THE MOON FESTIVAL

A good weather year and a bumper crop : 1 năm mưa thuận gió hòa và mùa
màng bội thu

The mid-autumn festival or the moon festival takes place on the 14 th to 15th day
of the eighth lunar month, usually falling in September

Marking the end of the final rice harvest of the year this festival is a chance for
families to celebrate a good yield, spend time with their children , chase away
bad spirits and honor the moon

I celebrate the moon festival every year so I would not use the past tense to talk
about it

What i like about this festival …oh let me think…I love everything about it

In the weeks leading up to it, the atmosphere in town becomes fuelled with
excitement as children rehearse their dragon dance in vibrant and elaborate
costumes and masks

Friends and family gift each other with boxes of moon cake, a sweet treat filled
with paste made of beans or lotus seeds, often with an egg yolk in the middle

Interestingly, the mixture inside of moon cakes has circle shape , which is
believed to be the symbol of perfection and wholeness. So it makes the perfect
gift for the occasion

On the big night ,a procession of excited children carry star, moon and animal
shaped paper lanterns

Then it’s the turn of the dragon dancers, and where the dragon go , the crowd
follows

The cheeky dragon visits shops and houses to bestow good luck and fortune

The host then gives lucky money as thanks. I would say it’s a riotous affair
in Vietnamese tradition , the moon festival is to thank god for giving a good
weather year and bumper crops

However, moon festival is the occasion of gathering nowadays.

Today, we don’t have much time for our family, that’s why it is important
festival in my country