I just got a somewhat urgent voicemail from my (Korean) dad, asking if I could please email him the birthdates (including birth years) of—*ahem*—myself, huz G, our twins, my brother, brother's wife (aka FingKASIL), and my two nephews.
We have never been a birthday-oriented kind of family (in case you didn't notice). About a year and a half ago, my dad began dating a woman. I believe said woman is whipping his delinquent-birthday-wishing butt into shape to make sure they do something other than make a quick phone call on our birthdays. Not that I care—I'm used to it.
Is it just my family or are all Korean families like this?
My uncles and aunts never remember birthdays or how old any of us are, including their own kids. Other than the dol, we don't usually do too much for each other. Maybe a gift. Maybe a card. At least a phone call. However, I will never forget one year when my whole family FORGOT my mother's birthday. And she went a week or so before she reminded us. Guilt. Like. I've. Never. Felt. Before. I don't think any of us will ever recover from that.
So, no, I've never been a big birthday celebration kind of person but that incident forced me to open up iCal and get my birthdates in order. And of course, now I see how the twins are into any and all birthday books. Curious George, Arthur, Dora—if they're celebrating a birthday, Bean and Buddy want to read about it. Every night. It's kind of a shift in my thinking, but I will happily do it for my kids and celebrate it up.
No? Is this a Korean thing or just my (lame) family thing?
(Btw, I linked dol to Metrodad because when I google "dol korean," his post is NUMBER ONE! So if google says MD is the #1 authority, I'm rolling with it. MD, look how you're learnin' the entire Internet world, one google search at a time.)
-hm
