Christmas in Korea is similar to Western tradition but at the same time, there are differences that deserve attention.
Christmas in Seoul seems to be the real big event of the year: already at the beginning of November lights and lights are starting to appear in the boulevards, in the churches, and in the boutiques; shops and homes are decorated with trees and decorations; Christmas promotions are going on everywhere.
The date of the festival is the same as the celebrations in the West (December 25th), however, the motif changes. What do Koreans celebrate on Christmas day if we don’t celebrate the birth of Jesus? 50% of Koreans call themselves “non-religious” while the other half is mostly divided between Buddhists, Protestants and only 10% Catholics, which is why there is not a national celebration, although it is still a public holiday during which you do not work and do not go to school. South Korean Christians celebrate Christmas in a similar way to the way the feast is celebrated in the West but paying less attention to aesthetic aspects and more emphasis on the religious significance of the party.
From a culinary point of view, on the Korean tables for this occasion it is possible to find everything: from the traditional roast turkey to sushi, meat and fish are mixed even on the most contained buffets. However, it is less usual to find traditional Western Christmas foods, so if this is exactly what you want (such as panettone or pandoro) you will have to sift through every single shop carefully so that it does not appear to be marketed. In the various patisseries, you will find with ease, cakes with Christmas decorations, cakes with ice cream or covered with cream.
The figure of Santa Claus exists and is especially popular among children (in Korea he is known as Santa Harabujee), and he wears a red or blue suit or a more typical dress of the Korean tradition such as the green, red or blue hanbok. The children recognize him as a happy figure, almost a grandfather who distributes gifts. The shops use this character to distribute chocolate and candy.
Yet, despite these specific traditions, there is no real Christmas spirit but Christmas romance.
If in fact in Italy there is the habit of “Christmas with yours, New Year’s Eve with whomever you want” for Koreans it is not the same thing, on the contrary, to spend December 25 with relatives is one of the biggest misfortunes because Christmas in Corea is officially a day to spend with your fiancèe.
Christmas is considered a sort of copy of Valentine’s Day, to be spent exclusively with one’s soul mate. The most listened to the song seems to be Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas“. The youngest begin the search for a partner already from the beginning of December, many avoid giving up the boy or girl before the holiday so as not to risk being alone on the eve and many others, still single, try to change their status by fixing appointments on that date. Those who remain without partners can still choose to go out with friends or stay at home with their parents and relatives. It is now clear that Koreans love being in pairs and love to show their love in a thousand different moments. Young lovers spend the day walking through the streets of the center, savoring the Christmas atmosphere and sales in department stores, getting lost in SPA services or spending hours in amusement parks or on skating rinks.
Love is the feeling that always reigns supreme or for one reason or another, even more so on an occasion like Christmas.
