This year's Christmas was very different than I've ever experienced, but was still very special in so many ways.
Each year in the past, my family has had consistent traditions. For example, on X-mas eve we open our small gifts from our siblings, then pack all the relative's gifts into the car and head to one house (we alternate each year) to celebrate X-mas eve with a big dinner, gift-giving all around the tree and everyone opening their gifts at once, then treating ourselves with numerous choices of cookies, pastries, and other desserts. The next morning is then spent opening Santa's gifts (or if u want to take the fun out of it, "parents" gifts), and spending the rest of the day relaxing and having dinner at our grandparents house next door.
This year, Christmas for Keith and I was spent on a island (but cold) in Korea! So what was it like? Well, if it wasn't for the big and tight foreign community it would have been just another day. See here in Korea, even if you are a Christian, the holiday is more for couples or for very small children. Usually the family will have a big Korean dinner, along with a cake to celebrate the holiday. And small children might be given a few gifts, such as a scarf or gloves, shoes, or maybe money. However, most families don't have x-mas decorations up or even a tree! It is a funny thing, because students have off of school and it is a holiday celebrated here, but the excitement for the holiday and going crazy over decorations, gifts, x-mas songs, x-mas movies, etc. is almost nonexistent here.
But of course, I did not let this difference in how we celebrate dec. 25th change the way Keith and I spent the holiday. We had a cocktail party (at Kyla and Mike's apartment...2 floors above us) with all the foreigners in our building plus a few. Everyone brought a wrapped gag gift, along with a type of liquor. I also made more puppy chow and brought some for people to snack on. We had everything from White Russians to Dirty Santa's...there were about 15 recipes on their kitchen wall to choose from! This seemed tempting and very fun (until the next morning). The whole night was fun and it was special to be able to have a big group who we're all close with to celebrate. Once again, our friends here on Jeju all felt like a lil family getting together for another holiday. (Of course, it could never relate to my real family at home in Chicago that I was missing so much and wishing I was with). We played "white elephant" with the gag gifts we brought. Fun game! You can exchange gifts with others before and after the gifts are opened to choose the gift you want. The gift I opened I stayed with because it was a bunch of massage tools...one for you back, one for your face/noise?, and one for your feet! Keith also kept his gift, which was a few big knives for the kitchen.
The next morning was pretty rough, which is unusual for x-mas morning. I realized that I have never gone out drinking the night of x-mas eve, and in the future I hope to keep it that way, because it took foreeever to get out of bed to open our x-mas gifts under our lil tree. We first went back up to Kyla and Mike's place around noon for a nice big American-style brunch. We had eggs with onions, lil sausage wieners,hashbrowns, fruit, toast, etc. while watching Elf. Magda, our neighbor who lives above us, is watching 2 lil adorable shitsus for her friend who's visiting the Philippines, so they also came to visit for a while. It's nice having animals around. I miss that. The rest of the day was spent opening our gifts from our family at home, eating Fannie Mae meltaways and pixies that Keith's mom sent, along with hot chocolate. We listened to x-mas music and watched x-mas movies all night...a few of my faves include Elf, A Christmas Story, the cartoon movie of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Love Actually. We also ordered pizza from our lovely and convenient around-the-corner restaurant, Pizza Maru, that we can now somehow order from on the phone. But we ordered in so that we wouldn't have to cook and could snuggle in our warm bed with our new heating pad on high! It was a nice, relaxing night. Also, Keith opened my gift, which was a backpacking bag for our upcoming trips, chocolate chip cookies,a few hallabongs (which is an expensive and popular + delicious fruit on the island/ a mix between a grapefruit and an orange), and also an air bb gun, since his friends Mike and Paul have some so it's his new lil toy! :) haha
I want to say thank you to the family and friends who sent x-mas cards and gifts from home. We definitely did not expect you to send packages to Korea and it meant a lot that you thought of us overseas! We miss all of you! Keith's mom did a great job choosing all of our favorite snacks and health food, including Grape Nuts, Kashi wheat thins, and protein bars...all of these we miss so much since we can't get them here! We have been starting our health kick right this year by enjoying all these healthy snacks, and it allowed us to not have to do much grocery shopping for the next few weeks! Thanks Mary! Keith's dad, Tom, and his wife Bern, sent lots of x-mas decorations that made our apartment look more festive, as well as a sweet hand-painted Chicago Bulls bags set (for the game "bags). Great idea to use for our winter camps and for a fun indoor activity during the winter, or on the beach once it gets warm. Thanks Tom and Bern! And my parents sent us our very first x-mas tree, along with our 1st puppy! hehe We put all the wrapped gifts from our family under this lil tree (my parents also sent decorations for us to hang). The x-mas puppy barks when u turn it on, as well as rolls over! It's so funny to watch and cracks me up every time. They also sent us x-mas stockings, with chapstick of course (which is given to me in my stocking each year)and a Japan travel book and language book...which will be great when we plan our trip to Japan, which will hopefully be either this summer or next year. My brothers sent me a fun and really creative gift. It's a shirt that says Global Trotter on the front with a picture of the world globe. On the back of the shirt it says where I started my trip (Chicago) and where I ended (Korea) and the number of miles that I traveled. I will continue putting all the places I travel to on the back of this shirt...it will be a great travel gift to always carry with me. Love it!! Thanks Tom and Rick!
My co-teachers also brought me gifts the last day of school, Dec. 23rd, before we were on break. Mrs. Kang gave me arm warmers...which is like looooong gloves that cover most of your arm and most of your hand (I'll show u with a picture, but they're popular here). My other co-teacher, Eun Mi Lee, gave me a box of spealized Jeju chocolate from the popular coffee/chocolate house, Chocolat, along with little Korean souvenoirs that you can put on your phone. She had also given me a really nice long black pea coat about a week or so ago. She told me her Aunt who lives in Seoul had given it to her, but it did not fit her since she's so short. It actually fits me perfectly, except the arms are pretty short...and I think this is why Mrs. Kang gave me the arm warmers to cover up my long arms when I wear the coat:) My co-teachers are so kind and thoughtful, and I didn't expect anything from them either. Somehow I feel like Koreans always outdo a kind gesture. For example, if you bring a gift to them or do something kind, Koreans will show the same kindness x 10!
Well, I felt spoiled this year with Christmas gifts and treats and just all the people who showed they really care and are thinking of us while we are living overseas and made it possible to celebrate x-mas here. I hope my family also enjoyed their gifts and cards that I sent home.
Miss you all back at home! Merry Christmas to everyone! xoxoxoxo May the season be warm and filled with happiness!
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