冬至

Yesterday was 冬至，a day where some local Chinese spend by eating 汤圆 with the family. Since a few years ago when WW told me the significance of this day, I've made it a point to eat 汤圆 in hope of a good year ahead. However, I was rather disappointed to find there was none at home when I came home last night. Thought Mama could have called to inform me, at least I could still get the frozen packaged ones at the supermarket downstairs. But never mind! It doesn't matter whether there was rice ball dumplings on this day of the year, as long as one is happy & optimistic, everything goes!

So, what's the great deal about this festive day?

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冬至，是我国农历中一个非常重要的节气，也是一个传统节日， 至今仍有不少地方有过冬至节的习俗。冬至俗称“冬节”、“长至节”、“亚岁”等。早在二千五百多年前的春秋时代，我国已经用土圭观测太阳测定出冬至来了， 它是二十四节气中最早制订出的一个。时间在每年的阳历12月22日或者23日之间。

人们认为：过了冬至，白昼一天比一天长，阳气回升，是一个节气循环的开始，也是一个吉日，应该庆贺。

九九歌
一九二九不出手；三九四九冰上走；
五九六九沿河看柳；七九河开八九雁来；
九九加一九，耕牛遍地走。

与冬至有着密切关系的是在北京流传了几百年的《九九歌》。从冬至那天算起，以九天作一单元，连数九个九天，到九九共八十一天，冬天就过去了。

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Woohoo, winter is going to be over in 9 days. Does that mean the heavy downpouring will stop soon? =P