In my family, it is traditional to give all new family members their first piece of jewelry when they are born, which is a gold bracelet or a bracelet made of red plastic stones that the baby will wear during the first months of life. Where I grew up and, in Honduras and in my family, it is quite common to believe that babies are fragile about anything. For example, a bad or “strong” look can make a child sick and even kill them if not treated in time. We also believe that some people have this “strong gaze” that, when they see newborn animals, even from a distance, they die within a few days because they are not strong enough to defend themselves against this “energy,” so the person must make a cross on their forehead with their saliva or carry them in their arms for a few minutes to avoid future tragedies. This doesn't imply someone is evil; it's simply a quality we think some people possess and others lack, so it's best to avoid it. The red/gold bracelet serves to protect newborns from that. When I and my three sisters were born, we all had this bracelet that was put on our foot or wrist, and my mother kept them in a safe place for years. It is also common to give the bracelet as a welcome gift for the same purpose. Sadly, when we moved, those bracelets were lost, but I want to keep the tradition because I like the idea of protecting newborns and they look cute with them. 

– JH.

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more