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해피 설날

1/25/2009

4 Comments

 

Or in the English language....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  (Lunar)

Korea rocks!  Not only do they celebrate New Year's Day here, they also get to celebrate Seollal, the Lunar New Year! Seollal is the favorite holiday of many Koreans.  Most people go back to their home towns to perform ceremonial rites, and pay respect to their ancestors.  What this means to most Americans is they get a long holiday!  The kids I talk to on the phone have been out of school from Dec 24th, and they do not go back until the beginning of February.  From what I understand, the Lunar New Year is more like the American Christmas.  (Christmas in Korea isn't NEARLY as big of a deal as it is in the US.) Koreans prepare for Seollal weeks to months in advance.   Koreans are very traditional.  They prepare much of the meal the day before, a friend of mine told me that Seollal is a hard holiday for the women because there is so much work to be done.  They prepare 20 plus dishes, and they all have to be up to par because the are honoring their ancestors with the meal.  On New Year Day, Seollal, everyone wakes early to dress in Hanboks, traditional Korean clothing, and pays respect to their ancestors.  'According to Korean tradition it is believed that ancestors return to enjoy the holiday food prepared for them. An ancestral tablet is placed on the rites table along with all the dishes and drinks. This is to show appreciation and respect for late ancestors. The ancestral rites also symbolize the descendants’ prayers for a good new year.'

After the family eats the meal together (this is the part the kids REALLY like), it is time for the children to bow to their elders, to show respect...for the kids it is just to get the cash!  :)  When the children bow to their elders, each elder gives them good wishes and then gives them 10,000-30,000 won!  They may only bow to each elder one time, but depending on how many elders they have, they can score a nice chunk of change.   After bowing to their elders the family participates in traditional games. 


So, there you have it, my interpretation of the Lunar New Year, Seollal, with a little help from this website and my friends. 



Earlier in the week we were invited to a Lunar New Year office party.  We attended at the ROK (Republic of Korea) Military Post.  Here are a few pictures from that.  In this first picture kids are playing traditional Korean games played on New Year's Day.  Some of the children are wearing Honboks.

I swear, Boy 2 thinks he is a rock star!  Women are constantly fawning all over him.

Boy 1 having a great time....again.

The MajGen passing out shots to the B-Boy, breakdancing group after their performance.

Hubby passing out shots to his friends....

Boy 3 thinks he is a SUPERSTAR!

Me and my Girl!

And this is my favorite picture of the night.....

4 Comments
kathie
1/25/2009 10:49:27 pm

WOW!! you guys have been busy.

Reply
Marcie
1/27/2009 06:29:47 am

I have been subbing alot at Halstead this year. In one class is a little girl who just moved here from Korea a few months ago. She was telling me all about their New Year yesterday and was amazed that I knew some facts! Thanks for helping me score points with the kiddos! :D Hope you are all having fun.

Reply
Trish
1/27/2009 06:16:25 pm

Marcie, I thought you moved back home when your hubby depolyed?

Reply
Marcie
1/27/2009 08:14:19 pm

I was going to. But, S wanted to stay at school with his friends and not move to WI. Hubby agreed, so here I am in lovely TX! It's actually been a fun and exciting adventure. I have made alot more friends, as I am very active in school now that Z is in PreK. Being here alone is not as bad as I thought it would, and now only 4.5 months to go! :D

Reply



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    Author

    Proud Army wife and mother to 4 wonderful children.  I love to cook, travel, work out and scrapbook life’s adventures when I find the time.  We just got orders & are heading back to the states in March 2010.  I'm bummed that our time has been cut short, but proud of Hubby for the reason why.

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