Because Valentine's Day wasn't enough.

If you think Paris is for lovers, try again.  While Parisians are rather okay with lovers loving on the street, Korea is all about giving you the holidays for love (though, preferably, with minimal PDA).  Korea has so many holidays I can't count them all, and I feel like they keep adopting more.  I want to focus specifically on the love-related holidays, but, just in case you felt like complaining about the gift-giving holidays in America (or wherever you're from), I'd just like to list out the holidays in Korea, and, yes, almost all of them require gifts (specific ones that the stores will conveniently position at entrances in big gift boxes).

Get ready for a country that truly likes this phrase.

Solar Holidays and Memorial Days  Solar New Year's-January 1st Solar New Year's (second day)-January 2nd Sam il, 삼일 Independence Movement Day- March 1 Arbor Day- April 5 Children's Day- May 5 Parents Day, May 8 Hyeon chung il, 현충일 Memorial Day- June 6 Jehunjul, 제헌절 Constituation Day - July 17 Gwangbokjeol, 광복절 Liberation Day- August 15 Gukgunuinal 국군 의 날 Armed Forces Day – Oct. 1  Foundation Day- October 3 Hangul Day, Oct. 9 — Celebrates the written language of Korea Christmas Day - December 25 Lunar Holidays and Memorial Days Seolnal, 설날 New Year's (Seol-nal)- 1st day of 1st lunar month, plus the day before and after Dae bo rum, 대보름 – First full moon festival, occurs on the 15th day of the month 1 on the lunar calendar (basically two weeks after seollal) Seokga tansinil, 석가탄신일 Buddha's Birthday (Seokka Tanshin-il)- 8th day of 4th lunar month Dano, 단오 — Spring festival, which follows on day 5 of month 5 on the lunar calendar, which usually puts it in June on the Gregorian calendar Chuseok, 추석 Harvest Moon Festival (Chuesok)- 14-16th days of 8th lunar month Seotdal Geumeum, Lunar New Year’s Eve — Stay up all night and see the first sun rise of the new year. And, just in case that wasn't enough celebrating for you, there's also the love-related holidays.  There's dissension on this list, but I'll list what I know. (Slash, I'm doing a lot of copying and pasting here.  I'll list all of my sources at the bottom.)  Hold on to your hats. Couples' Holidays Almost all of the Korean love holidays are arbitrarily on the 14th of the month. January 14th: Diary Day - Couples or friends give each other the gift of blank pages for the new year. It’s said that girls usually do this to encourage their boyfriends to write about their time together.  Others argue it's so that guys will write down their anniversaries. February 14th: Valentine’s Day - Pretty just what you’d expect. Chocolate sales. Red decorations. Champagne bottles. Except women are expected to give gifts to men. Granted, there’s more of a platonic nature to the events of February 14th in Korea.  Women give gifts to their male friends, even acquaintances out of a sense of obligation, and out of courtesy and friendship. March 14th: White Day - This day is more what Americans would expect Valentine’s Day to be: men giving women gifts. It’s not uncommon for most of the gifts to be white in color: white chocolate, white roses, marshmallows, white toys. Again, obligation, courtesy, friendship in the workplace. April 14th: Black Day - Black Day is unique to South Korea. If you are single, or at the very least had no one to give you something on Valentine’s Day or White Day, you go out in groups and eat jajangmyeon (자장면), noodles with black bean paste. It’s quite tasty… the taste of loneliness. May 14th: Yellow Day/Rose Day - Couples are traditionally supposed to wear yellow clothes and exchange bouquets of roses (yes, for men too) as a sign of love. Single people are supposed to go eat yellow curry. June 14th: Kiss Day - It's exactly what you think it is. July 14th: Silver Day - Silver rings are exchanged between couples on this day as a promise to get married. It also happens to be when couples choose to introduce each other to their parents. August 14th: Green Day - If you’re in a relationship, this is a day to go hiking, walk in a park, or just be out in nature. If you’re single, it’s a day to indulge in massive amounts of that beverage that comes in green bottles, soju (소주).  I've also heard it said that couples get drunk on soju together then go for that walk. September 14th: Photo Day/Music Day - A day to take pictures of each other and finish up with some noraebang (노래방)... Although, that seems to be every day in Korea, so I think we missed the point of having a holiday.  It's also said that you should make a mix CD for your significant other. October 14th: Wine Day November 14th: Movie Day... Some people put Hug Day here, too. December 14th: Hug Day - These last three are all what you think they are.  I feel no need to explain them. - Others declare this Money Day... where you drop a wad of cash on your significant other. Those are all the 14's, but WAIT!  There's also Pepero day!  Pepero (aka Pocky) is a stick-shaped cookie dipped in candy coating, so on  11/11, the date looks like a bunch of Pepero.  People should give boxes of the stuff to the people they love on that day.  By the way... 11/11 is Pocky Day in Japan.  Don't tell the Koreans that they celebrate a same holidays as their neighbors to the East... please.  It'll probably make for a bunch of nationalism that'll end up giving me a headache. Furthermore, Christmas and Solar New Year's Eve are days to spend with your significant other as well. Sources for more information: http://www.lifeinkorea.com/calendar/holidays.cfm http://thekoreanway.wordpress.com/korean-holiday-list/ http://www.onceatraveler.com/korean-holidays-the-14ths http://www.buhaykorea.com/2009/02/13/14th-of-every-month/

Now that I'm thoroughly disgusted, Go be grateful that you only have 5 major gift-giving holidays a year plus birthdays.

In case you couldn't guess, I'm not a romantic.

MOTh: Days 26 and 27

3 Gifts Preparing

I've failed at this since Thanksgiving time.  In my defense, there's a storm brewing, and it's been killing my head for the past couple of days.  As much as I feel strongly about snow, I wish it'd just do its thing already and leave my head out of it.

1. I'm thankful that I have options of where I want to go from here.  Granted, the only option I'm going to take is the one G-d puts in front of me, but I don't need to feel panicked about it while waiting for Him to show me His way.
2. I'm thankful for all the Christmas and Chanukah stuff laying around my apartment.  I think I'm going to try to get around to putting it up tonight. :)
3. I'm thankful for the mission G-d is preparing me for.  I know that He's got a plan for me specifically, and that warms my heart to know. :)

A Gift Handmade

One of my professors in college made my Harry Potter wand for me.  I'm a child on the inside, so I was thrilled.  :)

A Gift Held

Miss Paisley Grace means a ton to me.

and a Gift Happy

재영's sweet smile always could make me happy.  :)

Where did you go, Fall?

Apparently, Fall has decided to skip Korea this year.  Already, I'm waking up to near-freezing temperatures, and needing to turn on the heater at school.  Somehow, my allergies still haven't acted up too badly, which leads me to believe that Fall got bored of Korea and moved on.

Somehow, I mentally seem to be in the same place.  I was walking with some friends last night, and everything just felt like Christmas.  We stopped and got some 호떡, a favorite cold-weather treat of mine, and the impression of that glittery season just hit me.  I went home and put on the Christmas music (for the second time this Fall), and started doing some cooking.  It made me really want to do Christmas up right this year, so I think I may go all-out.  We'll see what the actual season brings with it, but, frankly, I'd be quite content to skip straight to December, at this point.

I know, I know, that desire means that I would have to skip over Thanksgiving, that favorite of favorites, but the thought of spending another one apart from my family brings a lump to my throat and stinging tears to my heater-dried eyes.  Whereas most of you would lament spending Christmas alone, I don't think that I will (although, that's just a conjecture, as I've yet to spend it without family).  It's always been Thanksgiving that's been cherished, although I never realized how much until last year.  The thought of not seeing the full extent of my mother's family at that time is gut-wrenching.  I'd much rather skip it all together than face it without them.

That's enough of that.  I'll not think on those thoughts any longer in this post.  I'll continue to focus on my desire to revive the Royster-family infamous Christmas party.  I made a most excellent cheese ball last night, and I have my mom's excellent cookie recipes to fall back on (although, there's a key ingredient in her chocolate-chip cookies that would probably be hard to find...), so, while I don't think it would be anywhere near the scale of what she did, even if I invited everyone I'd ever met in Korea, I think it will end up being entirely appropriate for my current level of Christmas Party mastery.

So, that's my plan:  December 22, 2012 (I know it's not the second Saturday of December, as per tradition, but I have to teach on every Saturday before then)... The Christmas Party will live again!

Sunday Funnies: The Lack of Time-Continuity

This week's Captain Bob is inspired by my beautiful cousin Becky and her early start on her Christmas music. :)

<<The last adventure || The next adventure>>

Classroom Christmas Parties

So, I had this brilliant idea to throw a Christmas Party for the kiddos... all 320 of them, split across 10 classes, of course.  The plan was golden:

1. Sing a Christmas song as a warm-up
2. Decorate Christmas cookies
3. Make Christmas ornaments while we
4. Listen to the Christmas story
5. If time, take Christmas photos

There was just one problem: I severely underestimated the amount of work that goes into making 640 sugar cookies.  Oops.  It resulted in this:

But all that work resulted in this:

Some people call it "chaos;" I call it love.  

Anyway, this love resulted in my Christmas tree going from looking like this:

To looking like this:

That is my brother, whom I call Bug, and my beautiful Christmas tree, which we spent all of 15 minutes decorating.

This picture was simply so you could understand the vertical challenge we had.

The moral of this story:
Love freely.  It's worth it.

(Yes, I know I didn't really write enough words to condone that moral, but each picture is worth a thousand of them, so go back and find the in-between parts that will justify the moral.)

:) <3

My Christmas card to you, because I don't like not doing them.

May the joy of a child-like spirit fill your Christmas Season this year.

CrippledJesus

This is a message from my friends Phil and Cris in Germany.  I miss them so much, but G-d is definitely using them in big ways.  Check them out, and consider this as an opportunity for some LAST LAST minute Christmas shopping (I prefer to do any shopping I can after the holiday, because everything goes on sale! ~ Especially the Christmas cards).

If you only have time for one video, skip this one, and click immediately on the title of this post.  (It gets a bit sales-pitchy at the end, but you would need to understand the German people and the state of their church to get why it's still authentic.  Trust me, this isn't so much about the money as it is about the message.)

<3

Advent: Christmas Eve

First Coming, by Madeleine L’Engle from A Cry Like a Bell

He did not wait till the world was ready,

till men and nations were at peace.

He came when the Heavens were unsteady,

and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.

He came when the need was deep and great.

He dined with sinners in all their grime,

turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.

In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.

To a world like ours, of anguished shame

he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,

to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.

In the mystery of the Word made Flesh

the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane

to raise our songs with joyful voice,

for to share our grief, to touch our pain,

He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

As always, click the title of this post for a (almost always) relevant video to tie everything together.

(As adapted from the Book of Common Prayer):

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

The Confession:

Let us confess our sins against G-d and our neighbor:

Most merciful G-d, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in you will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen. 

Almighty G-d, have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our L-rd Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Candle Lighting: O Come, O Come Emmanuel (verses 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8...depending on your hymnal)

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of G-d appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,

Who orders all things far and nigh;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel 

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind 

In one the hearts of all mankind; 

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, 

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Luke 2:1-3

Isaiah 9:2-7

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Luke 1:4-7

Psalm 96

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Luke 1:8-15

Titus 2:11-14

The First Noel

Luke 1:16-20

Away in a Manger

Matthew 1:18-25

Eucharist

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.  Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angles and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name: 

Holy, holy, holy Lord, 

God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes 

in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest. 

Let us pray. 

Holy and gracious Father: in your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

The Blessing of the Elements

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

The Mystery of Faith

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

The L-rd's Prayer

And now as our Savior

Christ has taught us we now pray

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, 

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

For Thine is the Kingdom, the power, 

and the glory, forever. 

Amen.

The Eucharist Hymn 

G-d Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Prayers of the PeopleAs we have taken part in communion with Christ, let us pray for the community of our brothers and sisters.

Each person may voice a prayer aloud, ending with “This is my prayer.”
We will respond: 

“L-rd, hear our prayer.”

The Lighting of the Candles:

Joy to the World

Angels We Have Heard on High

Silent Night