节 俗 Festival Custom
农历十二月初八是中国的传统节日——腊八节，“腊”代表中国农历的十二月。
There are several legends about the origin of this festival and we could not tell which one is true.
关于腊八起源的传说有很多，我们已经不能辨其真假。
But what we know today is that this festival started as a sacrificial offering to ancestors. It was also a time for the ancient Chinese to pray to heaven and earth that there would be a bountiful harvest.
我们确定的是，这个节日起初是为了祭祀祖先、祈求丰收以及为即将来到的一年祈福。
食 俗 Food Custom
腊八粥 The Laba porridge
Traditionally, the Laba porridge is the most important element of the festival.
从传统上讲，腊八粥是腊八节的重头戏。
Generally, the porridge contains eight ingredients which can include glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, peas, dried lotus seeds and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnut meat, walnut meat, almond and peanut, etc.
腊八粥通常由八种材料做成，这些材料可以是黏米、红豆、小米、高粱、豌豆、莲子和一些诸如红枣、栗子、核桃仁、杏仁、花生等谷物。
Since the earliest beginning of the Song Dynasty, this porridge has been popular in the royal court, local authorities, temples and common families.
最早开始于宋代，每逢腊八这一天，不论是朝廷、官府、寺院还是黎民百姓家都要做腊八粥。
The Laba porridge is called "Union Food" in Henan Province, which is a food custom in memory of China's national hero Yue Fei.
在河南，腊八粥又称"大家饭"，是纪念民族英雄岳飞的一种节日食俗。
腊八蒜 The Laba garlic
Another custom is the soaking of Laba garlic. The practice is very simple. Put the stripped garlic cloves into a sealed jar, and then pour vinegar into it.
腊八节的另一传统是腌制腊八蒜。做法很简单，将剥好的蒜瓣放在一个可以密封的罐子里，然后再倒入醋。
Gradually, the color of those garlic cloves will turn green. By the time of the Spring Festival, you can taste the garlic while eating dumplings.
慢慢地，泡在醋中的蒜就会变绿。这样，到春节的时候，就可以在餐桌上与饺子同食了。
腊八豆腐 The Laba tofu
The Laba tofu is the folk specialty of Qian County in Anhui Province. Before the Laba Festival, every family in Qian County will dry tofu in open space.
“腊八豆腐”是安徽黔县民间风味特产，腊八之前，黔县家家户户都要在空地上晒制豆腐。
腊八面 The Laba noodles
In some places of the North that do not produce or produce less of the rice, people eat the Laba noodles instead of the Laba porridge.
在我国北方一些不产或少产大米的地方，人们不喝腊八粥，而是吃腊八面
One day before the festival, people cut up all kinds of fruits and vegetables and prepare the noodle roll. Then in the morning of the Laba Festival, the whole family can eat the Laba noodles.
隔天将各种果蔬切碎，把面条擀好，到腊月初八早晨全家吃腊八面。