Friday is the Lunar New Year and a huge holiday in Korea. Similar to Chuseok, this holiday is a family holiday, with many going to their hometowns to celebrate the three day holiday. Tomorrow starts the festivities, and the beginning of the ancestral rituals (Charye) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charye). Koreans honor their ancestors by performing formal bows and preparing and presenting food to their ancestors. The children also perform formal bows to all of the adults and they receive money for their bows. I hear it can be quite expensive for the adults, especially if they have a lot of kids in their family.
Another big practice during the New Year is to eat Tteokguk on the first day of the new calendar year. Tteokguk is a soup that is supposed to grant luck for the forthcoming year and give the one eating it an additional year of life. Additionally, after eating the soup you are one year older. Koreans have birthdays (the day they were born) and the New Year birthday, which is where everyone ages an extra year. So, in Korea many people say they are 2 years older than they actually are. (For instance, I am 26 but in Korean age I am 28). This is because of the extra birthday Koreans have on the Lunar New Year. And Tteokguk is an important part of the birthday.
I might be going to my boyfriends house for the Lunar New Year and observing a formal celebration. However, it is still up in the air (things are always last minute here, which is something I had to get used to). His parents are okay with it but his family is huge and he has to double check some things. If I go, I will post about my experiences and what it was like.
Cheers!
and
Happy New Year!!!!
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