Korean Lunar New Year Today!

Happy Seol-nal!

Book Highlight: New Clothes for New Year's Day

"New Clothes for New Year's Day" by Hyun Ju Bae is the perfect book to read to your child to get them excited for the upcoming New Year's Sae Bae event. What is "Sae Bae?" Sae bae is when the younger generation bow down in honor to their elders during New Year's Day. Traditionally, the whole family dresses up in their Korean hanboks and makes visitations to their older relatives, like their grandparents, aunts and uncles. After the children sae bae, the relatives (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles), will give the children money and say some words of wisdom to them.

Author Hyun Ju Bae details how a little girl gets dressed and ready for the New Year's. He explains things such as, how to wear a hanbok, and also gives descriptions of the various hanbok items. This book comes with beautiful illustrations.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Starting a New Year's Tradition...

We have a cousin that lives in Washington with her family and her kids who are half Jewish got into the Korean spirit in borrowed hanboks by doing sebae to their parents and making mandoos with their Korean friends!

It's such a great idea getting your kids involved in making mandoo...and all Korean kids love mandoo! Great tradition to start with your kids!

Thanks Mary for letting me post these pics!

Korean New Year's Day "Seollal" Sebae

On New Year's Day, Korean's do a formal greeting bow to their elders called sebae. In return the elders hand out crisp new bills to the children. It is also customary for adults and children to wear hanboks.
To learn how to sebae, please click here.
To learn more about the Seollal, click here.