Ch’usŏk - Korea Thanks giving Holiday

Autumn is the rich season of harvesting corns, crop, and fruits after growing them with great care. Ch’usŏk, Korean thanksgiving holiday, has been handed down from a very long time ago. Unlike America’s, we celebrate Ch’usŏk on 15th Aug. according to lunar calendar.

A couple of weeks before Ch’usŏk, the eldest sons of every household go cut the weeds around their ancestors’graves, preparing for the memorial service on our big celebration day. And then, for those who show us their kindness, concerns, and love, we usually present them with the seasonal gifts such as fruit baskets, newly picked-up agricultural products. It is Ch’usŏk season when every post offices get busy with delivery service of many bundles of gifts.

From two or three days before holiday, some family members begin to drive their own vehicles toward their hometown, where they were born and had grown up, to join the celebration. On the other hand, others use the public transportations. All of them, somehow, take gifts home to their parents and look forward to family reunion. Most of the highways in Korea get congested with people, like a swarm of bees, going home. A queue of going-home ends seldom up to the dawn of Ch’usŏk.

Women get busiest, most of all, just one day before Ch’usŏk with fixing foods for their family as well as the ancestor memorial services. Refreshment and cooking need preparing enough, for many relatives visit them during Ch’usŏk. They are always staying up late to make Songpyŏn, a half-moon shaped rice cake. Songpyŏn is the staple food in Ch’usŏk.

On Ch’usŏk morning, we have very important events, so we get up early and dressed ourselves up with Korean traditional costumes. We perform the ancestral worship service for family ancestors as a token of thanks every Ch’usŏk morning. Korean people have believed that all benefits are from our ancestors’ blessing and care. Therefore, food is served on the worship table first before we have them. With grateful attitudes, all men make a couple of low bows in front of the worship table with foods, while women are supporting to carry food to the table. From old times, only men have the right to hold the ceremony, but things are gradually going to change; women are also able to participate in the ceremony in some areas. After the worship service, some family pays a visit to our ancestors’ graves and remembrances their ancestors’ things.

All in all, Ch’usŏk is the magnificent festival for sure, and ties up family relationship strongly.