Around-the-world Christmas and New Year celebration: A South Korean holiday by photos

South Korea is splendid and bustling with amazing display of lights especially in the capital city, Seoul. The lights are all over the city centre including the bridges over Han River.

Source: http://static.hothdwallpaper.net/51b721d1d801e37199.jpg

Many visitors are attracted by a South Korean style of celebrating the festive season because this is the only East Asian country that regards Christmas as a national holiday, considering around 30% of the population is Christian.

Source: http://evedyahu.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/christmas-korea.jpg

Streets and trees are beautifully decorated. Busy street scenes become even busier this time of the year as for non-Christian Koreans, Christmas is a popular shopping day.

Source: http://24.media.tumblr.com/c38f4f7b808917b90df44d20dc820b44/tumblr_mxc8eq2PXM1qkyzm3o1_1280.jpg

Winter signals a forthcoming new year. Families gather in the traditional hanbok to honour the past four generations of ancestors with food and drinks offered on a ritual table called a charye sang on New Year’s Day.

Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXd86BM8J8Hszva0kBaolfOKYos4IuFRSt-ZLLrAY1ieeQsxkJ0J7HZVBc7tGaA1qxUkFykLkPme_TzR8igmKQy1RvGOF0LkwAs3gBsXSgXvl0-EioUTTp-B5zFEyWLNM9WYHY-tza/s1600/20090127-korea-new-year-sebae1.jpg

Grandpa Santa is popular with kids in Korea (Santa Harabujee) and he wears either a red or blue Santa suit. Kids know him as a happy grandfather figure who gives out presents. Stores employ Santas to greet shoppers, hand out chocolate and sweets.

Source: http://m.cdn.blog.hu/ot/otakusound/image/images/santa-korea.jpg

Some families celebrate Christmas with meals and gatherings at homes, but Koreans also celebrate Christmas by going out. Restaurants are busy on Christmas, as it is considered a romantic holiday for couples, and theme parks and shows have special Christmas events, such as the photo below at Lotte World Christmas Festival.

Source: http://tong.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource_etc/51/299951_image2_1.jpg?&name=image2&index=1