Keeping the Tradition

 

The picture above looks like a bunch of kids praying or taking a nap.  It's actually a Korean tradition held on New Years called "seh-beh."  Seh-beh is when the kids and younger adults pay respect to the older adults (grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, etc.) by bowing, and afterwards, they receive money from the older adults.  Every year, my husband's side of the family has a huge get together for New Years Day.  Many Koreans and Korean-Americans grew up with doing "seh-beh" on New Years Day. 

 

Growing up, I did not partake in this because the only family I had in the states were my parents and siblings.  Maybe my parents just didn't want to give me money. ha.  Now that Jonah is old enough to seh-beh, I'm glad I married a man with a huge family that keeps certain Korean traditions going.  It's a great opportunity for Jonah to play with his cousins and to expose him to his heritage.  Jonah is the blurry middle kid with the blue sweater because obviously, I didn't practice this with him and he's the first one trying to pop up.  Jessie isn't pictured because she refused to do it- she's a rebel.

 

Another Korean tradition that is usually not kept is wearing a hanbok on New Years Eve/Day.  A hanbok is traditional Korean garments and my husband and his bromance friend decided to wear it to church.  Actually, it was more like my hubs' friend saying, "I want to wear the hanbok.  Do it with me."  Mo reluctantly did it, but I think he had a good time.  All the first generation Koreans were so impressed at church! haha.

 

 

 

Hope everyone had a great New Years!  Do you have any traditions that your family does on New Years?  Please share!