Korean new year 2013


The korean new year said 설날 Seollal, is the first day of the lunar calender. This year (2013), it is going to fall on the 10th February. Koreans usually get 3 days of vacation to celebrate this holiday with their family.




Customs :


Koreans must be really busy on normal days, but the new year is an occasion for the whole family to meet up, enjoy a great time together and honor the ancestors. Moving to grand parents' house causes a huge traffic on the roads, it takes a longer time to arrive at one's destination. But once there, all the stress is forgotten.
As usual, women get in charge of preparing all the yummy food. And 설날's special dish is 떡국 Tteokguk; a sort of soup made of beef and finely sliced rice cakes. And once you're done eating your 떡국, you are one year older.
In the past, the celebration used to start at 3am because -as it was believed- the spirits would be in motion before the first rooster cries. For that reason, koreans would stay up all night.
The korean new year is also known for 새배 Saebae wich is a big bow that the younger family members do to their seniors. In return, they are given money and words of wisdom.



Games :

The new year is a ceremony, as we meet, we have fun. And to enjoy their time, koreans play several games during 설날 such as 윷놀이 Yuttnori which is a board game played by the whole family. 제기차기 Jegichagi an outdoor game in which the player needs to kick the 제기 Jegi in the air to prevent it from falling. The winner is the one with highest number of kicks. Another game is 널뛰기 Neolttuigi played by two women/girls. Each player jumps on a side of the 널 Neol which is the board propelling the opposit person in the air. .




설날 2013 or the year of the snake :

The snake is one of the twelve divine guardians called 십이지신 Sibijisin. The tradition says that each one of us has specific characteristics of the animal that marks our birth year. You were born on the year of the snake if your birth year is 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013. People born on one of these years are known for being hardworkers and tend to be perfectionists.

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