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This year, the Chuseok holiday is from October 2nd to the 4th. It’s such a short holiday, only three days, and it’s expected that traffic from Seoul to the provinces will be heavy. We’re lucky that we don’t have to travel this season as we celebrate all the major holidays here at my eldest brother-in-law’s apartment.
Last Saturday night, I had a live interview at tbs eFM’s Sound Off. We talked about our preparation for the Chuseok holiday and I mentioned that I’m really looking forward to it. Usually, daughters-in-law hate (that’s right: H-A-T-E) this holiday because of the hard work associated with it. Daughters-in-law or “myeonnuri” are virtual slaves in the kitchen. Every Korean DIL I know complains of this holiday. Even my school director lamented to me yesterday about all the chores that she’ll have to do come Chuseok. What is worse is that the single lady/ies in the family, called “agasshi” wouldn’t even lift a finger to help the “myeonnuri”.
I’m the youngest daughter-in-law in my husband’s family and I’m not too pressured to do a lot of things. I only need to arrange the side dishes during meals and the food offering for “jesa” (ancestral rite). I’m looking forward to the holiday because I get to eat tasty dishes 🙂
Anyway, I got my Chuseok gift set from my “hagwon” yesterday. It was a big box of Nivea products. I had to literally drag it up the stairs of the subway station. It’s good that we won’t have to buy toiletries for at least three months! How I wish that they included eye creams though as my eyebags are bigger and darker with all the school work I had to the past few weeks.
I hope to have the time to write more about this holiday. This is my sixth Chuseok. I’m not an expert on the subject (who is, when different families have their own tradition) but I hope to at least share some ideas about this holiday.
i’m not expecting from our hagwon anymore since lately, they only distribute gifts among the KETs, with the NS and me watching, haha… but i surely received a gift set last new year’s… alex got 2 gift sets from his company already. one box contains 3 big bottles of cooking oil. another box contains LG toiletries… if ever, i wish i could get one like yours ate, hahaha…
.-= jehan´s last blog ..My (Over???) Haul…. My Must-Haves From P.I. =-.
hi Jehan! My husband got a better set for this Chuseok — Amore Pacific. So now we have a year’s supply of toothpaste, shampoo, soap, body wash, a month’s supply of lotion and a season’s supply of hand cream! Happy Chuseok!
Wow~ When I was younger, I honestly don’t want to receive stuffs like those, picture frames, albums and candles. But now, I guess my tastes changed. ^^ Hahaha Anything as long as it’s useful.
.-= eden´s last blog ..What’s new and what’s hot? =-.
Hi Eden! You’re right… anything that is free is great!
last year, i got a box of over sized pears. I don’t think I’m getting any this month.
Husband’s family usually spend Chuseok with FIL’s family.
Last year, MIL got so drank and picked a fight with FIL when they got home. She was so tired and upset.
Me and husband were sent to MIL’s family. Grandma’s so kind she didn’t want me to lift a finger.
.-= giselle´s last blog ..Tofu and Kimchi…Yum! =-.
hi giselle! grandma doesn’t want you to ruin anything 😀 … kidding! Happy Chuseok!
Wow, the gift you received looked really nice. Does everyone give gifts during Chuseok? Are there customary gifts for this celebration?
Do share more about this holiday ^_^
Hi lunare! Reijene posted something about the gifts. I have a few old posts about Chuseok somewhere in this blog 😉
I got the Dove set, complete with the shapoo thingies, and “Close-up” toothpastes (woot!)! Wish ko lng hindi ako allergic sa beauty soaps…
Wala bng germicidal brands gift sets? =P
ANyway, Lunare. The customary gifts will depend on who will be the recieving end, but to be on the safe side, go get the “foodies” type. Boxes of fruits, or meat, or meat products. It’s also okay to give tea set, or sweets or something like a jar of honey or sweet ginseng tea.
Just make sure it’s a set. Giving out toiletries might look okay, but you can only do that if you’re giving it to a friend or colleague. If not, the above mentioned will save you.
HAPPY CHUSEOK EVERYONE..
.-= reijene´s last blog ..From Marmot’s Hole… =-.
Hi Reijene! I bought a Dove set for the “cleaning” ajumma and the LG set for the three guards at our building. Although I know the ajusshis would prefer a set of raspberry wine. They are so nice to me that I just had to give them something.
I received nivea set too. Talking about chuseok, I’m the first DIL but the good thing about my husband’s family is that they don’t do the traditional bowing and offering food to the elders and ancestors since they are all born again christian, we just eat, play and watch a movie together. I do the dishes though coz I’m not still good in cooking korean foods.
Hi Anne! I guess you’re lucky? Hehe… A few of my husband’s relatives are Christians too and they also don’t have the “jesa”. We saw them once at the ancestral grave and they were singing songs instead of bowing.
I love how people in Korean celebrates Chuseok because for me it feels like a Thanks Giving day except from some anciet rituals in the morning. Well I really love songpyeon, a crescent-shaped rice cake which is steamed upon pine needles is what I always wanted to eat it, and I am looking forward to taste the japchae, bulgogi and lots of fruits in this year Chuseok.
where do you live?
ate Betchay, I received a box of really big pears, 12 pcs… and another box of cooking oil, 3 bottles too.. since last new year’s, di pa kami bumibili ng cooking oil. so siguro lahat ng naipon at marereceive pa naming cooking oil and toiletries will again last us a year, ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹
hi!! nice to meet you! ^^
very fun blog!! i love it!!!
by the way happy chuseok!! ñ_ñ
i’m scarlett, chilean and i really want to move to korea, right now i’m living in spain, studying english… but i want to get a job in seoul ( or througout korea)i’m interesting in nanny jobs… because i want to majoring in korean language and literature, so at first i want to expirience the culture and ofcourse i need to get the money 🙂
if you can help me with some information .. i’ll be very gratefull…^^
thank you
i wish you the best
god bless
scarlett
ps: my email is -> amatista_ss@hotmail.com
hi ms. betch,
is chuseok holiday celebrated on Oct 2 to 4 only? oct 3 and 4 are weekends, does that mean that holidays were moved on oct. 5 and 6? here in the philippines if a holiday fall on weekend, the next working day automatically became holiday.
response pls. 🙂
have a nice day
hi Apple! it doesn’t work that way here, if a holiday fell on a weekend then it would’ve to be celebrated on a weekend… the chuseok holiday is from october 2-4 while the actual chuseok day is october 3rd
betchay!
that was nasty =P.. kuripot ever pala tong director ko LOL.
nainggit ako! those of you without anything to do during chuseok… while i have a thousand years’ worth of traditions to preserve…
naloko na!
.-= reijene´s last blog ..Passing time because… =-.
Hi Bethchay, ^^ wow, you just recently celebrated Chuseok? ^^ nice.
By the way, regarding gifts…
My korean friend is getting married on October 10 and has suggested that I can simply give her a traditional Korean wedding gift to be sent there.
I don’t know what traditional Korean gift would that be. I am in Cebu, Philippines now. I don’t even know where I can buy them if it could ever be found here.
thanks Betchay ^^ you’ve been a great help! ( Remember, I took your advice about my ex bf hehe ) Take care!
traditional wedding gift?
MONEY IN AN ENVELOPE. lowest amount is 50,000 won (as far as i was informed)
.-= reijene´s last blog ..Passing time because… =-.
thanks reij! ^^
i also received a sack of cheorwon odesal rice (20 kilos). it was given by my hagwon wonjangnim…my husband received 1 box off apple and 2 boxes of rice (8 kilos). it’s a gift set…hope everybody had a great chusok.
Hello~
I’m Cerylhen, a 100 % filipina that looks like a korean….
By the way, I want to confide and ask you guys about something. My boyfriend is Korean. Our relationship is almost 6 months old now (November).. hmmmm… I haven’t met him yet. He was supposed to visit me here in Philippines last Oct. 15 but my mom had a mild stroke, consequently, I rescheduled his visit to be in December.—
We really like each other and I feel that he is really a good person like what my mother feels towards him and his family. We chat on MSN regularly since May 2009-September 2009 (not until October-present because he’s very busy now with work). I can chat also with his mom and always see his brother on cam… My mom and I really feel that they are good people by how they communicate to us. They are Protestant Christians.
I’m confident about our relationship is going well but there’s one thing that I am afraid of and it’s about Korean men being STINGY.
Can you please site some ways on how to SILENTLY DETECT a STINGY KOREAN?
Everyone’s answer will be greatly appreciated.