IT was an early Tang Chek (Winter Solstice) festival celebration for hundreds of Gerakan members who turned up at the open space of Chip Hock Tong Sam Hong Hoo Temple in Mount Erskine, Penang.

Guests and party members were treated to tang yuan (glutinous rice balls in syrup) during the celebration which is also a Chinese tradition to mark the approach of the Chinese New Year.

And to make the celebration memorable, the tang yuan soup, normally boiled with syrup, was given a new twist. It was instead boiled with red wine or tom yam and an array of other ingredients.

The various unique flavours thus provided a new taste for the guests to savour the multi-coloured balls made of dough.

Gracing the event were Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who is also acting Gerakan president, Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye and vice-president Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

Guests also took part in a karaoke session and lucky draw contests.

The party also presented a cheque for RM2,000 to St Nicholas Home received by its executive director Ooi Chee Khoon.

The festival, better known as Dong Zhi, is celebrated on Dec 22.

The winter solstice is the day when the northern hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the longest night of the year.