Richmond grandpa Howe Chan, 87, and his family members have been busy preparing some special meals to celebrate the shortest day of the year.
The Dongzhi Festival - falls on Dec. 21 in Chinese culture, usually dubbed the shortest day of the year and signals that brighter days are ahead.
For Chan, Dec. 21 has several meanings, one being that it's a great occasion for him to spend time with family members while enjoying a good meal.
"The winter might seem to be crazy long and unbearably dark for some, but the days are getting longer and brighter from this Wednesday onwards,” said Chan.
“Therefore, in Chinese culture, Dec. 21 represents a time for reuniting with our beloved ones and sharing some food to welcome brighter days ahead.”
Dongzhi Festival isn't a public holiday in either Canada or China, noted Chan, adding that many local Chinese-speaking community members are still going to celebrate it by having dumplings or tangyuan, a Chinese dessert consisting of balls of glutinous rice and served in a sweet soup, which symbolizes reunion.
Chan said his family still tries to keep this tradition alive, even though they had immigrated to Richmond many years ago.
"It's unfortunate that this year many people might not be able to reunite with their loved ones due to the widespread Omicron variant,” he said.
“For example, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law won't join any family gatherings this year. But we are all promising that there will be light at the end of the tunnel and the brightest day will come soon. So we need to hang in there with a bit more patience and kindness.
“I tried to kill time and stay active by celebrating these Chinese festivals. So please feel free to join me, if you like."
