Some of the people who have to work till the last minute before Spring Festival this year will end up having that all-important Lunar New Year Eve's dinner in restaurants. But even if the food comes from restaurants it would be better if people enjoyed the dinner with their families at home in order to maintain the Spring Festival spirit, says an article in Chongqing Daily News. Excerpts:

An increasing number of people have been complaining that Spring Festival is losing its traditional flavor. Spring Festival is more about the happy reunion with family and friends than the dinner. So to make Spring Festival family reunions really memorable, we should prepare and eat dinner at home.

Cooking and having dinner at home bring a family closer with all the family members doing their bit to make the festival special. It's true that people can save a lot of trouble and time if they have dinner in restaurants. But by doing so, people will deprive themselves of the heartwarming scenes of the entire family involved in the preparation of dinner.

It sure is convenient to have the Lunar New Year Eve's dinner in a restaurant. However, some rules set by a number of restaurants - like the time limit set for dinner - can make the experience uncomfortable, even bitter. Family members have a lot to talk about at reunions and need time for that, which is not possible in restaurants. So home is the best place to enjoy the Spring Festival dinner.

(China Daily 01/30/2014 page9)