What should I eat on the solstice in winter?

According to different local customs, we eat jiaozi, glutinous rice balls, Ciba, sweet meatballs, black-bone chicken noodles, wonton, fermented grains, chopped green onion tofu, eight-treasure porridge, longan boiled eggs, mutton soup and so on. The winter solstice is one of the most important solar terms in China, and it is also a sign of the arrival of winter. China has a custom of winter solstice since ancient times. Most parts of northern China eat jiaozi on this day, while most parts of southern eat glutinous rice balls.

There is a custom of eating Ciba on the solstice in winter. And whenever ancestor worship or major festivals, or weddings and funerals, we should make Ciba. So in our hometown, Ciba is called "Big Ciba", and now jiaozi is called "Little Ciba" with a little disdain.

The custom of eating sweet pills almost popularized the whole Chaoshan area. But this custom also contains an interesting detail: on this day, people will take out some sweet pills and stick them on their lintels, beams, rice jars and other places after worshipping their ancestors.

In Anhui, there is a custom of eating noodles from winter solstice, and there is a special proverb "Eating noodles from winter solstice can grow a thread a day". This is also a traditional food, which contains the blessings of the ancients in traditional festivals. Generally, eggs are dried noodles, so you can make more soup, which is both steamed and nourishing.