Korean Thanksgiving Day

The Korean Thanksgiving Day is next Sunday, Sept.14th this year. It is called "Chu-seok" or "Hangawee". You might know "Harvest Moon festival". It is one of biggiest holidays in Korea. the date is depended on when August 15th in the moon calendar each year. That day has a full moon and we call the harvest moon. We all take off three days as a holiday. However, people take more than three days because of the traffic. Most people go home to see their family members. So, the traffic is unbelievable. People get together have a ceremony to show their thankful hearts to their ancestors or Christians' family have services with their families in the morning. And have feasts with new crops of food. Hmmm..... delicious food. Especially, at Chu-seok we make "Song-pean" -the first picture. It is made up of sweet rice powder and sesame and honey or all kinds of goodies are inside of the rice cake. Also, we wear new clothes! we call "Chu-seok-bim". Some people like to wear the traditional Korean "Hanbok" that day too. At night, people gather outside where they can see the harvest moon, and sing songs, and dance originally.

In my family, my dad was the first son in his family, so, all his side families came to our home at Chu-seok. He had two brothers, and five sisters. Think about how many people would be with their spouses and kids!! So, the preparation for the chuseok was started a week ahead of time. I remember that my mom and aunts got together three days before the day to cook and prepare the feast. Luckily, I never had bad memories about any traffic because we lived in Seoul and they came to us. ^^ I had to get up extra early to help my mom to clean up and set the tables for the big ceremony. When my grandma was alive and Buddhist, we used to have the ceremony to give big bows to the ancestors as you can see the first picture. After my grandma became a christian, we didn't have the ceremony but we had a service around the table instead. I had to baby sit some my little cousins but still loved the Chu-seok.

I haven't been at the Chu-seok for 12 years. However, I have made "Song pean" every year believe or not. I am not sure I can make it this year. I have to go buy special ingredients for it. Most of all, I miss being with many family members. Endless smiling, chatting, and of course food. I could still smell the morning of the Chu-seok at my parents' house. Abundant smells of Sweet, delicious, and full of excitement! But, most of all, our thankful hearts!!