Today marks Major Cold, the last solar term of a year in Chinese lunar calendar, which indicates that spring is around corner. During this period, people are busy preparing for the upcoming Spring Festival, including cleaning houses, cooking delicacies, and enjoying feasts.

　　Together with family members and friends, people enjoy themselves drinking and having delicacies to celebrate the end of a lunar year and welcome the upcoming spring.

　　Out with the old, in with the new. Every family will have house cleaning in December. In traditional Chinese culture, sweeping away the dust represents a wish to drive away bad luck, bid farewell to the old, and welcome the Spring Festival.

　　Similarly, to have a haircut also bears the auspicious meaning of washing away trouble and bad luck ahead of the Spring Festival, which is a necessity for Chinese people.

　　This year’s Major Cold also coincides with the Laba Festival, literally the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, which is considered a prelude to the Spring Festival.

　　On this day, people will taste Laba porridge, which is made from a dozen varieties of grains including glutinous rice, red beans, and dried lotus seeds. The custom has been passed down for over 1,000 years.