In Korea, May is unofficially known as Family month, for a few reasons first the Lotus Lantern Festival which usually falls in May and then Children’s Day and Parents Day in the same week. Children’s Day is always on May 5th every year and every child in Korea can tell you about Children’s Day. While no gifts are given during the Lotus Lantern Festival, gifts and fun are the hallmarks of Children’s Day.

Korea even went so far as making the day a National Holiday so that parents would have the day free to indulge the whims and wants of their offspring by taking them to amusement parks, movies, parks, zoos, and other places that draw the excited laughter of youth.

Children’s Day in Korea traces its origins to Bang Jeong-hwan, a children’s story book writer, who, on May 1, 1923, wrote “An Open Letter to Adults.” This letter called upon adults to, among other things, “speak to children with respect, and speak softly.”

One translation of Bang Jeong-hwan’s letter states: “Children are the future of our nation. Let’s show respect for children. Children who grow up with ridicule and contempt from others will become people who disrespect others, while children who grow up with respect from others will become people who respect others in turn.”

We will be celebrating Children’s Day at our house by making our second trip to the zoo this week and we have purchased the brand new Imagination Mover’s DVD to give to them as well as some learner chopsticks we got in Korea! What will you be doing for Children’s Day?