The Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, or Dongzhi Festival, is today, and the family will celebrate the occasion with a meal together. Typically, the highlight of the occasion is the Tang Yuan, the glutinous rice balls dessert, and not the dinner, which is usually nothing too extravagant.
Over the years, our family’s version of Tang Yuan has evolved in taste and color. It used to be just the traditional white and pink balls, but more colorful ones have appeared over the last few years. In terms of taste, besides serving the balls with piping hot sweet ginger syrup, we have crushed peanuts with sugar sprinkled over the colorful balls. However, we hardly make them with sweet fillings, such as black sesame or red bean, because it’s too much work.
Another thing about this festival is the occasion being everybody’s birthday. When one eats a glutinous ball, you are officially a year older. When I was a kid dinosaur years ago, eating one was never enough. And I worried about eating a dozen glutinous balls because I would have to add a dozen years to my age. Hahahaha.
Here’s wishing everyone good health and happiness during this Dongzhi Festival!
Angieneering 
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