Lantern Festival, annually celebrated on the 15th of the first lunar month, falls on February 9 this year. It’ll be a time for outdoor carnival across the country and mark the official end of the 2009 Spring Festival.
Eating yuanxiao (sweet dumplings made with glutinous rice flour) and tangyuan (dumplings literally meaning “boiled spheres”) and watching lantern displays are the things to do on this day.
Before the holiday, people are busy preparing for the festive must-haves. Prominent display shelves at supermarkets and specialty food stores across China are packed with yuanxiao or tangyuan. For instance, Jinfang Snack Bar, a well-known specialty store located in southern Beijing, spares all of its accommodating space to make and sell yuanxiao during the festive season. It’s said profits from yuanxiao accounts for half of the store’s yearly income.
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