Traditional Chinese Baby Gifts That Have Survived Centuries

Baby showers are celebrated differently by different cultures such as the Finnish giving boxes filled with baby supplies. The most significant part of the Finnish gift is the box as this box has survived centuries to be given to day by the government. There loads more traditions some fairly new, some fairly old that withstood the test of time. Whichever part of the world that we all hail from, we all celebrate birth.In China some of these gifts have survived decades and can be used to give to local friends who have just had their baby.

Many families celebrate the new baby’s life with a necklace or bracelet adorned with a long-life lock–a traditional gift for many 1-month-old babies, according to the Cultural China website. In the Chinese culture, the lock served as a symbol of protection, which theoretically helped ward off evil. Children commonly removed these locks on their wedding day when their families considered them fully grown.

Gifts of cash, tucked into a red envelope, remain a popular Chinese traditional baby gift. This monetary offering is said to bring prosperity and happiness to the recipient, according to Branden Black, David Levine, Jessica Oh and Alex Wei of the University of California Irvine Anthropology Department. Also commonly given during Chinese New Year’s celebrations, these gifts of cash carry on a centuries-old tradition. The amount of the monetary gift usually varies depending on the relationship between the giver and recipient.

Jade, a long-standing symbol of protection in Chinese culture, is commonly made into bracelets or charms and gifted to the new baby. According to the Oracle Education’s ThinkQuest Library, Jade ornaments remain a popular gift today. Many people like to gift the new baby with jade charms in the shape of the his Chinese astrology symbol–like boars, monkeys, rats or dragons.

Commemorate the new life with a cherished Northern Chinese tradition incorporating the good wishes and thoughts of 100 friends and family members. A Bei Jia Bei or “100 Good Wishes Quilt” consists of 100 squares of cloth contributed by loved ones and made into a quilt. While today’s givers usually choose colorful fabric squares–in ancient Chinese tradition they donated a wish and a scrap of old clothing, which the baby’s mother sewed together. Families usually cherish the quilt for generations, often passing it down from one family member to the next.

Sourced from ehow.com