Saehae Bok Manhi Padeuseyo

Saehae Bok Manhi Padeuseyo is the greeting that Koreans used on New Year's Day. Like Chinese, Koreans also celebrate New Years Day using the Solar Calendar so tomorrow is called "Seollal" in Korea which is the same as Chinese New Year. It is also a big event in Korea where most people go to their hometowns to celebrate Seollal so there's always heavy traffic during this day specially now that it happens on Sunday. Seollal always includes 3 consecutive days holidays. Before, the day, and after but this year, it happens on Sunday which means Monday is the only holiday that workers have, so vacation is too short.

On Seollal, children receive Saebae Don or "New Year Money". They bow down to their parents, grandparents, relatives or oldies and they receive some amount of money. Most kids put their money in their bank accounts like my nieces and nephews. Most parents don't use the money and most kids have their own bank accounts. Last week, I asked one of my students on what would he do with the money although I already know that it goes to his account. It was a free-talking class so even I knew that it goes to his bank account, I still asked in order to make the conversation longer. He said he would put it in his account, then I asked where he would use the money in his account. He said, he will use it when he goes to college and when he get married. Oh my goodness. He's just a 1st grade in middle school. How many years before he could use the money? Wow! Koreans are really good at saving money! Even the kids!

Oh well, back to the topic, I'm supposed to be in my in-laws' house to help preparing for the food to use for "Jesa" (ceremonial for the death). Jesa is done every Chuseok (Thanksgiving Day) and "Seollal" (Chinese New Year). A day when Koreans prepare lots of food and offer to the death. Sometimes they go to the tomb and offer another food like fruits, jeon (different kinds of fried food), fish, vegetables, korean snacks, soup, sul (korean alcohol) and even cigarettes if the death person smoked when he was still on earth. We were supposed to leave last night but we worked until evening so we called my in-laws and told them to go there today, instead. We planned to leave in the morning as soon as we get up (although morning is impossible because we usually get up at noon). We got up at 10:30 the earliest waking-up time but it's now 3p.m. and we are still at home. My hubby is too lazy to go. He said because the vacation is too short. So going back and forth to my in-laws already takes almost a day. Anyway, I'm already done with the chores. As usual, I did the general cleaning like I usually do every Saturday and I'm ready to leave now. I'm all set but my hubby is still playing soccer on his xbox.