Holidays are loved by all people: adults and especially children, but it is Koreans who value them very highly. There are 9 public holidays in the country, but if they fall on a weekend, they are not carried over to weekdays, so part of the holidays simply “burns out”. It is for this reason that Koreans have a special feeling for each holiday and spend it brightly, beautifully, and cheerfully.
Korea, like any other country, is associated with certain established images. This is, first of all, the national Korean clothing - hanbok, which many certainly wear for the holiday. This is a healthy Korean food - kimchi and bulgogi. This is the Korean alphabet - Hangul, there is even a holiday that is dedicated to it. So, about the holidays in Korea in order.
New Year
The New Year, which is celebrated on January 1, is formal in Korea. He is usually met with friends and relatives. Of course, there are decorated Christmas trees, and Santa Claus, and New Year's cards, and gifts. There are posters hanging on the streets with the wishes of all the best and the best for the coming year. Many Koreans on this holiday go to the mountains, where they meet the first dawn of the year.
New Year according to the lunar calendar
This is the most important and longest holiday in the Korean calendar. Celebrations, festivals, fairs last 15 days, and the holiday itself lasts 3 days. This new year is often called the “Chinese”, because the holiday itself and the traditions to celebrate it came from China.
The main New Year's tradition is dinner. There should be a lot of different dishes on the table. At the table, according to legend, there are spirits of deceased ancestors who come to celebrate the celebration with their living relatives. On New Year's days , mass celebrations are held on the street - costume dances, processions in masks and New Year's costumes.
The morning of the new day of the year begins with a traditional breakfast, national Korean dishes are served - kimchi, lotus root, anchovies, all kinds of spices and herbs, for example, bell root and much more.
On the first day of the year, many rituals are held related to the cult of veneration of ancestors, for example, the tsar’s ritual is a sacrifice to the dead, they set a table for them in a special way, many dishes are placed in strict order and in strictly reserved places.
On the same day, living relatives of the older generation are worshiped. The ritual begins with the fact that the younger members of the family literally bow to the elders, and the elders to the younger ones necessarily give gifts and money.
South Korea Independence Day
On March 1, South Korea celebrates Independence Day in honor of the declaration of independence of the state from Japan. The Declaration of Independence was published in Seoul on March 1, 1919. A wave of rallies and demonstrations swept across the country, which testified to the Koreans' mood for sovereignty.
Tree planting day
The holiday in Korea, celebrated on April 5, was established in connection with the ongoing forest restoration campaign in the country. On this day, many residents participate in the landscaping of their areas.
Sometimes Tree Planting Day coincides with Korean Hansik - a cold food festival. It is customary to visit the graves of deceased ancestors on this day, to plant greenery, farmers must water the rice fields or throw the first seeds into the ground. On this day, only cold food is taken.
Children's Day
Since 1923, Children's Day has become a public holiday in South Korea. It is celebrated on May 5, and since 1975 is a day off. Mass festivals, sports games and competitions are held in all settlements of the country, the main characters of which are children.
Buddha's birthday
The holiday falls on the eighth day of the fourth month according to the lunar calendar. Koreans visit the Buddha Temple, where they pray for good luck and health. In the settlements are processions with lanterns, lotuses. All the temples in the country, streets and houses are decorated with the same lanterns.
Many churches organize charity dinners and tea parties, to which everyone is invited.
Constitution Day of South Korea
Celebrated on July 17th. It was officially established in 1948 after the proclamation of the Constitution of the state. Since 2008 it has been a working day, no entertainment events have been held, only solemn performances of the country's top officials.
Chuseok Holiday in Korea
This is an autumn holiday, full moon day . It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, lasts 3 days. Family members get together, remember those who have gone to another world, visit the graves. Each Korean seeks to celebrate the holiday in his native places with his family, therefore it is also called the day of the great resettlement, incredible traffic jams form on the country's roads. The Chuseok festival in Korea is the most important of the year, it is celebrated in honor of the harvest, family and clan.
Foundation Day in South Korea
One of the main public holidays of South Korea in October is the Foundation Day. Celebrate it on October 3, is a day off. This is one of the five national holidays in Korea. It is celebrated in honor of the formation of the first Korean state in 2333 BC.
Fireworks festival
Fireworks Festival is held in Seoul and is international. Since 2000, a festival has been traditionally held in October in Korea. The best pyrotechnic masters from all over the world come together and create an atmosphere of beauty and celebration. Salutes and pyrotechnic technologies are demonstrated here. Here you can see up to 50 thousand fireworks. Every year the festival is becoming more popular and attracts more than a million tourists to bright and spectacular performances.
Korean alphabet day
The main holiday in South Korea in October is the Korean Alphabet Festival . The Korean alphabet is called Hangul. In fact, they celebrate its creation and proclamation as the state alphabet by King Sejon, this historical event occurred in 1446. Celebrated on October 9 and is a working day. There are festivals around the country dedicated to the national Korean culture and literature.
In general, it should be noted that there are not so many holidays in Korea in October, but they are mainly associated with statehood and national traditions. What holidays in Korea in October are celebrated other than the Foundation Day and the Korean Alphabet Day? The Day of the Armed Forces of South Korea is celebrated on October 1, celebratory concerts and special events are held throughout the country. This holiday in Korea is very revered, as it is considered the triumph of the strength and valor of the state.
Lantern Festival
Held annually in November in Seoul and is dedicated to lanterns. It is very popular among tourists and citizens, as it is a very colorful and cheerful holiday. The lights are lit at 10:00 and they burn until 11 at night. As a rule, a huge number of people gather at the festival; public festivities are held in the square with contests, competitions, games, dances and songs. Lanterns decorated about a kilometer of the main square of the city. They immediately hold master classes on creating their own lantern, you can do it yourself and install it on the square. The festival has recently become popular and very popular.
Christmas
On December 25, Korea celebrates the Christian holiday - Christmas. A third of the country's population is Christians, so Christmas is important for Koreans and is celebrated on a large scale. This is a day off. Streets, houses, temples are decorated with Christmas lights and Christmas trees. The cafe serves special Christmas treats. Santa Clauses are everywhere. Christmas trees are even installed in Buddhist temples as a symbol of harmony between religions.
Holidays in North Korea
Almost all the festive events in this country are connected with the political course of the state, with the exception of only the New Year. All holidays are associated with the ideas of communism and patriotism. The country celebrates a lot of memorable dates associated with the exchanges of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. If these names are not present in the name of the holiday, then the state celebrates Army Day, Nation Day, or Party Day. The country is practically isolated from the world, and citizens are brought up in the spirit of patriotism and love for the motherland.
Instead of a conclusion
Korea is called the country of traditions. Children from an early age are taught certain rules of behavior and life: eating the right healthy food, honoring ancestors, honoring seniors, knowing the national alphabet, wearing national clothes for the holidays - these traditions have been around for centuries and will exist for a long time, judging by how Koreans strictly observe them. The tradition of the state is the Korean holidays, which took more than a century and to this day unite and unite the nation.