Finding Christmas in Korea

It really goes without saying that spending Christmas in Asia was nothing like the Christmases of years passed. The idea of embracing the holidays this year meant that I’d have to acknowledge the inevitable: a Christmas without family and the traditions we have, like having a slumber party on Christmas Eve watching a Christmas movie, indulging in a ridiculously large Christmas Day brunch, and all the other holly jolly traditions that make Christmas feel like Christmas.

This year, I didn’t know what to do without my family. I was thousands of miles apart from even the closest relatives, so there would be no festive rescuing from them either (no ice skating with my Canadians cousins on Christmas Eve…*sigh*)

Thankfully, my friend Amanda bestowed upon me the simplest revelation: “How about finding Christmas in Korea?” Hm…turn my dread into a scavenger hunt. I could do that…and SO I DID.

I began my Christmas in Korea quest when a friend came to visit me from Canada. I bought a ridiculously overpriced ornament when I was with her (two deer handmade with sheep wool from Denmark??), but now I think of our time together when I see it–and it also made my tiny apartment Christmas Tree feel like it was actually mine. So…totally worth the price.

There were a lot of Christmas events, too, that I likely wouldn’t have experienced in Texas. Like a Gundam decorated with ornaments and a photo zone inside a pop-up wooden cabin with Christmas bears.

There were huge Christmas Trees all over Seoul, too (there was one in a train station decorated with pastries. Ha!) I mean just look at these towering masterpieces:

I also attended the Nutcracker Ballet by some miracle (the tickets were sold out every day I looked at them except the one time!) My mom and I have made a tradition to attend the Nutcracker Ballet every year we can, so I was able to pay homage to that even though I wasn’t able to be with her this time. Instead, I attended with another EPIK teacher friend who made great company and memories with me that day.

So I will count it all as a blessing. And it was an amazing performance, too!

I spent Christmas Eve with my friends in Seoul where we went to my favorite American breakfast place, played some games at a Board Game Cafe, and spent the night at a beautiful AirBnB on the top floor of a 20-story building overlooking the Gangnam skyline. On Christmas morning, I video-chatted my family while we exchanged our Secret Santa gifts and I wasn’t even all that sad.

I was grateful not to be alone and for technology that allowed me be with my family via video chat even though we have a 15-hour timezone difference.

So yeah, Christmas wasn’t all that sad. There were moments, but the quest to find Christmas in Korea kept me focused on where I was rather than where I wasn’t (most of the time!)

Thank you to everyone who reached out to me over the holidays. Your words of encouragement have helped me get through one of the hardest parts about being away from home. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and, of course, I’m wishing you the very best New Year you’ve ever had. Let’s step into the unknown future together on our big, little and sometimes really silly adventures!

Signed,

Allison the Adventurer