At 8:30 a.m., the office lights flickered on one after another. Unlike any ordinary day, the air was filled with the aroma of flour and fresh vegetables. Several colleagues were already bustling about in the pantry—washing greens, chopping meat, and mixing fillings. The base consisted of pork and cabbage, enhanced with the natural sweetness of corn, the tender succulence of shrimp, and the crisp crunch of water chestnuts. As everyone busied themselves with preparations, they chatted animatedly, as if an early reunion for the day had already begun.
By 10:30 a.m., colleagues gathered one by one around the decorated long table, split into five pre-assigned groups. A small dumpling-making contest kicked off right then and there. Each group was required to elect a "judge"; within twenty minutes, they had to not only wrap the dumplings but also boil eight intact ones for judging. Hands that usually danced across keyboards and organized samples were now dusted with flour. Some worked quickly and neatly, their dumplings lined up in perfect rows like tiny ingots. Others were less skilled, yet their earnest focus on pinching each fold made for an endearing sight. When the water came to a rolling boil, billowing steam filled the room, wrapping everyone in a cozy warmth.
During the judging session, the "judges" savored dumplings with different fillings carefully, ultimately selecting two winning groups for the "most delicious" and "most visually appealing" dumplings. The victorious colleagues were awarded small dumpling and coconut keychains—not valuable prizes by any means, but mementos that would make this Winter Solstice morning unforgettable.
What sparked even more excitement was the "lucky dumpling" hidden in each group’s batch; whoever bit into it would win a lottery ticket. The look of sheer delight on someone’s face when they discovered the surprise inside an ordinary dumpling was more heartwarming than any award. Everyone shared the dumplings on their plates, as well as the unique flavors of fillings crafted by other groups that they chanced to taste.
This scene reminded me of what we do every day at work—raw materials sourced from different regions are designed, mixed, and refined into storage products that adorn thousands of households. Much like these dumplings, they may seem simple on the surface, but they embody the harmonious blend of diverse ingredients, requiring patience and collaboration to create. What we craft is more than just containers; it is the possibility of making daily life more organized and warm.
The Winter Solstice is the day with the longest night of the year, yet it also marks the beginning of the sun’s gradual return. On this special day, we came together in the simplest way imaginable—kneading dough, mixing fillings, wrapping dumplings, and sharing food. Amidst the steaming warmth, it was not just our stomachs that felt cozy. The reassuring sense of fulfillment from working side by side to accomplish a small task, and the thoughtfulness of creating a little sense of ceremony in the mundane routines of daily life—perhaps this is the warmth we strive to convey through our products.
The essence of storage is giving every item a proper place to belong; the meaning of gathering is giving every heartfelt sentiment a place to rest. When the last dumpling was shared and finished, we all knew that this winter would be made special by moments like these. Just as we believe that good storage is more than just organizing space—it is organizing life, making every single day clear, warm, and full of promise.
