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Pedestrians watch a traditional dragon dance on a shopping street in downtown Shanghai on January 18, 2025. Photo: VCG

This year's Spring Festival once again brought together families across China in a heartwarming display of tradition and togetherness. As I look back on the holidays, I am reminded of the countless stories of reunion, resilience and joy that define this special time of year.

One moment that stood out was during an eight-hour train ride from Beijing to Guangzhou, the capital city of South China's Guangdong Province, where a mother read a firefighter-themed illustrated storybook to her toddler in Cantonese. Her husband, savoring a moment of quiet, dozed off with his noise-canceling headphones on. Like hundreds of millions of others, they were part of the largest annual migration in the world - the journey home to celebrate Spring Festival with their families. The Spring Festival has now been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In the days leading up to the holidays, stations, airports and highways grew increasingly crowded. The mix of stress and excitement was palpable, as travelers prepared for the logistical challenges of the trip. Packing clothes for varying weather, gifts, lucky money for children, and local delicacies to share with loved ones typically required meticulous planning over several days.

As always, the hardships of the journey were forgotten the moment families reached their destinations. The warm hugs and joyful welcomes from loved ones made it all worthwhile. Red couplets, festive decorations, and tables piled high with food, fruit, drinks and candy awaited, ready to be enjoyed by the entire family over the seven-day visit. It's that unmistakable and irreplaceable feeling of coming home - a feeling that defines the spirit of Spring Festival.

This year, my wife, our two cats, our dog and I embarked on our journey on January 28 at midnight. We decided to forgo the New Year's Eve celebrations and the annual Spring Festival Gala - one of the most-watched television events in the world - to take advantage of what we hoped would be less crowded highways between Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province, and Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province. Our plan included an overnight stop at a pet-friendly hotel in Changsha and at least six quick battery swaps, each taking about three minutes for our electric car. Our playlist was ready, and so was the smoked Iberico ham I had chosen as a gift for our family.

Thankfully, we didn't have to resort to carving it for sustenance during the trip, unlike last year when we were stuck in a multi-day traffic jam on our way back south.

One of the highlights of the holiday was, as always, my mother-in-law's cooking. Though my in-laws are a frugal family, they know I have an insatiable appetite for meat with a strong dislike for vegetables and a serious coffee addiction. They always go out of their way to ensure I have plenty to eat and drink. While I try to alleviate the burden of our visit by coming prepared, they would never forgive themselves if they didn't provide these things for me. Our playful "arguments" are a hallmark of our family gatherings: "You didn't need to!" "We told you we would bring it ourselves!" It's our way of saying, "We love you."

Another cherished tradition is our never-ending card game sessions. In a heartwarming cross-cultural exchange, my in-laws, understanding my inability to grasp Mahjong, have embraced a card game my Colombian family played every lazy Sunday afternoon. My mother-in-law, ever the strategist, has developed her own winning technique, while my father-in-law often teams up with my wife to tip the odds in her favor. As the self-proclaimed ambassador of the game, I take pride in my skills, and my bluffing and conniving strategies usually put up a good fight. I never finish last after the final tally, though my father-in-law often does - a result I suspect is intentional. His unforced errors are, in my eyes, just another token of love for his family. The joy of having us at home means everything to him, and losing to his loved ones in a game of cards is a small price to pay for that happiness.

As the 2025 Spring Festival holidays come to a close, I feel deeply grateful for the time spent with family, the laughter shared, and the memories made. It's a reminder of why this tradition, despite its challenges, remains so deeply cherished. Happy Spring Festival to all - may the warmth and joy of the holidays stay with us throughout the year.

The author is a reporter at Alianza Informática Latinoamericana (AIL) based in Dongguan. [email protected]