Babes

Birthday boy with his parents.

A baby's first birthday is a celebrated event in Korea. An event special enough to merit renting a banquet room, baby and parents dressing in traditional hanbok, guests giving substantial amounts of money, and the baby's parents bestowing all guests with a memorable gift to take home.

A couple of weeks ago a co-workers son turned 1 and the entire office was invited to celebrate with the family and their friends. I was the 70th guest to arrive and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the last. The party took place at an event hall specifically for first birthdays. There were several banquet rooms  lining a semi-circle around a buffet. Some parties, like the one I attended, were so large that the guest occupied more than one room.

Arriving late, the four of us in my carpool group, were seated in the second room, where we could not see the festivities and had to merely listen to the MC talking on the microphone. Yes, there was an MC. He announced the family, introduced and narrated a slideshow illustrating the baby's first year, and called on people to receive special gifts.

Though I couldn't see the baby's festivities, I did have a clear view of the buffet. There was Western food- roast beef and a Korean take on quesadillas (salsa in a tortilla), Korean food- pork stir fries and kimchi, and even Japanese food- sushi rolls.  

I also sat at the table with the cutest baby at the party. Clara's baby, (English-name) Raphael, is adorable and, in imitation of his grandfather, walks around half bent over with his hands grasped behind his back, like an old Korean man. He also rocks suspenders, loves chocolate ice cream and practices poses for photos with his mom.

 Shrine to Baby, my table and Cutest Baby Ever.