KUALA LUMPUR: Sharing his wishes during this Winter Solstice Festival, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said it was a time to bond with family and friends.
The MCA president wished everyone a Happy Winter Solstice.
"While there is no snow in Malaysia, the warmth of our hearts makes this day just as special.
"May you enjoy meaningful moments with your family and friends on this wonderful occasion," he said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Dec 21).
Winter solstice, which falls today, is the day with the longest night of the year.
It is the peak of winter, and after the solstice passes, daylight hours become longer, and nights grow shorter.
Glutinous rice balls (tang yuan) are used to worship ancestors and given to relatives and friends as gifts during the festival.
With little to eat in China’s ancient agrarian societies during the snowy weather, tang yuan desserts became their sole feast.
Farmers would look forward to winter ebbing and getting ready for the next planting season when spring comes.
The local Chinese community celebrates the winter solstice festival by making the delicacy synonymous with the festival – the tang yuan – that comes with a variety of fillings such as red bean, peanut or sesame paste and is served in plain or ginger syrup.
