Tomorrow (12/22) is the winter solstice, also known as Dongzhi. It is the day that the daytime will be the shortest and the nighttime will be the longest in the whole year in the northern hemisphere. After Dongzhi, daytime will gradually lengthen.
In the past,after a year of hard work and autumn harvest, people would take a little rest to celebrate this year's harvest and pray for success in the coming year. Many people will therefore eat and drink to celebrate in Dongzhi.
In tradition, people will eat glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice, which represents reunion with relatives and friends, and an age increase.
Since the winter solstice is the day with the shortest sunshine and the longest night in a year, it is considered to be the time when yin and yang alternate. Eating glutinous rice balls also means using "round" to welcome Yang Qi, which represents auspiciousness.
There is also a saying that white glutinous rice balls represent popularity, and red glutinous rice balls represent marriage. Both kinds should be eaten, and the number should be even, which symbolizes good luck the next year.
Dongzhi is a traditional festival for the Chinese. Because it has the longest night of the year, and the ancients believed that night time is the moment ghosts will come out, it is better to go home before the sun goes down.
But from a scientific point of view, it is because it’s winter and the weather is cold, so it may not be a good idea to stay outside. Going home as early as you can to rest, and have a bowl of sweet glutinous rice balls after dinner will be a wonderful arrangement.