One topic that I return to often, both in this blog and in conversations with friends and family, is the topic of rituals. I have contemplated the umbilical cord ceremonies, the 100 day birthdays, and other ways that different cultures mark and celebrate the growth of children. Today I attended my first Upsheren ceremony, and I must confess that even though I am Jewish I had never heard of such a thing before we received the invitation. Just to write this entry, I had to look it up on www.askmoses.com!
The Upsheren ceremony, celebrated on a child's third birthday, commemorates his or her first haircut. Apparently the tradition is rooted in agrarian times, when people learned to never pick the fruit from a tree for the first three years. One of the prominent metaphors of Judaism is the tree of life. The rationale, then, was that you should not cut your baby's hair for three years either. Apparently the Hindus have a similar ritual called mundan. In the Upsheren, you can actually participate in the clipping process. I declined, thinking it was traumatic enough already.
I know that my mother saved a lock from each of our first haircuts and taped it into the pages of our baby books. Did or will any of your family milestones revolve around hair?
Let's keep in mind that Lillianna was BALD for quite a while. By the time we were ready for her to get a hair cut she was probably close to 3 yrs old and I did save a lock of her hair. The salon has a first haircut certificate with her name, date, the name of the hairdresser and the lock of hair on it.It is now kept safely with my other precious Lillianna things. No ceremony though.
Posted by: Robin P | 02 August 2004 at 08:33 AM
i actually took Harris to an upsherin (sp?) ceremony just weeks before his first birthday. and the moms were encouraging me to NOT cut his hair til he turned 3.
well.....about a week later....we went to Denver to visit Cindy's family. Harris/Cindy stayed longer than i did...and one of my departing comments to them was..."if you get bored...you could always take Harris for his first haircut."
well...she took my suggestion....and called me AFTER the fact...and i cried my eyes out at work. i'd missed my boy's first haircut! she did, however, document the entire occasion very well. in a series of pics and mpeg movies.
since then...the little guy's had MANY haircuts. his hair just grows soooo fast.
i imagine that he'd have had hair down to his butt if we'd waited til he turned 3.
oh...and Cindy DID bring me home some hair from that first haircut. now where is that envelope with my baby's hair? hmmmmm....
Posted by: Robyn | 02 August 2004 at 10:18 AM
In the book I read about African American children's hair (we're white, adopting a Black baby) it said it is common--though less ritually inscribed--not to cut a Black baby's hair for two years. There's an old wives' tale that cutting the baby's hair earlier will lead to hair loss. In fact, the book says it's true enough that the hair is very delicate and the pulling involved in braiding (for example) any earlier than age two CAN lead to hair loss. So we figure we'll follow that custom and have a baby with a fro until age two!
askmoses.com? That's so cool. My latest bookmark!
Posted by: shannon | 02 August 2004 at 01:25 PM
Hmmm-- funny you should ask. Kathryn just got her first "beauty salon" cut this past weekend - in preparation for her big debut at Kindergarten. Before you know it, Pearl will be making her too! Enjoy every moment.
Posted by: Helene | 02 August 2004 at 08:40 PM
I kept all of Liam's hair, and there was quite a lot of it, LOL. Have stuck it in an envelope in his baby book, with one lock separate waiting to be taped in.
Of course, he was also more or less bald for a long time - it didn't really start growing until he was two. When we finally cut it 9aged about 2 & 10 months) he was really into it, but now he wants it back so he can have a pony tale again. Oh well. i tell him it will grow.
Posted by: Kay | 03 March 2005 at 09:45 PM
my hubby's family is on my back to cut my son's hair. in-laws gotta love em.
anyways.........i was online trying to find out the rituals or if there any for 19 month olds
i honestly think he's too young to get his haircut but...they're breathing down my back.
Posted by: tanyetta | 27 May 2006 at 04:32 AM