Chuseok Meaning

A few weeks ago Korea celebrated Chuseok, which is their Thanksgiving holiday. It differs from the American holiday in many ways. First, the big part of the holiday centers around giving thanks to ancestors who are thought to have provided the harvest for the year. Family members visit the graves of ancestors, providing food for the spirit to eat. This ceremony lasts as long as the family deems appropriate. Many of the ancestors are buried in the mountains, so families travel long distances sometimes just to reach the grave. When we were in Andong, we traveled on a fairly rural road in order to get to a famous shrine. We saw dozens of cars parked on the side of the road, and many people carrying large dishes and heading up the hills and mountains.
After the family has given thanks to their ancestors, they bring the uneaten food to a home and everyone partakes in eating a huge traditional meal. This is the same concept of Americans chowing on turkey and yams, but they have different foods. The preperation for the meal can be quite time consuming, and I have been told by all women here that many suffer from "Chuseok Syndrome." They dislike preparing for the holiday as it takes a lot of time. There are also many traditional Korean movies on TV, and many people relax and watch movies.
We have a friend who actually ate so much during Chuseok that she made herself sick and had to go to the hospital. The food is just so amazing that people eat as much as they can. I (H) had the opportunity to eat some leftovers at my director's house, and I can see how they overeat! The foods were quite tasty!