Seollal Lunar New Year’s Day, one of the biggest holidays in the country, is just around the corner.

People spend time in their hometown with their parents, siblings and relatives, people who they haven’t seen for a long time. They exchange New Year’s greetings and words of blessing.

On their way back home, travelers are easily seen carrying with them bundles of gifts, heartfelt gifts they bought for their family. In the past, when Korea was far poorer than it is now, it was a common sight during the Seollal holiday for people to exchange at least a simple gift, despite the tight finances. At that time, gifts simply included a bunch of eggs, a pack of sugar or some sticky rice.




People's preparation of Seollal gifts over the past decades, however, has changed greatly. At this time of year, a variety of gift sets appear on store shelves. Items come in a broad range of prices, from affordable sets to high-end ones, to suit every budget.

In particular, healthy food is a steady seller among the health-conscious. A nut set holds a range of tastes, including walnuts, almonds and pine nuts. Another sought-after healthy item is red ginseng. It comes in various forms, such as a thick extract, a sweat jelly, a wine or as hangwa, a traditional candy.



The canned meat product, Spam, too, is a big seller. There are not only gift sets that contain solely cans of Spam, but there are other types of gift sets that have cooking oil and canned salmon, too. They are really popular among shoppers.

Meat has always been a welcoming gift. Meat products -- high quality Korean beef, hanwoo, beef ribs or marinated beef ribs, and barbecued beef strips, known as bulgogi -- have long been beloved during the Seollal holiday.

Traditional culinary choices, such as hangwa candies, traditional alcoholic beverages, sikhye, a sweet rice drink, and sujeonggwa, persimmon punch, all help to create a holiday mood.




Daily items can make some of the best Seollal gifts, too. A combined set of toiletries that features toothpaste, shampoo, soap and a body wash is good for people looking for an affordable price and a practical gift.

By Sohn JiAe
Photos: Jeon Han
Korea.net Staff Writers
jiae5853@korea.kr