Christmas 2022 was different. Usually, Christmas is a holiday for my family, it would be school break, and we would celebrate it with a Christmas eve and day dinner. Celebrating Christmas in Korea with friends was a new and eye-opening experience. Since Christmas was on a Sunday, we did not get any public holidays, so it didn’t feel like a holiday. But despite that, we tried to celebrate it and do a lot of festive activities. We went to DDP to watch the Christmas light show, went to many cafes and restaurants, and on Christmas day, we had a Christmas lunch and exchanged gifts (since we decided to do a secret Santa).
After lunch at Olden Grey (the restaurant), the workers gave us a complimentary cake. At first, I was so confused as to why they would provide us with cake (as a service), and then I remembered that on Christmas day and new years, I noticed Koreans tend to eat cake to celebrate. I remember seeing many people carrying cake boxes on the way to the restaurant. I soon learned from my Japanese classmate that it is common for the Japanese to celebrate this way.
On the note of Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year, wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your year be filled with prosperity and happiness!
