Merry Christmas from South Korea

Christmas in South Korea

7 Jan 2015 | From Heewon of South Korea

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

'Meri krismas' (메리 크리스마스)

There are more Christians in South Korea (the Republic of Korea) than in other asian countries such as China and Japan, so Christmas is celebrated more widely. Because Christianity and Western culture are both fairly new in Korea, most of the Christmas celebrations are very similar to those found in Europe and the United States, but they also include Asian modesty and cultural awareness.

Korean Christmas traditions are less elaborate than most holiday celebrations in the West. Non-Christians may enjoy family gatherings and gift exchanges, but in general the holiday is much more subdued and it is not one of the largest holidays on the Korean calendar. In fact, for many families New Year's Day is a more important holiday and is spent celebrating with large gatherings, while Christmas celebrations are more popular with teens and children.

Celebrating Christmas with Korean cultural awareness can introduce new meaning to the holiday. Many families who want to celebrate their Korean heritage or share unique cultures choose to incorporate Korean traditions into their holiday festivities.