Lee Ji-an, a six-year-old student at Daejeon Yuseong-gu Office Our Kindergarten, is excitedly counting down the days until Chuseok. For her, the holiday represents a special time of togetherness with her grandparents, where she can enjoy traditional foods like songpyeon and seaweed soup. She also looks forward to getting a dinosaur bracelet and necklace that she has been wanting for a long time.
The kindergarten was filled with excitement during the week leading up to Chuseok. The children participated in various traditional activities, such as playing games like jegi-kkari and yutnori. They also made their own gyeongdan rice balls and went on a hike to collect chestnuts. On the day before the holiday, they dressed in hanbok and took photos with their friends while tasting traditional snacks like yakgwa.
Teacher Bang Do-eun shared her thoughts on the preparations for Chuseok, saying, “We are working hard to help the children feel more connected and joyful about this traditional holiday through different experiences.” She also mentioned that the kindergarten plans to introduce even more varied programs in the future.
Chuseok, which takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, is a time for expressing gratitude for the harvest, performing ancestral rites, and sharing meals with family members.
Although the saying “Just like Chuseok, neither more nor less” reflects abundance, the way people celebrate the holiday has changed over the years. Simplified ancestral rites and family trips have become more common, and it is now routine for extended families to miss out on gatherings due to conflicting schedules.
Despite these changes, the core values of Chuseok remain the same. The holiday continues to emphasize the importance of gratitude and the joy of sharing time with loved ones.
