Christmas in South Korea

10 Feb

Being my first Christmas away from the fam, I was a little sad and hesitant to get excited this holiday season. Gangneung’s charm warmed me back into spirit. This city’s lack of commercial Christmas technicolor lights, plastic billowing santa lawn ornaments, and the traditional American waste was a relief. The Christmas spirit was very much alive in my coworkers and students at school. I spent the preceding weeks teaching my students about American Christmas, as well as my family’s unique traditions. They told me of their Christmas. I was surprised to see how the holiday doesn’t come close to equaling Korean holidays such as New Year or Chusak.

My Christmas Eve traditionally is spent with my mom’s family. The extentions of the family always get together for a potluck feast, the typical exchanging of gifts, and carols led by Oma. The carols are always my favorite part. Theres something magical about candlelight, children’s voices, and people coming together without hesitation to celebrate with the family.

My Christmas Day is spent with my dad’s side of the family. Danny and I head to Gram’s house around 1 with wafts of the delicious meal reaching us before we even reach the front door. We eat, chat, catch up, exchange gifts, and curl up under blankets on gram’s couch to watch The Christmas Story or some other holiday movie. We eat cookies, drink coffee, and exit with pink cheeks, bags full of goodies, and full bellies.

This Christmas was a bit different.

LCI had a Christmas party a few nights before the actually day, where the students and their parents dress in their party best, and we head to Hyundai Hotel (the most expensive in Gangneung) to wine and dine. The kids sang some songs and played the recorder. Us teachers were forced into nun-costumes to dance to a Sister Act song, thankfully, no photos are available 🙂 At the end of the night, Amy and I gathered a batch of firewood and headed to the beach for a bonfire. A Korean family was strolling the shore, and hurried over to help us ignite the mound of wood. It was spectacular. We had a great evening.

A few nights later a group of us Gangsters had another big fire from wood collected on a winter hike at Odeason. The sky this evening was clear and sparkling with a full moon, and full constellations of stars. The moon had a strange ring around in, halo-like, making us all question the meaning of life and such through our conversations.

Working Christmas Eve was strange, but simple. Mark dressed up as Santa and gave the kids gifts. Then we headed downstairs to watch The Polar Express and eat popcorn. The day passed by quickly; my students really liked the movie. Some even teared up at the end. After school we prepared a bunch of goodies to take to Patti and Jim’s for a Christmas Eve potluck. Amy brought the jello-soj-shots. It was an excellent meal, and the company was as good as family. From there we headed to (yes) the bar. Shortly after, I said my goodbyes and headed home to plug in my red lantern and fall fast asleep, visions of sugar plums and all.

Christmas morning my true family; Amy, Amy, and Liam; and I rented a four wheel bike and rode around Gyeongpo lake. It was hilarious, and the most fun I’ve had on a Christmas yet. We finished our day with a delicious meal at ‘Da Dah-ee-na’ (The Diner) for cheese steaks and nachos. The restaurant had just opened the previous day, our first Americanized food in our city in almost a year! CELEBRATION!

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !