Happy Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)!

Today is a huge holiday for Koreans. 

I'm sorry I will be missing this experience by just a few weeks, but I think the Korean wedding we will be attending for Noel's niece will more than make up for it. 

We leave 2 weeks from tomorrow! It's so hard to believe that this trip is really going to happen. I've got a lot to do until then...but very excited for the experience. 

Here is some information about Chuseok.  The traditional Korean dresses (Hanbok) are what we will be renting for the wedding. :)

Love and Joy,

-J

Chuseok (추석) is the biggest and most important holiday in Korea. Family members from near and far come together to share food and stories and to give thanks to their ancestors for the abundant harvest. Chuseok Day falls on September 19 in 2013, but the holiday is observed for a total of three days (September 18 – 20). Fortunately, this year’s Chuseok holidays fall from Wednesday through Friday, giving making it a five-day holiday in total. Many Koreans will visit the homes of their families to spend quality time together. The holidays provide a good opportunity to enjoy traditional cultural experiences. Let’s take a closer look at Chuseok, a traditional Korean holiday.

 The meaning of Chuseok (Hangawi)

Chuseok is one of Korea’s three major holidays, along with Seollal (New Year’s Day) and Dano (the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar year) and is also referred to as Hangawi (한가위). Han means “big” and gawi means “the ides of August/Autumn” (August 15th according to the lunar calendar is when the full harvest moon appears). Hangawi/Chuseok was the day on which Koreans, an agrarian people throughout most of history, gave thanks to their ancestors for the year’s harvest, and shared their abundance with family and friends. 
Although the exact origin of Chuseok is unclear, the tradition may be found at ancient religious practices that centered around the moon. The sun’s presence was considered routine, but the full moon that came once a month was considered a special and meaningful event. Therefore, harvest festivities took place on the day of the bright, full moon or August 15 on the lunar calendar system.

 Chuseok Customs

On the morning of Chuseok Day, foods prepared with the year’s fresh harvest are set out to give thanks to ancestors through Charye (ancestor memorial service). After Charye, families visit their ancestors’ graves and engage in Beolcho, a ritual of clearing the weeds that may have grown up over the burial mound. After dusk, families and friends take walks and gaze at the beauty of the full harvest moon or play folk games such as Ganggangsullae (Korean circle dance).