Christmas in Korea

First of all,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Now that I've got that out of my system...

It's Christmas morning here at 11:55am. I just finished a wonderful video call online with my family who, as usual, was having their Christmas dinner at my Uncle Richard and Aunt Karen's house. It looked fun (and sounded delicious).

I was supposed to meet them online at 10am my time, 8pm their time. Instead, I woke up, looked at the clock and realised that it was 11:00am my time and I was an hour late! AH! So, I jumped on my computer within 30 seconds and told my Dad that I was awake and ready to talk. As a result, I looked a little haggard, but it was great to talk to my family anyway.

It's a funny feeling, spending Christmas in Korea. On one hand, it says "Merry Christmas" MUCH more than it does in Canada, there is no diplomatic "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" anywhere. On the other hand, there is an unspoken absence of all things Christmas. Maybe the absence stems from the lack of personal tradition - the family dinner on Christmas Eve, the gift opening on Christmas morning, and the family dinner on Christmas night. Or, maybe the absence stems from the lack of familiar Christmas sights - the snow, the bustling crowds at Limeridge Mall, excitement in the air, the smell of cold weather!

Either way, it is a weird feeling.

I'm happy though. It's a feeling of contentness. There was English writing on the wall of a store here that said, "Be proud of where you came from, but be happy you're here now". I think that applies to what I'm rambling about!

Anyway, to finish this post that has been mainly me rambling about my feelings, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be posting pictures of tonight's festivities (I'm going to a North American style dinner with a ton of foreigners)!

Have a great Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!