Had our celebrations last night, for the Winter Solstice Festival last night, or as my mother calls it, kwor tong. Don't ask me what that means, I have no idea. Actually, I suppose when you think about it, I'm pretty banana [yellow on the outside, white on the inside] as they come. Sure, I can speak Cantonese, and understand and speak a lil Mandarin. But tell me about the Chinese customs and traditions? I don't know much, I'll admit. That is sad.

Customs and traditions are very much a part of the Chinese identity. I'm not talking about all the crappy beliefs and all the tahayul [like you know, if you don't finish all your food off the plate, you'll marry a guy with a pimply face], but rather about all the different festivals, and the different meanings behind the food we prepare and all the other thinga-ma-jigs. I dare say not many people, at least not in our generation, bother to take enough time out to think, or learn about it. How will our children be in the future, then?

Okay, I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself at the moment, but yeah, it would be good to learn about these things. Must start taking the initiative this coming Chinese New Year.

Well, in any case, here's a typical kwor tong festival in the Tan family.


Making tong yuen in the evening. Made specially from home-made dough, not the type that they sell in the market.


Our special dinner for the night. *drools*


And dessert after.


Evelyn and the boys enjoying their tong yuen.

Looks so good, doesn't it? Hehe. I made the tong yuen! *proud*