Date: January 24th, 2012

Time: 4:00 ~ 6:00pm

Venue: Studio, Korean Cultural Centre, 2nd Flooor Rivers House, Opp, Ministry of Finance,              Central Area, Abuja

Korean New Year commonly known as Seollal is the first day of the lunar calendar. Koreans usually celebrate two New Years: one on January 1st in accordance with the solar calendar, and the Lunar New Year (called Seollal), which falls this year on Janaury 24th 2012. In celebration of Seollal, most people go back to their hometowns to perform ceremonial rites and pay their respects to their ancestors. Korea celebrates the Lunar New Year, called Seollal, on Janaury 24th 2012 with many interesting events. Many museums in Korea host special holiday events, making them popular places to celebrate for families with  kids. 
 The event usually include musical performances, folk dances and drumming.Games and entertainm 

ent for the whole family including games of yutnori (a board game that uses marked sticks instead of a dice), jegichagi (a weighted shuttlecock that’s kicked to keep it  aloft) and kite flying at the museum’s plaza. Hands-on education programs for woodblock printing, calligraphy and musical instruments will be offered at the Education Centers.

The Korean New Year holidays last three days, and is considered a more important holiday than the solar New Year＇s Day. 

During Korean New Year, the family becomes the center of attention. Family does not only include the living members of a family but also their ancestors of the last four generations, because, according to Korean faith, they are thought of still not having left the earth right after their death.

After getting up in the morning, the first thing that the family does is to wish each member a Happy New Year. After first having bowed before each other, the parents will subsequently sit down on the ground and will receive their children＇s greetings for the New Year. While doing this, the children kneel down in front of their parents, performing a deep bow by touching the ground with their forehead (Sebae).For breakfeast, families will eat Duckguk  a type of rice cake.

Sebae  Sebae is a traditionally observed activity on Seolnal, and is filial-piety-oriented. Children wish their elders (grandparents, aunts and uncles, parents) a happy new year by performing one deep traditional bow (rites with more than one bow involved are usually for the dead) and the words saehae bok manhi badeuseyo which translates to please receive many blessings in the new year. Parents typically reward this gesture by giving their children new year＇s money (usually in the form of crisp paper money) and offering words of wisdom, ordeokdam. Historically, parents gave out rice cakes and fruit to their children instead.

Folk games Many traditional games are associated with the Korean New Year. The traditional family board game Yutnori is still a popular pastime.  Traditionally men and boys would fly kites and play jegi chagi a game in which a light  

object is wrapped in paper or cloth, and then kicked in a footbag like manner. Korean women and girls would have traditionally played neolttigi a game of jumping on a seesaw  while children spun paengi .

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Gostop,’ (a card game with flowers on it) and board games are also popular Seollal games. Though flower cards are more complicated to play than yut nori, it is nonetheless popular, particularly among adults. Children play Jenga or any other board game that is the current trend.

Greetings People wish each other prosperity and luck. Common wishes for the Korean New Year include: (saehae bog manh-i bat-eu saeyo) - Happy new year.

What are some of Seollal’s most popular gifts?　
Seollal gifts depend on the current trends and economy. Gifts with unwavering popularity are department store gift certificates and cash. Many adults also like receiving ginseng, honey, and other health products, or massage treatments. Toiletry gift sets are another popular gift choice and include products such as shampoo, soap, and toothpaste. Others send food sets of Spam, tuna, ‘Hangwa,’ dried fish or fruit baskets.

What do you do for fun on Seollal Day?
After the ancestral rites ceremony is over, the members of the family play traditional games. The most common game is yut nori, a fun and easy-to-learn game that requires teamwork. Players sometimes even make bets using their ‘New Year’s money.’ Ironically enough, after such a traditional day, many families order pizza or chicken. 

One could also prefer to chat with the family, watch TV, or go out and see a movie. The holiday season is full of entertainment with lots of movies released on Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day) and special TV programs aired throughout the holidays

- See more at: http://ngr.korean-culture.org/en/298/board/247/read/7897#sthash.UDnmwhB8.dpuf