We did the Corean New Year’s thing (seollal) today.  The kids got dressed up in traditional garb and we went over to Amy’s parents’ house to eat and to bow to your elders in return for loot (the bowing and paying respect part is called sebae).

We missed the part where the grandfather’s ghost is supposed to visit for breakfast.  Typically a no-show, he takes Corean tardiness to a whole other level.  Amy slept in and we missed that part anyways.

I can’t remember the last time I went to one of these things.  In the past I was either working or too tired post-call (or just refused to go at least once) for New Year’s.  But I was home and I was hungry this year, so….

The kids got around $20 each, which seemed like more than enough, until Amy said she used to get $100 when she was a kid (which I find very hard to believe).

I took these traditional events for granted with Amy’s family until I realized that it’s not exactly the norm among Corean-Americans or even new Corean immigrants.  Some do it, but some don’t.  Amy’s parents have been the nucleus for keeping up the traditional customs (even though her mom is kind of a class clown).  I respect that even if I’m not always the eager participant.  I used to think that I could be that person but it’s just not me.  I lost my favorite Corean guardian tie pin a couple years ago and perhaps it took some nontangible things with it.

Last week I tried explaining Sun Su’s Corean heritage to him while we were waiting at the bus stop.  I used pennies and dimes.

“The dimes are our Corean part and the pennies are the non-Corean part,” I showed Sun Su.

“What are the non-Corean parts?” my six-year old boy asked.

“Uh, part Scottish and part English but I don’t have enough change.  We’ll go over that later,” I answered.

“I am … two dimes, and two pennies.  I am half-Corean,” I explained.

“This is you … three Corean parts, the dimes, and one non-Corean part, this penny.  You are three-quarters Corean.”

“But these are dimes, not quarters,” Sun Su corrected.

“Right, but I don’t have quarters on me.  I mean you and Ooseung are mostly Corean.”

“What about ummah?”

“She’s all Corean.  Four dimes, see?”

“Heehee!  Ummah’s worth the most,” Sun Su giggled.

“Yes she is.”