冬至 Toji，Winter Solstice

日本是一个四季分明的地方。随着秋天黑夜的时间比白昼来的较长。我总是感觉还没感受到完全的阳光，大概四点出一点，天空就开始暗起来。心情也有点莫名其妙的暗淡。去年的这段时间，在家带着三个小小的小朋友，在地球转移太阳的视线的时间里，心中会感到特别忧郁，不太好受。冷冷冰冰，凄凄凉凉。阳光带来希望，是很确实的。

虽然是站在一片不属于我长大的土地上，却看见许多熟悉风俗文化，“冬至- （日语-‘toji’”。在图书馆，借了这本书。书上写着,

"Toji, is one of the Twenty-four Divisions of the Lunar Calendar. It falls on about December 22 or 23 and is teh longest night of the year."

"As the days grow shorter and shorter with the appraoch of the Winter Solstice, people traditionally feel weak in spirit. They have always known that after Toji the sun will be restored and the daus will gradually get longer. Even today Japanese people customarily eat produce from the seasonal harvest such as pumpkins and adzuki beans to help them get through the coldest and darkest time of the year."

一阳来福, Ichiyo-raifuku

This phrase means that the sun has regained its strength, winter is over and spring is on the way.

Citron Bath, Yuzu-yu

During veru cold weather, Japanese peope have always believe that if they put slices of citron into a hot bath they can warm their bodies and avoid catching cold. On the day of Toji, they customarily take ca ctron bath.

Adzuki Porridge

The red color of adzuki beans is believed to ward off evil spirits. All over Japan people eat adzuki porridge on Toji.

Eating food with sound of "n", examble like Daikon, pumpkin (nankin), carrots (Ninjin), seaweed (Konbu), Gingko nuts (Ginnan), Konnyaku will have a good luck.

吃汤圆，好像不是日本冬至的习俗。但mochi好像是他们的日常甜品。还来个酱油加黑糖mochi。徐信和徐恒都很爱吃。这几天爸爸放工回家的晚上都为这两个小朋友打包一盒酱油黑糖mochi, 98yen一盒.

徐信要弄青汤圆，他说要safe the world，no pollution, grow forest.

徐恒要弄红汤圆，他说他要happy的，所以是red的。

徐悦，妈妈给了她黄汤圆，“阳光带来的希望”。

在我的记忆里，冬至要吃汤圆，是团圆的日子。在马来西亚的天气过冬天的习俗也有着另一番的天气热热的家庭和谐气氛。开始了自己的家庭之后，由其有了自己的孩子，冬至这日子忽然对我变得有点重量。

团圆，团聚，为寒冬加一把温情。建立一个以爱为本，以基督为首的家庭。

2012, 冬至快乐!