Mid Autumn Festival is the time when the kids are given 100% approval to ‘play’ with fire. Before the Mid Autumn Festival, its the Hungry Ghost Festival, a time when the Buddhist and the Taoist burn lots of incense papers to their ancestors, loved ones who had passed away and the wandering ghosts. So the kids over at my in-law’s house would get a chance to get near that fiery bin and start throwing the ‘ghost money’ into the flame.

Right after that big flame, comes the small candle light. Mid Autumn Festival is the time when they hold lanterns and parade around the neighbourhood under the full moon. Mid Autumn Festival is also like a ‘fire’ day, whereby they lay the candles in a row and start lighting them up one by one.

Mid Autumn Festival is well known for its fine weather, clear skies and a big round full moon. Which is also probably why the delicacy for the Mid Autumn Festival is the moon cake.

lantMid Autumn Festival always falls on September, which is also my favourite month of the year! ‘cos its a month for me to receive presents and a month of feasting.

This year’s Mid Autumn Festival falls on 22nd September (it changes every year ‘cos its based on the Lunar Calendar).

As for the kids, Mid Autumn Festival month is a month of touring round Chinatown looking at the latest lantern designs and enjoying the beautiful decorations and lighting.

Mid Autumn Festival for my boys are very different from mine when I was a child. My kids have free lanterns from my MIL every single year on Mid Autumn Festival. It seems like its a tradition in the family that the grandma would buy a new lantern for her grandchildren. I remember Allan was telling me that his grandmother bought Dragon Shaped Lanterns for his brother and him every single year on Mid Autumn Festival! He got so sick of it. *laugh*

So I must say that my boys are very fortunate to be part of Allan’s family. For me, as a kid, I remember playing with candles and burning matchboxes, more than holding a wooden stick attached to a paper lantern and walking around aimlessly on Mid Autumn Festival. Very different childhood from my boys indeed.

I am not expecting much changes for them this year as Allan’s family is not one that moves away from tradition, especially on Mid Autumn Festival.