'Tis the Season

It’s the holiday season, and we just celebrated Valentine’s Day. Well, not really. Let me back up.

The wintry festivities started for us back in September, after the Chuseok harvest celebration. Lights went up, huge snowmen adorned the malls, and the glittery winter décor beat the dropping temperatures that soon followed. Our American Thanksgiving was more or less a loss as a regular workday (though we did get an afternoon turkey meal, thanks to my school!), but our first snow came that week with a clap of thunder and bolt of lightening that lit up the inky morning haze. It was an eerie but very awe-some first snow, and since then we’ve had mostly sunny but gelid days.

Frozen winter stream at Namsan Mountain

So, back to Christmas. With only one day off for the holiday we decided to plan wisely. A late Christmas Eve Korean dinner, a Christmas Day hike, and a good ol’ traditional Western Christmas meal somewhere in Itaewon, the foreigner district. But as the day approached, students shared plans of dates and drinking on Christmas. “It’s a couple’s holiday.”

And sure enough, Christmas Eve came and instead of date night or Korean dinner Zak and I were invited out (separately) with co-workers (last minute planning being the norm here). So began perhaps my most interesting Christmas Eve yet. First, samgapsil, or Korean BBQ (think bacon on a grill, and you eat it in a lettuce wrap). Next up? Makgeoli, or rice wine, with kimchi pajeon followed by strawberry-studded, whipped creme cake complete with birthday candles and a Santa figurine (a gift from a student). And to top off the evening? Noribang; that is, karaoke. Yep, we sang the night away to "White Christmas" and "Feliz Navidad." Karaoke is, after all, a favorite pastime of Koreans young and old and why not do your favorite thing on Christmas?

Korean BBQ with co-workers

Christmas Eve noribang

Meanwhile, Zak was enjoying a house-style Christmas Eve party with wine, cheese, hotdogs, pasta salad and cake. (Let me emphasize, cake is the preferred Christmas dessert. Few pies to be found.)

Our Christmas Day festivities were slightly more normal; albeit, without a tree. We did, however, make it on a hike to nearby Namsan and met up with co-workers for an afternoon Christmas meal (add pizza and chili fries and subtract pumpkin pie, still a little bummed about that one).

Prime rib, duck, grilled veggies and mulled wine. German-inspired. Yum!

All in all, it was a Christmas we won’t forget and reflecting on 2013 we have lots to be thankful for. A special shout out to Mom and Dad (we love the sheets! and we'll call stove-top pumpkin pie a semi-success), Jody and Kathleen (chocolate!), and Kristina for the amazingly comfy scarf. And Tina, those Smartwool socks are clutch! Can’t wait for the calf warmers.

Until next year…

Looking down on Seoul from Namsan Mountain

Christmas Day hiking at Namsan