MERRY CHRISTMAS

December started with us  heading into Seoul to watch Mamma Mia - so much fun!  It was the West End production, so it was lovely listening to British accents, with one Australian thrown in for good measure!!

It's Winter, so it's time for the snow to return.  So far, we have had a few cold days, but generally it's been bearable weather - the snow is certainly very pretty to look at, but icy sidewalks are no fun, and the wind can be so uncomfortably cold it's an effort to go out there.  That's something to look forward to after Christmas - for now, we'll enjoy each day that is still reaching into the positives, even if it's not by much.

We've had a couple of decent snow falls, so I'll add some photos of the world around us - makes me think a white Christmas would be lovely sometime.....

Looking straight down from our apartment!

The playground at our apartment complex.

In Gangnam (southern Seoul), on my way home one day.

Looking towards our apartment building.

This is what the local kids do on a weekend at this time of year - snowball fights and sledding down the sidewalk!!!

Snow AND fairy lights!!!  Very pretty!!!

I have been introduced to many new things this year - mostly Korean, but some great American customs too!!  Thanksgiving is an occasion I think Australians could introduce - getting together with family, without the commercialism that accompanies Christmas!!  And COOKIE EXCHANGES!!!  (We could rename them "Biscuit Exchanges"...) Each of us brought a tin/box/container of cookies and we divided them up, so we all ended up with a selection to take home - this was such a lovely thing to do, and we even gave some cookies to the workers in the coffee shop we were in.....

We exchanged "White Elephant" gifts

Leanne Schultz did the most amazing decorations on hers!

Over the past few weeks, we've spent time together with Russell's work colleagues and their families.  We had lunch at an Indian restaurant in Suwon one day with the work people, lunch with Sunny and her family another day, and coffee with Dr Kim and his family just last weekend.  So much fun!!

How cute are these kids!!!

Dr Kim's little girl, 지유 (Jiyoo)

A little bit of Christmas in Korea:

Our apartment is the ONLY
one I've seen with
Christmas lights!

At Alice's school - the man isn't
an elf, he's one of the school
guards.

This is at AK Plaza, a large
shopping centre near our home.

 ... and just to prove that Russ came Christmas shopping with us...... 

... in the snow...

And so ends our 2nd year living in Korea.  We are leave tomorrow evening for 3 weeks in Australia (Summertime!!!) - Christmas in Maleny with Russell's Mum, then Canberra with my family (and New Year in Leeton!!) and the last 5 days at Kiama, right near the beach.

If you don't live in Korea, please please please come and visit us in 2014 if you can.  We have beds available for you, and love having visitors!! 

The Reinke family wishes all of our family and friends a very Happy Christmas.  We hope you take the opportunity to spend time with people during this season, eating, drinking, talking, laughing, crying, listening..... tell people you love them, you appreciate them, you miss them!!  Say hi to strangers!  

Thank you for your friendship and love this year!!