The Dongzhi Festival is a celebration of the winter solstice, celebrated throughout China and other East Asian communities. Historically, it is considered one of the most important festivals in China. Typically celebrated on the actual winter solstice every year (around December 21 or 22), this festival is the last festival in the Chinese lunar calendar before Chinese New Year. Prosperity and new beginnings are a large part of the symbolism of this holiday. As the winter solstice indicates the longest night of the year, the Dongzhi Festival is thought to encourage people to begin prepping for more light, joy, and happiness in their lives.
Years of Incredible Tradition
Records indicate that this festival has been celebrated for over 2,000 years; during earlier times, shops and businesses would be closed in order to properly commemorate the occasion. Although much of the symbolism associated with this holiday is no longer celebrated as its traditions stemmed from those celebrating in more rural communities, the spirit of the holiday remains.
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Curious about planning a small (or large!) Dongzhi Festival celebration for your fellow office mates or employees? Read on for traditional Dongzhi foods and activities that will encourage you and your guests to welcome new, positive energy into your lives.
Traditional Dongzhi Holiday Food
The most notable holiday food of the Dongzhi Festival is tangyuan, sometimes written as tang yuan. Tangyuan are small, chewy rice balls made from glutinous rice flour, sweetened and sometimes filled with red bean paste or black sesame paste, and served in a hot soup, which can be either sweet or savory. The savory version is typically made with animal broth – chicken, pork, and beef are staples. Sweeter versions can be sweetened with ginger, brown sugar, or white confectioner’s sugar.
30 Years of Catering
These are traditionally eaten with one’s family members; each family member receives one large tangyuan, and several smaller balls, The roundness of the balls symbolizes family and togetherness, as well as hope and prosperity for fullness and completeness in the new year. Our catering team will make your employees feel like a family with a large selection of both popular and traditional holiday foods. We always prepare our goodies fresh right on site, so it’ll taste just like mom’s cooking! Tangyuan is a celebratory delicacy! Enjoy them with friends and co-workers for long life, prosperity, happiness, and new beginnings.
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When it comes to holiday event planning, we know what’s up. Our nearly three decades in the event planning business, coupled with our attention to detail and strong desire to please our clients, establishes us as one of the top event planners in the United States! If you’re considering hosting a Dongzhi Festival celebration at your company, or in a smaller private location, look no further: our event planners have the skills and resources to create the holiday party celebration of your dreams.
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