A British friend told me he couldn’t understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds ( 葵花子 ) as a snack so much. “I’ve met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth; I believe that’s from cracking the seeds,” he said. I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I’m watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn’t like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so hard just to get one small seed. When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go door-to-door on Chinese New Year’s Eve to check out what every household was making. I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. In the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with a fancy tablecloth, ready-made dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds. Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then. I don’t think it’s right to criticize (批评) one’s choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem. It’s not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins their breath. They think it’s a delicacy (美味佳肴) , and it’s connected with their culture. I think it’s a wonderful tradition.