郡人最重冬至節。先日，親朋好友各以食物相饋贈，提筐擔盒，充斥道路，俗呼冬至盤。節前一夕，俗呼冬至夜。是夜，人家更速燕飲，謂之節酒。女嫁而歸寧在室者，至是，必歸婿家。家無大小，必市食物以享先，間有懸掛祖先遺容者。諸凡儀文，加于常節，故有“冬至大如年”之諺。

清/顧祿《清嘉錄》

People in the prefecture attach great importance to the Winter Solstice. Several days previously, friends and relatives present gifts of good to one another. The streets are crowded with people carrying baskets and boxes which are generally called “winter solstice trays”. The night before is called Winter Solstice Eve. On that night, families invite guests to food and drinks. This dinner is called the festival banquet. Married women who happen to be staying with their parents must return to their husbands. Families, rich and poor alike, buy food to offer to their ancestors. Some put up the portraits of their ancestors. The ceremonies and customs are more splendid than those of the ordinary festivals. Therefore, the saying goes, “The Winters Solstice is as important as the New Year”.

Gu Lu (Qing Dynasty)

Worthy Records of the Qing Dynasty

注：冬至大如年：冬至，是農歷二十四個節氣之一，在公歷十二月二十二日左右，這天北半球黑夜最長，白天最短。民間稱冬至節為“過小年”，有的地區認為此節的隆重程度與過新年一樣，所以說“冬至大如年”。甚至還有“肥東瘦年”的說法，由此可見民間對冬至節的重視了。

Notes: The Winter Solstice: one of the twenty-four solar terms. It is around 22nd December of the solar year. On that day in the northern hemisphere, the night is the longest and the day the shortest in the whole year. The Winter Solstice is popularly called the “Small New Year”. In some areas people think the Winter Solstice should be celebrated as grandly as the New Year. Thus, the saying goes, “Fat Winter Solstice and lean New Year” This shows the importance people attach to the Winter Solstice.