NEW TRADITIONS FROM OLD: 100 DAYS AND COUNTING

New traditions aren’t always new, just new to some.

The 100 Day tradition of throwing a party was new to me, but not new.

When a new mom’s parents are born in China, there will be a 100 Day celebration.

Now I wonder why everyone doesn’t have the same?

It points to the differences in family.

My first 100 Day celebration, not mine since I’m closer to 100 years old than I am to 100 days, was inspiring.

More than thirty family members were invited; more than thirty family members came.

And it was incredible.

Everyone seemed happy to be there and get caught up with each other along with welcoming the new baby into the mix.

There were three tables with ten or more seated and a big lazy Susan spinning in the middle.

We all found our assigned seats and got started.

One delicious dish after another came to each table, enough to fill the lazy Susan.

But that didn’t stop things coming from the kitchen.

Serving plates were stacked on serving bowls in order of appearance.

Nothing was unexpected or jammed, just wonderfully arranged like it had been done before.

That’s the thing about new traditions originating from old; there’s an order to things.

 

A Four Generation Party

The core group was baby, momma, Grandma, and Great-Grandma.

Great-Grandma was the anchor of the family.

She shows how to do things even at eighty-nine years old, how things are supposed to be done.

The rest of the family follows suit, but they all know the old traditions that turn into new traditions.

Babies, toddlers, parents, aunts, and uncles all got the call to take part in the 100 Day celebration and they all answered the call.

They were a tight team and my wife and our kid’s family were part of it.

The lesson I learned, since I’m so keen on learning lessons, is to show up 100%, not show up on the way to someplace else.

The 100 Day celebration is a blessing onto itself.

 

After dinner came pictures. If loading the tables seemed like an incredible feat of arrangement, the photo-ops were even more so. (Hey Cathy)

Groupings of every sort came into the frame one after another like it was rehearsed to perfection.

Grandparents and baby, aunts and uncles with baby, toddlers and parents with baby, cousins with baby, and the most beautiful of all, Mom and Dad with baby.

It started small and grew to include everyone.

People traveled near and far. Someone thanked us for coming all the way to Eastside Portland, but I don’t think we were the furthest away.

The most amazing to me was the notion that our new granddaughter and new mom and new dad had enough pull for thirty family members to show up.

 

New Traditions For Everyone

What it’s about:

 

At traditional Chinese 100 days celebrations (百日宴), prayers and food will be offered to the ancestors together with the burning of incense to wish the baby good health and protection them from bad spirits.

Some families will shave the baby’s head, while some have already replaced the ritual with snipping a hair lock.

Families will share red eggs and pickled ginger with friends, neighbours and other members of the family.

A celebratory dinner know as “100th day dinner (百日宴)” will also be host to share the joy with relatives and friends, who will offer baby gifts, clothing, tiger shoes and hats for the baby (which symbolises good health and energy) and accessories such as the longevity pendant and bracelets for wrists and ankles.

 

Why it’s important in 2024:

 

If you’ve planned a wedding, helped plan a wedding, birthday, or Easter dinner, then you know the sort of problems everyone faces at such times.

Who says they’ll come, but never come? Who won’t come, but likes to show up unexpected and steal the spotlight?

Everyone has a list of who to invite, who not to invite, and how much extra food to make.

It gets complicated.

That’s when old traditions updated to new traditions take over. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

There are rules to follow, which everyone understands. It’s much easier with understanding participants.

No invitation is not indicative of importance. It’s because the guest list is set in old tradition.

New traditions still count on branches of the family tree.

However, if you have difficulty getting any relatives together, or if you get excluded from family events because of a misunderstanding someone has been milking for sixty years, don’t worry.

Just make a good effort, invite people whether they say they’ll come or not, and plan accordingly.

Let loved ones know you still have the love no matter what they show.

For those who say they’ll come, and they actually do?

That’s the love you’re looking for; those are your people.