The Eating Custom Of Melon Seeds

History
The custom of eating melon seeds has been popular in China's Ming Dynasty, before the late Qing Dynasty is mainly watermelon seeds, since the late Qing Dynasty pumpkin seeds began to be popular, and sunflower seeds in the period of the Republic of China. Eating melon seeds is probably the earliest in the north, this is not only because the record of eating melon seeds is mainly found in the northern historical documents, the more objective reason is that the northern winter is long, people stay at home all day long in the leisure of farming, and the main way to kill time is to eat melon seeds and chat, and the custom of eating melon seeds has spread.
Reason
First of all, melon seeds are very convenient to eat or prepare, take out to entertain guests, not only can reflect the host's hospitality, guests also because of eating melon seeds will have the feeling of being "entertained", imperceptiently set for a pleasant social interaction tone.
Secondly, eating melon seeds can relieve tension, people in the process of social interaction, it is easy to be nervous and embarrassed, communication with food in hand will make people feel relaxed. So we often treat people to drink or eat dessert to let the parties relax, but it is easy to say wrong after drinking, dessert consumption is high, so cheap and easy to get sunflower seeds have become a good food choice when we get together. At the same time, sunflower seeds can be broken down into a number of small actions, these actions are simple, easy, make people feel happy, in the process of eating can relieve each other's tension.
Finally, eating melon seeds is a small amount of eating behavior, can be stopped at any time, can be picked up at any time to continue eating, can provide enough time for social activities.