There is something particularly unique for me about being an expat during Christmas. Maybe it is because Christmas is such a major and distinct part of American culture, that there's nothing quite like Christmas to really drive the point home that we're not in fucking Kansas anymore. Or Ohio. Lot's of corn either way, so really what's the difference.
In a lot of ways, this is the most Christmasy I've ever felt, perhaps in an effort to compensate for the lack of what I'm used to having rammed down my throat. Now don't get me wrong, Christmas is definitely a thing here in Korea. There's signs of Christmas all over. Christmas music drifts out of the storefronts as you walk down the street, there's a modest amount of decorations to be seen, and there's a couple public Christmas trees here and there. We decorated the school, and had a Christmas party for the kids, complete with one of the teachers dressing up as Santa and handing out presents that the parents had brought in for them.
But it is definitively not the Christmas that I am used too. Everything was open both last night and today. There was no obvious difference in the hustle and bustle of the city in any way. And actually, that turned out to be my least favorite part of Christmas in Korea. It's funny, because in past years I've complained about how boring Christmas is, because there's nothing to do, and I have no one to celebrate it with. But also, everything is just so quiet, and that's such a unique thing, that I kind of missed it today. It just didn't feel like Christmas with people...you know...doing stuff.
On the other hand, Christmas in Korea is infinitely more secular. It's doesn't in any way have the feel or vibe of a deeply religious holiday. I find this interesting, because I don't believe that Christmas is a holiday acknowledged or endorsed by the government in any official capacity here, whereas is is in the US, though there is obviously a mostly universal unofficial recognition of it here. Also, I find the secularist Korean Christmas incredibly ironic, because Korea is much more uniformly Christian that the USA. I mean seriously, except for the bud-hist monks that actually live at the temples (which seem to exist mostly to give people a unique vacation option) the entire country is Christian. I'm guessing somewhere in the range of 95% of Koreans would identify themselves as such, though this is just a guess and based off of absolutely no actual statistical information.
But you don't get the vibe of it being a religious holiday at all. There aren't any religious decorations (read: no manger scenes outside churches. Though to be fair, where would they put them?). There isn't a mass flight to churches on Christmas Eve for Midnight Mass (I'm not even sure churches had a midnight mass). And I don't think any more people attended church today than normally do on Sunday. And it's not that there aren't any religious nut-jobs here. There's a fringe group that actually seems to believe that the second coming of Christ happened about 40 years ago. It was in Korea of course. Jesus #2 is Korean. I found that funny. But still, most people seem to have a very relaxed view of the holiday.
All and all it seems to me that Koreans have accepted Christmas for what it is, for what we so desperately want to deny it as in the US: nothing more than an excuse to exchange gifts and time with loved ones. And really, I think that's totally appropriate. That's what the winter holiday has been about for a significant part of recorded history, regardless of what anybody wanted to call it. Family and presents. And I think a gift giving holiday is good. It doesn't have to be a major retail extravaganza as it has become in the states in the past few decades. I don't think you have to get big elaborate expensive gifts, or feel pressured to get something for every single person you know. But it's nice to have an excuse to buy, or make, a little something for those who are important to you. You know, as a way to let them know that they are important to you. That pretty much seems to be how Koreans celebrate Christmas, and I totally support that.
So being in Korea has changed my feelings on Christmas. I appreciate the secular aspects of it much more now that the religious aspects aren't being forced upon me. I also more greatly appreciate the aspect of having an excuse to spend time with friends and family now that, you know, I can't. I missed you all much more than usual today. Really, I'm surprised by how much I missed the Christmas that I am used to. I found myself wishing everyone last night a Merry Christmas, which is not a thing I've ever really made a point of doing before. But like I said, with all the silly religion removed, I guess I've realized the value in having a winter time family/friends based holiday, whatever the hell you want to call it.
So Merry Christmas to All.
-Mongoose
In a lot of ways, this is the most Christmasy I've ever felt, perhaps in an effort to compensate for the lack of what I'm used to having rammed down my throat. Now don't get me wrong, Christmas is definitely a thing here in Korea. There's signs of Christmas all over. Christmas music drifts out of the storefronts as you walk down the street, there's a modest amount of decorations to be seen, and there's a couple public Christmas trees here and there. We decorated the school, and had a Christmas party for the kids, complete with one of the teachers dressing up as Santa and handing out presents that the parents had brought in for them.
But it is definitively not the Christmas that I am used too. Everything was open both last night and today. There was no obvious difference in the hustle and bustle of the city in any way. And actually, that turned out to be my least favorite part of Christmas in Korea. It's funny, because in past years I've complained about how boring Christmas is, because there's nothing to do, and I have no one to celebrate it with. But also, everything is just so quiet, and that's such a unique thing, that I kind of missed it today. It just didn't feel like Christmas with people...you know...doing stuff.
On the other hand, Christmas in Korea is infinitely more secular. It's doesn't in any way have the feel or vibe of a deeply religious holiday. I find this interesting, because I don't believe that Christmas is a holiday acknowledged or endorsed by the government in any official capacity here, whereas is is in the US, though there is obviously a mostly universal unofficial recognition of it here. Also, I find the secularist Korean Christmas incredibly ironic, because Korea is much more uniformly Christian that the USA. I mean seriously, except for the bud-hist monks that actually live at the temples (which seem to exist mostly to give people a unique vacation option) the entire country is Christian. I'm guessing somewhere in the range of 95% of Koreans would identify themselves as such, though this is just a guess and based off of absolutely no actual statistical information.
But you don't get the vibe of it being a religious holiday at all. There aren't any religious decorations (read: no manger scenes outside churches. Though to be fair, where would they put them?). There isn't a mass flight to churches on Christmas Eve for Midnight Mass (I'm not even sure churches had a midnight mass). And I don't think any more people attended church today than normally do on Sunday. And it's not that there aren't any religious nut-jobs here. There's a fringe group that actually seems to believe that the second coming of Christ happened about 40 years ago. It was in Korea of course. Jesus #2 is Korean. I found that funny. But still, most people seem to have a very relaxed view of the holiday.
All and all it seems to me that Koreans have accepted Christmas for what it is, for what we so desperately want to deny it as in the US: nothing more than an excuse to exchange gifts and time with loved ones. And really, I think that's totally appropriate. That's what the winter holiday has been about for a significant part of recorded history, regardless of what anybody wanted to call it. Family and presents. And I think a gift giving holiday is good. It doesn't have to be a major retail extravaganza as it has become in the states in the past few decades. I don't think you have to get big elaborate expensive gifts, or feel pressured to get something for every single person you know. But it's nice to have an excuse to buy, or make, a little something for those who are important to you. You know, as a way to let them know that they are important to you. That pretty much seems to be how Koreans celebrate Christmas, and I totally support that.
So being in Korea has changed my feelings on Christmas. I appreciate the secular aspects of it much more now that the religious aspects aren't being forced upon me. I also more greatly appreciate the aspect of having an excuse to spend time with friends and family now that, you know, I can't. I missed you all much more than usual today. Really, I'm surprised by how much I missed the Christmas that I am used to. I found myself wishing everyone last night a Merry Christmas, which is not a thing I've ever really made a point of doing before. But like I said, with all the silly religion removed, I guess I've realized the value in having a winter time family/friends based holiday, whatever the hell you want to call it.
So Merry Christmas to All.
-Mongoose
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