Blessing

This past Saturday, we had a blessing ceremony for lil a and his cousin lil n. We joined in the traditional Cambodian ceremony that was scheduled for lil n. The day was truly wonderful

The blessing started with the saign ceremony, which is the same ritual that is done every year to commomemorate Chinese New Year as well. Basically, everyone pours tea and liquor for the ancestors and prays for the babies and the family.



After the saign, everyone ties perfumed strings around the babies and the parents' wrists, symbolizing the tying together of the family.



A small lock of hair is cut from each baby by the grandparents. This is a sort of cleansing ritual. Later, we will release the hair into the ocean or a river.



Monks came later to bless the babies. After they arrived, the chanted in Sanskrit and blessed the babies with perfumed water.





As a part of the blessing, the babies were present with some serious bling: