Lunar New Year is one of the two big holidays of the year. Koreans actually stop working for two days and shops close for one day. Unlike China where it is celebrated with a big hoopla of fireworks and parties, here it is more like Thanksgiving. The city folk go home to the country to their families and traditions include children bowing to elders in return for financial gifts, rituals of respect to ancestors, special meals and gifts for parents. Every store sells gift boxes in any price range. The best gift a parent could receive is a new, fancy massage chair! Another is very expensive boned, dried fish. Here are some gifts that I saw at one store. One US dollar is equal to 1000 Korean Won. So every paycheck makes me think I'm a millionaire, until I convert it!!
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| Nuts are so good and so expensive here. This box with pistachios, walnuts, almonds and cashews will set you back $150. |
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| They love their dried little fish! $54 |
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| Scotch is by far the most popular premium beverage. I hope the razor is for shaving before they dive into the bottle! $250. |
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| Mushrooms. Gads these fungi can get pricey. |
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| They're mushrooms. What were you thinking? $250 |
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| Clerks dressed in traditional dress called hanbok with aisles of gift boxes. |
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| This is the one that I don't get. And they are everywhere! Lots of Spam for $69 and many of the gift boxes come with Spam and a bottle of canola oil. Stinky and greasy, mmmm, mmmm, good! |
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| For $10 you can treat someone to the shampoo/toothpaste box. |
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| The fruit is unbelievably beautiful and expensive here. Nine Asian pears for $90!! |
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| Ginseng. Lots of medicinal properties and very popular. This is another item that varies in price considerably. |
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