Korean New Year celebration is a traditional celebration which is always celebrated apart from the Gregorian modern dates. January 28th is the New Year day in 2017 for the Korean community. Seollal is the other name of New Year for the Korean.
This cultural celebration Of Seollal takes place for three days. it is based on the following Lunar calendar. Both modern day Gregorian calendar and the lunar New Year celebration encircle honoring the festival.
The two dates are made memorable with pomp, splendor and prestige by the people of Korea. Among many other cultural holidays which are celebrated by the Korean community, the traditional New Year celebrations are felt to be the most substantial and eventful.
This day is computed on the basis of the cycle of the moon, i.e. it is based on lunar calendar which was existent in the ancient Korea. When the winter peak takes place the beginning on the second moon comes after the day is believed by Seollal. Korean New Year performance can be traced back to very ancient times. Ancient scriptures have mentioned of such fulfillment.
Korean New Year day mostly falls on the third new moon after the solstice. And it is the same day as Chinese New year excluding the new moon occurs between 15:00 UTC in Korean midnight. It is customarily and primarily a family celebration. Many people, who live far from their house and families in different places and even countries, return to their houses to visit their parents and other relatives.
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They all gather and perform a family ritual which is known as Charye. Lots of Korean people travel around the world to visit their near and dear ones during this festival time which comes once in a year. On this day, all the families belonging to Korean communities meet together to enjoy each other’s warmth, wellness and success. At first they visit the elders, grandparents to seek their blessings. It is also advised to be respectful for one to visit their in- laws during this festival.
This holiday can prove to be very expensive as there are many gifts to be given to all the family members, enjoying the three day with lots of delicious and traditional cuisine, for decorating the household, buying things and new costumes. New clothes are worn for these festival, traditional foods are prepared for many family members who come to visit them during the occasion. This time fruits become very costly as the prices are inflated during this period. Some of them pass on or some quit some tradition as they are so much expensive. For Seollal these families will prepare a modest familiar custom only with necessary foods. So the government has started to help those unable and ordinary people’s livelihood for Seollal holiday time. They have heightened the supply of fishery, cultivation and livestock product. For this time the rice fund and pork imports to lower capital are used by the government. For increasing money and flow of cash the governments are also putting into small and medium sized companies.
On The first morning of the festival the Korean shows their respect towards their forefather. Foods are kept on a table as an offering to them and a rite begins with deep nod from all family persons. This is a sign of a respect to the ancestors from them. They pray for the well being and after that for all of the family members. Hanbok , named outfits are worn by many Korean people which are very colorful and also traditional. These outfits are worn for comforts. some prefer to wear casual dress for some personal and important occasions such as wedding, childbirth and during Korean New Year and some other wear the Hanbok. After the rites the members have a big feast. Koreans believe that specific animals bring resources. It is said that a person born in an exact year will carry the zodiac animal’s characteristics. Korean zodiac signs and the reading of them are important to the culture of Korea’s.
Parents plan the birth year of the child so that the child may have exact character of a favored zodiac sign for good business dealings or career. Another custom observed is the lighting of a moon house organized out of combustible firewood and branches of the trees. This symbolize the avoiding the negativity of evil spirits for the New Year. Sebeh is a traditionally activity for Korean New Year. Children with elders wish each other and greet a deep rational curtsy. Parents and elders of each family reward this gesture by giving their children New Year’s pocket money. Money is wrapped in beautiful silk designed bags which are known as luck bags. Parents give rice cakes and fruits to their children. Tteokguk is a traditional food made by Korean for this festival. This food is also eaten in birthday celebrations.
Korean people prepare lots of Korean items for their family and friends and enjoy the days with lots of enjoyment. Various traditional games are combined with the Korean New Year. Nowdays “Yunnori” a traditional family board game is still popular during this New Year. It is played with specially designed sticks. Men and boys fly rectangle kites known as ‘yeon’. and also play ‘jegichagi’; a game in light object ie covered in paper or cloth which is kicked in a foot bag. Often people of Korea take part in various games which are played for the occasion to uphold the spirit of gaiety and festivity. Korean women and girls play a game of jumping on a seesaw called ‘neolttwigi’. Gonggi ,jegichagi, neotttwigi are the other folk games that are played in this new Year.
To make the festival a joyous one often people take part of this folk games. Yutnori is the most popular games of the village people. Soju is a colorless alcohol that is made up of rice wheat and barley and it is a part of the festival. As per Korean traditions the elder members of each family pass the glasses of the drink to the younger ones. To bring positivity and good health soju was drank. The custom is never to fill soju glasses unless it is empty. As per Korean ritual no one fills their own glasses some other will fill the glasses. A celebration on New Year’s Eve in Korea is similar to the western culture such as parties and fireworks. Another attraction is the ringing of the historic bell. The bell was originally made in 1396 and is now only rung on Lunar New Year.