Flag Raising Ceremony Students’ Sharing 2025-12-19

Vivian and Sarah, students from Form 5 Juniper and Form 5 Delonix, respectively, introduced some interesting background information on the Winter Solstice (冬至). They also talked about the customs during the Winter Solstice and how it can be connected to Christmas, as they both emphasize the importance of family union.

Written by Vivian LIU (Form 5) and Sarah HUANG (Form 5)

Vivian: Good morning, Principal, assistant principals, teachers, and fellow schoolmates. We’re the CLACH ambassadors. I’m Vivian from F5 Juniper.

Sarah: 我是中五鳳凰社的Sarah。馬上就是充滿歡樂的聖誕慶祝活動，下午我們就要開啟假期啦，而緊隨其後的21號，就是中國其中一個重要的傳統節日—冬至。

Vivian: What a wonderful coincidence! Christmas celebrations and the Winter Solstice are coming one after another. The Winter Solstice, also known as DongZhi, is one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals with a long history. Do you know why this festival holds such great significance?

Sarah: 這你可問對人啦！冬至是二十四節氣中最早被確定的節氣之一，古人認為冬至是「陰極之至，陽氣始生」的日子，意味着寒冷到了極致，之後白晝會慢慢變長，陽氣逐漸回升。而且民間一直有「冬至大如年」的說法，廣東話「冬大過年」(用粵語讀），可見它在大家心中的分量呢！對了，給你們介紹一個冬至的「倒數計時」遊戲！古人為了熬過漫長的冬天，發明了一個叫「數九」的遊戲。從冬至這一天開始算起，每九天算一個階段。民間有首歌謠：「一九二九不出手，三九四九冰上走⋯⋯」一直數到「九九八十一」天，桃花開了，冬天就正式結束了。古人還會寫一張「九九消寒圖」，有的上面有九朵梅花，每朵九個花瓣。每天塗紅一片花瓣，等到整幅畫都塗滿了，春天就真的來了！還有的是九個字組成的一句詩句，像這句「亭前垂柳珍重待春風」，每個字九畫，每天寫一畫，寫完九個字，就等來春天了！

Vivian: Oh my god!! That’s so interesting! 「亭前垂柳珍(zhen)重(zhong)待(die)春風」(read in Mandarin), which means the “weeping willow in front of the pavilion is patiently waiting for the spring breeze”. You write one stroke per day. By the time you finish writing the 9 characters, spring has arrived! What a fun game to play!

Sarah: 有趣吧！大家不妨一起來試一下！對了Vivian，你知道冬至最具代表性的習俗是甚麼嗎？

Vivian: Of course! The most iconic tradition is eating special foods that vary by region. In northern China, people usually have dumplings. There’s a folk saying: "Eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice, and you won’t freeze your ears." This savory dish is believed to help keep people warm during the coldest days of winter.

Sarah: 沒錯！北方吃餃子，我們南方這邊則習慣吃湯圓。湯圓圓圓的、軟軟糯糯的，象徵著 「團圓」和「圓滿」，就像在剛過去的星期二午膳時間，文化大使跟啓思的老師同學們也一起做了湯圓，吃了湯圓，大家都玩得不亦樂乎呢！而在冬至這團圓的日子裏，家家戶戶都圍坐在一起煮湯圓、吃湯圓，別提多溫馨了。除了吃的，冬至還有甚麼特別的講究嗎？

Vivian: Another interesting tradition is ancestor worship. On the Winter Solstice, many families will hold simple rituals to pay respect to their ancestors, expressing gratitude for their blessings and remembering their roots. It’s a way to pass down family values and maintain the bond between generations.

Sarah: 原來還有祭祖的習俗，這真是既莊重又有意義。其實不管是北方的餃子還是南方的湯圓，或是祭祖祈福還是家人團聚，冬至的核心意義都離不開「團圓」與「感恩」。就像馬上到來的聖誕假期，大家也會和親友相聚，這或許就是不同文化中相通的美好期盼吧！

Vivian: You’re absolutely right! The Winter Solstice and Christmas both emphasize the importance of family and connection. As we celebrate Christmas with the activities today and look forward to the Winter Solstice on the 21st, let’s cherish the time with our loved ones, express our gratitude for their companionship, and wish each other warmth and happiness in the cold winter.

Sarah: 希望大家在享受聖誕假期的同時，也能和家人一起度過一個溫馨的冬至。無論是傳承古老的習俗，還是創造屬於自己家的節日儀式，只要和愛的人在一起，就是最有意義的過節方式。讓我們帶著這份團圓的喜悅、感恩的心情，迎接冬日裡的每一份溫暖，也期待著春天的到來！

Vivian: Today, we’ve shared the history, customs, and cultural meanings of the Winter Solstice with all of you. We hope this will help you understand more about this important traditional festival. As we wrap up our sharing, we wish everyone a joyful Christmas celebration, a wonderful winter break, and a warm, memorable Winter Solstice with your family!

Sarah: 我們今天的分享就到這裡啦，預祝大家冬至快樂！謝謝大家！

Vivian: That’s the end of our sharing. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!