Today, 22nd December is "Tung Chek" or "Winter Solstice" - a much celebrated festival in Penang - when we eat glutinous rice dumplings and become one year older!
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| Ready for the altar! |
It has been a tradition to eat this sweet concoction every year and though many homes used to make it themselves in the old days, it is now easily available in the shops ready cooked and nicely packed. The dough is sold in the markets for those who still want to "DIY" and comes mainly in red, yellow and green. I am told the purpose of adding colour is for good fortune, longevity, joy and wealth and the round shape of the dumplings symbolizes "completeness" and "reunion".
I bought our dumplings from a stall at the market yesterday evening and was up early this morning to set up the altar for prayer. I had also bought some "huat kueh" and "ang koo" (pink and red
kueh above) for worship.
This is the first year that we are observing this festival without Mum and it brings back fond memories of the times when she was alive and so excited over the whole thing. She used to go to Phor Tay temple to help make the dumplings and would become very upset if they had started and finished without waiting for her!
Happy "Tung Chek", Mum!
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