December is here :)

Wow, it's December already~ time really flies. And guess what: it's snowing! :D It's the first of December and it's the first snow in Jeonju this year~ ^^ It was still raining in the morning and then it started snowing~ :) My boyfriend sent me a photo from work and the second photo is the one that  I took from our window :)

This weekend we went downtown to do some Christmas shopping. The city is not all cowered in lights yet. It might be still too early or maybe the city just doesn't get all lit up in December. It's my first December in Jeonju, so I don't know. But I do know that Christmas in Korea is not exactly the same as Christmas in Europe or at least in my country. In Slovenia, Christmas is a family holiday when all the family gets together for a yummy Christmas dinner on Christmas eve, goes to church at midnight and then exchanges presents on Christmas day. At least that's how we usually do it in my family.

In Korea, however, Christmas is more of a couple's holiday than a family thing. Couples go out on a romantic date and exchange gifts with each other. Unfortunately I never went on a Christmas date, so I can't give you a good example :) But I can see how Christmas time can be really romantic ^^ At least all the cafes in Jeonju are really nicely decorated and there are Christmas songs playing on the radio. Last time my boyfriend and I stopped at a cafe for some ice-cream and sat by the window next to this cute little Christmas tree. It felt really nice after a long day of shopping with my boyfriend's parents :)

Actually, my boyfriend told me that he'd never decorated a Christmas tree before... ever! So he was kind of excited to get a little Christmas tree with me. We can't have a big one since we have no place for it in our cozy little home :) As Christmas is getting more and more popular in Korea too, you can get Christmas trees and ornaments in any big store or shopping mall. We just got ours from Daiso - a really cheap store (all products cost between 1 and 5 dollars) that has pretty much anything you can think of. We put on some Christmas music and I let my boyfriend do most of the decorating ^^

We are quite happy with the result ^^ It might be still a bit early, but it's December already and for me, it's not just the 24th and 25th, it's the whole month that is special. With all the Christmas songs and Christmas movies and all that happy feeling that comes with it, a couple days are just not enough.

And this year, we've got so much plans for December:

Our matching passport covers :)

1. Flying home to spend Christmas with my family - the most important one :)
It will be the first time for my boyfriend to visit Slovenia and meet my parents ^^ I am all excited and he's a bit nervous :) As I was too, when I met his parents. But I'm sure he'll be okay ^^

My boyfriend's band: Plastic Age

2. Christmas concert

My boyfriend plays lead guitar in a band and every year they have a Christmas concert. This year a bit early, 'cause we're flying to Europe. So we have less than 2 weeks to get ready. Yes, we, including me :) Since I'm kind of a guest singer hehe not that I'm such an amazing singer or anything, but it's the privilege you get from dating the band leader :D I just hope I don't embarrass myself...

My shoebox present for a 9-year old boy ^^

3. Christmas shopping

Of course, everyone needs to do that. We need presents for my family, presents for his family... And I also joined the program called "One day Santa" where you buy a Christmas present for one of the Children in need, so I bought a present for a 9-year old boy in Slovenia.

What I'll try to make this week :)

4. Christmas cooking

It should be Christmas baking, but unfortunately we don't have an oven. Actually as far as I know, most families don't have ovens in Korea and Japan. But I really want to make something yummy for my boyfriend's family, so my sister gave me a recipe for a dessert doesn't require an oven ^^

Last year's Christmas Norebang

5. Christmas Norebang (karaoke)

Yes, I have to do that every December :) It's awesome. Last year, my friend and I bought ourselves a cake, went to norebang and sang all the Christmas songs we could find. :)

And we're leaving in a bit more than 2 weeks, so we don't have much time. I'll try to write about how all this goes. And I know that spending time in Slovenia with my family is really not what my blog title says, but it might be interesting to read about how my boyfriend experiences our country and our Christmas traditions for the first time :) So yup, I'll keep you posted.

Until then, to help you get into Christmas mood, here's a Korean version of Jingle Bells that you can learn :) Don't worry, you can do it. If my boyfriend was able to learn it in Slovenian, you can learn it in Korean - have fun :D

Here are the lyrics:

huin nun sairo sseolmaerul tago
tallineun kibun sangkwaedo hada
jongi ullyeoseo jangdan madchuni
heunggyeowoseo sori nopyeo norae pureuja

jong sori ullyeora jong sori ullyeo
uri sseolmae ppalli tallyeo jong sori ullyeora
jong sori ullyeora jong sori ullyeo
kippeun norae pureumyeonseo ppalli tallija