[Korea Report] Snow fall on Christmas eve enhances festive mood

A choir sings Christmas Carol in Myeondong Cathedral Church in Seoul. (Photo: Meidyana Rayana) Wherever you see, Seoul is covered with Holiday Spirit around this time of the year. In Myeongdong, one of the busiest shopping centre in Seoul, streets are full of people from the morning. Shops, restaurants and cafes all over the city are decorated with Christmas theme. Christmas songs are filling the air everywhere you go, even in a bus.On the night of the Christmas eve, snow was falling and added even more Christmas atmosphere. Days before the Christmas eve, weather forecast said it would not be snowy on Christmas day, but snow suddenly fell in Seoul and people posted their excitement on social network such as Facebook. People must have been happy because they could enjoy White Christmas in Seoul. (Photo: Nadezda Medvedeva)

Adeline Budiman, Indonesian Student who is studying in Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul posted, “Yup it is definitely white Christmas here… May joy and peace flow beautifully like this fallen snow! Merry Christmas!”

And another Indonesian Student, Yohana Kurnia Endah, posted a video on Facebook when she attended the Midnight Christmas Mass in Catholic Cathedral Church in Seoul.

The Midnight Mass was beautiful. Snow fell and people was standing outside the church after the mass. Colorful lights illuminated some places and trees in the Cathedral.

I went to Catholic Cathedral Church in Myeongdong for an English Mass in the morning of Christmas Day.

Koreans and foreigners gathered together to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and thanked Him for being born to the world to save mankind.

Christmas decoration in Myeongdong Cathedral Church,Seoul (Photo: Photo: Meidyana Rayana)

The Priest wore a Santa Clause hat by the end of the mass, giving a way some gifts and a church choir sang Christmas Carols.

The decoration completed with Christmas Trees by the isle, Christmas songs and the verses from the bible read in the mass were perfect to make the celebration became more special.

I then spend my Christmas Day with my friends from Indonesia, Russia and East Timor. Spending such a holy day in a foreign country with friends I love is all I have long wished for.

According to a census held in 2005, quoted by the U.S. State Department site, Christianity is the majority religion in Korea with Protestant, 18.3 percent and Roman Catholic 10.9 percent. Buddhism is the second largest religion with 22,8 percent of the population.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia