What will you do on your first event with your baby, ``Seven Nights''?

``Seven nights'' is the first event you celebrate with your baby.
What does it do? Make sure to check the preparation and etiquette to make it a memorable one for your family.

What is Onanaya?

It is an event to celebrate the birth of a baby and pray for its healthy growth. It is read as "Oshichiya". This custom has been going on since the Heian period. At that time, many babies died soon after birth due to underdeveloped medical care, poor living conditions, and poor nutrition, so a naming ceremony was held to celebrate the successful completion of the seven days.
Although babies are no longer exposed to such risks, it is still cherished as the first celebration for babies and their families.

When will you do it?

It is celebrated on the night of the 7th day, with the day of birth as the first day.
However, it may be difficult to do so while the patient is still in the hospital or has just been discharged from the hospital. You can shift the date to prioritize the health of the mother and baby.
Many families do it on a holiday close to the 7th day, or after more than two weeks, and sometimes it is done in conjunction with a shrine visit. It's an important celebration, but if you overdo it and put too much of a burden on the baby and mother, you'll be missing the point. Think flexibly depending on the situation.

Who is hosting and who is calling?

In the old days, it was said that the grandfather on the father's side would host a grand celebration with all the relatives gathered at the father's parents' house, but in recent years this seems to be not the case in many cases. It is becoming increasingly common for mothers, fathers, and babies to celebrate together, and some families do not even celebrate the Seven Nights themselves.
In the case of a home birth, the birth may take place at the mother's parents' home, but if the father's grandparents are the type who value tradition, it may be helpful to have the father talk about this in advance to avoid conflicts and avoid trouble.

What do you do?

If grandparents or other relatives are also participating, mom and dad will greet each other first. This greeting is used to express gratitude to the family who supported the baby, saying that the baby was born safely and in good health, and that the mother and father were able to stay healthy until the baby was born. After the greetings, the baby's naming ceremony will be held, which can be called the main event. It is a ceremony in which a naming book with names and dates of birth is shown to the attendees.
After the naming ceremony, it is common to have a celebratory meal, take the baby's handprints and footprints, and take a commemorative photo with everyone. There are differences depending on the region, so when inviting relatives, it's a good idea to check the customs of the area.

What is a naming book?

The baby's name is written on it, and the formal version is written with a brush on slightly thick paper called hosho paper. The content and location of writing is determined, but recently there are many homes that do it informally.
Informal forms have a high degree of freedom, and some use hanshi (Japanese paper), while others download ones with cute designs. It is also possible to order online, including handwriting. Stylish framed items with handprints, footprints, and photographs arranged in them, as well as album types, are also popular.
The naming book will be displayed on the altar, in the alcove, or in the living room if there is no such place, and will be displayed until the 21st day after birth, when the baby is raised on the floor or when he visits the shrine. The baby is then stored together with the umbilical cord until it reaches adulthood.

What kind of clothes should I wear?

It seems that there are many moms and dads who dress up their babies as the main characters. If you have a ceremonial dress prepared for the shrine visit, let your child wear it, the white dress you wore when you were discharged from the hospital, or a romper for a celebration. Of course, you don't have to prepare special clothes. We'll take a commemorative photo, so let's dress her in her favorite photo.

What is a celebratory meal?

Although it differs slightly depending on the region, a typical celebratory meal includes lucky charms such as sea bream with tail, red rice, clam soup, red and white masu, and kelp rolls. In the past, each family prepared their own food, but in recent years, it has become more common for caterers to provide it. More and more people are celebrating by ordering slightly luxurious meals such as sushi, eel, steak, and hors d'oeuvres delivered, or preparing cakes.

What other celebrations do you have?

The next celebration for a baby after the Seven Nights is the ``Omiyamairi'', which is usually held around one month after birth, by visiting a local shrine and receiving prayers. It is an event to express gratitude to the guardian deity for a safe birth and pray for healthy growth. Afterwards, around 100 days after birth, the baby has a ``first meal'' (Okuizome), in which wishes are given that the baby will live without having to worry about food for the rest of its life.
Both are traditional practices that have been passed down since ancient times. It may not be suitable for today's busy world, and there is no harm in omitting it, but it is a milestone event to remember, so it would be a good idea to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors.

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