Can you tell us more about the Dongzhi Festival and why it is such an important holiday for families throughout the region?
冬至 , Dongzhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is a festival celebrating the day with shortest daylight in the year. It is one of the 24 climate and seasonal natural phenomena in the lunar calendar. It is also the middle of winter season and normally the coldest day in the year, too.
What are some traditions you and your family celebrate each year to honor the holiday?
In Hong Kong, many families would treat Winter Solstice Festival as big as the Chinese New Year Day and all family members would go home for the family reunion dinner. Though it is not a public holiday here in Hong Kong, many companies in Hong Kong would allow the employees to leave a little earlier so that they can help out to prepare the family reunion dinner.
What’s your favorite hearty family meal to make for Dongzhi festival?
For my family, we like to have the “hearty” 3-generation family hot pot or steamboat dinner at home. The kids would also like to exchange and receive their pre-Christmas gifts after the dinner.
Do you have any other favorite recipes you like to make around this time?
We’d like to have “everything” (meaning prosperity) in the recipes for hot pot not limiting to fish, chicken, pork and beef but also vegetables and noodles. We’ll put a full stop to the meal with our favourite dessert glutinous rice dumplings with red bean or sesame paste in sweet soup which has a special meaning of “reunion”.
Anything else you would like us to know about the holiday?
Being the day with longest night and cool weather in the year, it is always a wonderful day to wear our warm UGG sheepskin boots and outfits to celebrate the festival. 🙂
Deckers Careers 