兜福 Tofu 【中文/English】

过了小年，年味儿愈发浓厚。腊月二十五这一天，我家的年俗仪式感也正式拉满——爸妈昨天赶集，特意买了两大块新鲜豆腐，照着卖家教的方法，今早七八点天最冷的时候，把豆腐切成小块放在室外自然冷冻，之后再放进冰箱冷冻层，冻豆腐就做好啦。

这正应了老辈人说的“腊月二十五，推磨做豆腐”。以前农耕时代，这一天家家户户都会磨豆腐：一来豆腐耐存放，能吃到正月；二来“豆腐”谐音“都福”“兜福”，寓意把好运和福气都兜进家里。还有个小讲究，人们会吃点豆腐渣，以示勤俭，祈求玉皇大帝的眷顾。

除了磨豆腐，“接玉皇”也是这天的重头戏。传说灶王爷腊月二十三上天述职后，玉皇大帝会在二十五亲自下界查访，稽查人间善恶、判定来年祸福。所以这一天，家家户户都会谨言慎行，设香案祭拜，盼着玉帝降福，保佑全家平安顺遂。

另外还有糊窗户、扫尘土的习俗：以前是换窗纸、贴窗花，现在则变成擦玻璃，扫走旧岁的晦气，让家里焕然一新。这些看似平常的小事，都蕴藏着传承千百年的年俗记忆，也藏着中国人最朴素的团圆期盼。

After Xiaonian , the Spring Festival feels closer every day. On the 25th day of the lunar month, my family officially starts our New Year rituals.
Yesterday, my parents went to the market and bought two large blocks of fresh tofu. Early this morning—when it was the coldest—we cut the tofu into small pieces and left them outside to freeze. Later, we put them into the freezer. That’s how we make frozen tofu at home.
There’s an old saying: “On the 25th day, make tofu.” In the past, families did this because tofu keeps well and can be eaten during the New Year. It also sounds like “bringing in good luck,” so people believed it would bring blessings into the home. Some people even ate the leftover bits to show thrift and pray for good fortune.
Another important tradition is “welcoming the Jade Emperor.” It’s believed that after the Kitchen God reports to heaven, the Jade Emperor comes down on this day to check on the human world. So families are careful with their words and actions, burn incense, and pray for peace and safety in the year ahead.
People also clean the house and wipe the windows. In the past, they changed window paper and added decorations. Today, it’s about cleaning away old dust and bad luck, and getting the home ready for a fresh New Year. These simple actions carry long-held traditions and the same wish for family reunion and a peaceful year.

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