Christmas in Korea

This post will be brief, and I promise that my next post will be about my vacation to Bali and the Gili Islands. Christmas is a national holiday in Korea, and roughly 25% of the population is Christian. Because this 25% correlates strongly with the wealthiest 25%, Christmas commercialization is in full swing in Korea. Department stores and malls put up decorations and blare Christmas music all throughout the ever expanding Christmas season. In Korea, there is no Halloween to keep advertisers and marketers honest. The two photos below were taken in the end of October.




















Despite the Coke ads and Santas lining 10 lane streets, it was nice to be able to enjoy some of the traditions of the season. I made my own eggnog (which actually turned out to be quite delicious) and exchanged gifts with a few friends. While it didn't feel quite like the holidays back home, an unconventional Christmas season was certainly better than none at all.

We devoted a day of school to our Christmas party. The kids sang Christmas carols and performed the skit "What I Want for Christmas." When it came to playing Santa, Harry was a natural, and Eena was a solid Rudolph.

Above: Our rendition of "Rudolph." Below: A scene from our skit.