Does minhag Ashkenaz include Upsherin?

What are the Ashkenazic customs for a boy's first haircut?

Brian

I believe that the upsherin came from the musta'rabim (the Jews in Eretz Yisroel who were there since the Churban, as opposed to later European immigrants), who likely took the idea from the Arabs. Originally, childrens' hair was cut at kivrei tzaddikim and the weight of the hair in gold or silver was then given to tzedaka. Later it was decided to make this haircut more special by making it the child's first haircut. Eventually the ceremony of the child's first haircut was merged with the ceremony of the child's first time to be taught torah, which meant that the child's hair ממילא wasn't cut until age three. Readers can see more on this from Rabbi Seth Mandel (head of OU shechita) here: www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol11/v11n014.shtml#17

Melech