In Italy Christmas is a very heartfelt holiday, characterized by lights, decorations, tables and relatives who sleep on the sofa…
You gotta be kidding!
It is really a time of celebration, which is usually spent with the family and with the people who love each other more: dinner all together, open the presents and toast with sparkling wine and panettone!
In South Korea, 25 December is almost a day like any other. Schools and offices remain closed, but the festivities last only one day.
And how do you spend your day?
1. HAVING A GOOD TIME
Many Koreans dedicate this day to shopping or to friends, with whom they love to have fun, for example going to the cinema to see a Christmas movie.
Shopping of course does not mean the race to gifts that happens here in Italy, but simply spend a pleasant day in the streets of the shops, in which to buy something for yourself!
2. BEING WITH YOUR SPECIAL PERSON
Those who are engaged, however, tend to spend this anniversary with the boy/girlfriend.
In fact, Christmas Day for Korean couples is like a second Valentine’s Day, so you organize a romantic day with your better half and you exchange a gift.
FUN FACT: to make Christmas even more special, many Koreans try to make it coincide with the “anniversary” of the 100-day relationship. So already from September 17, called Gobaek Day (or Confession Day), we try to receive a declaration of love to celebrate Christmas together!
3. STAYING IN THE FAMILY
As Christians, only 30% of Koreans see Christmas as a religious occasion to celebrate in the family. The remaining population, being Buddhist, lives the party in a secular way.
On December 25, therefore, Korean Christians are used to go to Mass and then spend the day at home with the family. There are no traditional dishes, usually you cook everyday dishes. Instead of panettone and pandoro, you can eat ice cream cakes or cakes filled with cream, characterized by a small Christmas tree or other Christmas-themed decorations in sugar paste.
