Dear Bac Kha,

 Warm greetings from Trails of Indochina - Hanoi, Vietnam!

 No hear, no news from you for the long time, I hope you are fine over there and doing a good business.

 Come back to your friend's questions, I can give you some ideas as follows:

 For the young child, the first and most important birthday must be "day thang" celebration, "day thang" in Vietnamese means "full month", when the child is one month old! The celebration would be very big one if the child is a boy. In this day the family must give offerings to worship the "Goddess of childbirth" and Longevity God. Offerings are: raw rice, salt, paper objectives (paper clothes, paper money..), rice soup, fruits, rice flakes, lucky money... All the offerings must be divided into twelve parts, represent the twelve Goddesses and twelve animals according  to the Chinese lunar calendar. The famous ritual master of a fortune teller would held this celebration - worshipping. Around the noon time a skillful barber shaves the child's hair (clean head) and eyebrows, the child would wear the red hat for the good luck. The shaved hair from the child must be tided up with the red thread and will be hung over the bed where the child sleeps. People believe, by doing this can keep the child away from bad spirit and evils. For this celebration, relatives, close friends will be invited, people bring the gifts for the child: milk, clothes, silver or gold... and say the best wishes. Then everybody have a party eat and drink a lot in order to share the happiness of the host.

 Bac Kha, you see your friend's child is one year old so I think he can just organize a normal birthday celebration for the child in his way. And I wish his child have a good health, clever child and good life!

 P.S Sorry for being away for a while, I was too busy, summer is coming I will have some free time so if you need any thing or my help, do not hesitate to ask.

 Best regards,

 Your Vietnamese little friend

Duke - Nguyen Minh Duc