Do people prefer to eat out at restaurants or eat at home during the Spring Festival?

I think it really depends on the family, but during the Spring Festival, many people still prefer eating at home because it feels more meaningful and intimate. A restaurant is convenient, especially for families who don’t want to cook or clean up, but a home-cooked meal has a stronger sense of tradition. For example, families might prepare dumplings, fish, hot pot, or other symbolic dishes, and during the Mid-autumn Festival they may share mooncakes and tea. These foods are not just about taste; they carry memories and cultural meaning. People like having meals together during important festivals because it gives everyone a chance to reconnect. In daily life, people are often busy with work, school, or living in different cities, so a festival meal becomes a kind of emotional reunion. Of course, preparing a big meal at home can be a hassle, especially if one or two people do most of the work. There is shopping, chopping, cooking, serving, and cleaning afterwards, so I think the responsibility should be shared more fairly. During meals, people usually talk about family news, work, children’s studies, travel plans, or sometimes old memories. These conversations may seem ordinary, but they help maintain close relationships. So, if people are spending less and less time eating with their families, I’d say it is generally a bad thing. It doesn’t mean every meal has to be formal, but regular family meals create a sense of belonging, and without them, family members may slowly become less connected.