In Malaysia, the lunar new year is referred to as Chinese New Year because the Chinese are the ones who celebrate it. But do you know that the Japanese and Koreans also celebrate the lunar new year too?
Here is some information about the Korean Lunar New Year:
In Korea, Seollal (also Seolnal) refers to Lunar New Year’s Day, Korea’s biggest holiday of the year. Seollal(설날) is also known as sullal, seolnal, gujung, gujeong. This day by is the most important Korean holiday. Families and relatives get together to celebrate the first day of the year and to wish the best luck. The adults honour the deceased with jesa, semi-religious practice, the children do sebae, traditional saluting practice to show respects to parents, grandparents and elderly relatives, they all eat tteokguk, rice-cake soup, play folk games such as yutnori, gegichagi and visit more relatives and close neighbors
This is for families to renew ties and prepare for the new year.
Like the Malaysian Chinese, the Koreans also have some superstitions and practices during the new year. One example is on New Year's Eve people place straw scoopers, rakes or sieves on their doors and walls to protect their families from evil spirit in the new year.
Everyone dresses in new clothes, the following morning, symbolizing a fresh beginning, and gathers at the home of the eldest male family member. Ancestral memorial rites are held, then the younger generation bows to elders in the family. They wish them good health and prosperity in the coming year. The elders often then give newly minted money or gifts afterwards. This is something like our ang pows. I am not sure if the money is put into packets.
New Year's Day food for the Koreans includes a bowl of rice cake soup ttokkuk. Koreans believe eating this soup will add and extra year of age to your life. Like the Chinese, Korean age is actually calculated at the New Year. Everyone becomes a year older on New Year's Day!
Favorite games: yut nori, a stick game, and see-sawing on large see-saws setup in the courtyard or in parks.
This is for families to renew ties and prepare for the new year.
Like the Malaysian Chinese, the Koreans also have some superstitions and practices during the new year. One example is on New Year's Eve people place straw scoopers, rakes or sieves on their doors and walls to protect their families from evil spirit in the new year.
Everyone dresses in new clothes, the following morning, symbolizing a fresh beginning, and gathers at the home of the eldest male family member. Ancestral memorial rites are held, then the younger generation bows to elders in the family. They wish them good health and prosperity in the coming year. The elders often then give newly minted money or gifts afterwards. This is something like our ang pows. I am not sure if the money is put into packets.
New Year's Day food for the Koreans includes a bowl of rice cake soup ttokkuk. Koreans believe eating this soup will add and extra year of age to your life. Like the Chinese, Korean age is actually calculated at the New Year. Everyone becomes a year older on New Year's Day!
Favorite games: yut nori, a stick game, and see-sawing on large see-saws setup in the courtyard or in parks.
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