and receive it as a gift as the winner of the game.
Other entertainment for holiday viewings or baby showers
Place a small plastic toy in the shape of a baby animal next to each guest's plate in advance. At the end of the show or baby shower, invite guests to turn the toy over. Whoever has a red mark on the bottom must imitate the sound made by this animal and receive a prize.
At the very beginning of the evening, ask each guest the day and month of his birth, write it down. The person whose date of birth is closest to the baby's date of birth can be given a gift or simply put on a bib that cannot be removed until the end of the holiday.
Dirty diaper. Bring as many cloth napkins as there are guests. Fold the napkins like diapers. Stain the inside of one of the napkins with mustard or chocolate. Place all the diapers in a decorated box. After guests have finished snacking, hand out diaper-shaped napkins. Whoever comes across a soiled “diaper” will receive an incentive prize.
All these entertainments can be used if you are preparing a party in honor of the birth of a child or a special event on the occasion of christening, the first anniversary of a child, etc.
Be sure to organize a party in honor of the baby. If you can't arrange a baby shower or a special viewing of a newborn, gather guests for a christening party or to celebrate the appearance of the first tooth. You should definitely celebrate one of the biggest holidays in your life!
Atamatik - celebration of the first tooth!
Armenians believe that the appearance of a baby’s long-awaited tooth should be celebrated so that the next teeth grow faster, are strong and beautiful. There is no other way!
