Christmas Season in Korea

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First, Daniel and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We might be on the other side of the globe, but you are all no less in our hearts and thoughts this season.

Well, it's the holiday season!! You aren't hit over the head with Christmas here the way you are in the States. You don't see advertisements everywhere, decorations in October, or charities asking for donations every time you turn around. But there are signs of the holidays. The shopping districts are decorated (tastefully) and there are (fake) Christmas tree shops in places like Namdaemun (NAM-day-moon). At my school a couple of teachers have decorated and the children are certainly in the spirit of the holidays.
Dan and I received some packages from our Moms which have really helped us feel like it's the holidays. We were given decorations for our small tree, crafts for the walls, window decals, candy canes, tree skirts, candles, strings of lights, Christmas music, and candy. We even placed the wrapped presents under the tree but (Sorry, Mom) opened them earlier this week. We couldn't wait. My Mom sent all the ingredients for linguini and clam sauce, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner at our house. Dan's Mom sent a wicker football, a cowboys tree ornament, a selection of teas with a teacup and saucer, and stockings with our names in glitter. We really are blessed with such thoughtful families!

My classroom is by far the best at my school. I have included some pictures but they don't do it justice. Mom sent me 13 stockings to hang on the wall and I've told my students that Santa will make a special trip to fill them up before Christmas since we won't be in school on Christmas Day. She also send glitter and glue (which was used to decorate the snowflakes I hung over the windows), pencils, and erasers (perfect stocking stuffers). There are colored lights on the walls, those window wreath decals from my Mom-in-law, a Christmas tree decorated by my kids, and "snow" in the windows (cotton balls glued to cardboard in a gentle "U" shape to give the appearance of drifts).

When I asked my children if hey had decorated their Christmas trees several of them told me they wouldn't have trees. They said that the news told them it was dangerous to have a tree because the needles are sharp and it is poisonous to eat. Since I can't read the newspapers or watch it on TV I have not seen anything about this, but I don't doubt it. When there is a scare about anything over here (Melamine, or American beef, for example) it becomes an obsession and taken too far. I hope they don't lose any of the holiday spirit because of what the news may have said.

Last night Daniel and I got all dressed up and went to the theater to see The Nutcracker. It was lovely! My Mom used to take me quite a lot when I was younger, but it had been quite awhile since I had seen it, and Daniel had never seen it before. While he insists he enjoyed it, I believe it might be hard to convince him to go to the ballet again. The highlight of the show for him was when he finally heard the "Beef, it's what's for dinner" song. But he was a good sport, and I really am lucky. He would never say no to me, especially when he knows I really want to do something. In that regard, I'm truly spoiled.

Speaking of "never saying no to me", we had originally agreed not to go anywhere for Christmas, but instead save our money for backpacking Europe next year. But once I heard that several other teachers were considering going to China during our week-long break, I couldn't get the travel bug out of my ear (he creeps in and once I listen to him, we are guaranteed to be booked on a flight to somewhere). The next day we had two roundtrip tickets to Shanghai, leaving December 25 and returning January 3. Once we realized our friends Kelly and Corey would be in Hong Kong for New Year's we got train tickets to and from so that would could enjoy the celebrations with them. Our itinerary looks like 2 days in Shanghai, 1 day travel, 4 days in HK, 1 day travel, 2 days in Shanghai. Mom sent us her National Geographic China Traveler book which helped them plan their two-week trip last year. We have enjoyed reading it and deciding what we most want to see. We are so excited!!

We have planned to spend Christmas morning at Kelly and Corey's on-post room, playing Wii and eating a breakfast Kelly and I are attempting to create. We both have foods our Mothers make for the holidays, so we are going to try and recreate that. I'm sure we will have a backup plan of cereal and donuts, just in case. I'm hoping for a white Christmas, but as of yet there has been no snow. It's been cold, although sometimes it isn't that bad. I look forward to writing another blog after our trip to China! Take Care!

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Photos

Us
At The Nutcracker

Us
At The Nutcracker

Tuna Dinner
Before the ballet

Betty
During a 5-min break she "powers up". What a funny kid.

Classroom Decorations
(you can't see the colored, flashing lights, but they're there!)

May and Tae Hee
May, my tutoring student, and her baby sister (a Precious Moments doll!)

May
These hats are all the rage over here. There are pigs, sheep, dogs, cats, etc.

Santa Day for Orphans
The army base invited children from a local orphanage to come meet Santa! Every child received gifts, had lunch, watched a tae kwon do demonstration, and listened to carols.

Santa Day for Orphans
Santa rode in on fire truck then handed out gifts from an army bag

Santa Day for Orphans
Playing with his light-up toy

Comments

[Jenna]

Christmas
Hey, this may seem like a stupid question to you but I was just wondering how long schools get off for christmas?