February 18 is Lunar (Chinese) New Year in Korea. It is the second most important holiday and most Koreans travel to visit family. We've been advised to stock up on groceries and try to stay off the highway. I copied some information about the holiday in Korea and the chinese zodiac. The sites are listed below if you would like to learn more.
If you were born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 your chinese zodiac sign is the Boar.
Aaron and I are roosters, Bob is a tiger, Katie is an Ox, Morgan a monkey & Lauren is a horse. Click below to read about your chinese zodiac sign. The kids think it's fun!
http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/zodiac.html
http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/korean_new_year.htm
The Koreans focus on the family as they celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Children put on new traditional clothes called hanbok. They kneel and bow to their ancestors and elders. Family members wish each other prosperity and good fortune. Then they exchange gifts. Children receive lucky money, candy and fruit from the elders. The family spends time together and have rice-cake soup for breakfast. Children often take this day to play special New Year games.
In parts of Korea, people usher in the New Year with a ritual called Jishin Balpgi. Loud drums and gongs are played to scare off evil spirits of the old year. At the end of the day, friends and relatives join together for dinner to renew their friendship. Sol is a celebration of family and good friends. And for the Koreans, the New Year is about family and community.
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