Last weekend we attended my niece, Baby Lily’s, Red Egg and Ginger celebration.
The Red Egg and Ginger party is a celebration thrown by Chinese families usually a month after a baby is born to introduce them to family and friends, and give their Chinese name. Back in history, infant mortality was high so when a baby survived a month, it was a reason to celebrate. For both my girls, the party was about a month after they were born. Now a days, the party can be after a 100 days or if you are Lily, after a year. The red eggs symbolize luck, happiness, and fertility. The ginger is believed to have warming and revitalizing properties and is given to the mother to recover after giving birth. My mom stayed with me after I had my daughters and I ate a lot of ginger.
The party was at Delight 28, my family’s favorite restaurant in Chinatown NYC.
My grandparents and relatives came to celebrate.
My mom’s best friend, Joyce-Yee-Yee, came with her husband to celebrate.
My sister and her husband, Mike, thanked all their guests and explained why they chose Lily’s Chinese Name.
The first character in Lily’s name means charitable or giving and the second character means happiness or harmonious.
The “cool” cousins table.
Guess who was the coolest?
Lily was held by all her favorite people. My mom.
Mike’s mom.
Mike’s Dad.
And of course me!
My sisters. We might not look alike but we sound alike. My Dad cannot tell us apart on the phone so he waits for the conversation to start before saying “hello” and our name.
The best gift to give at a Red Egg and Ginger celebration is a lucky red envelope. Princess wrote Lily’s card.
Wishing Lily (monster) a healthy life filled with lots of luck and happiness.
The Dumpling Mama xo