Only until a few years back do I actually celebrate Mid Autumn festival. Previously, it was not a "tradition" of my family to celebrate Zhong Qiu Jie. Yes I do remember chomping on mooncakes in abundance and making/carring/burning laterns with much glee at a certain time of the year. But besides the mooncakes and laterns, this festival usually slips through without much effect for me.
But then, I got married and have kids (yes plural. Akan datang!) and currently live in a community where people DO observe the festival. So things which I previously did not give a hoot about, I do now. And I mean it in a GOOD way. I get to celebrate my chinese roots (though friends and relatives insist I don't have any because of my "kantang (potatoe)-ness" - yellow (chinese) outside but white ("ang moh-fied") inside) and what better excuse for the family /community to get together and have a feast :)
This year, we celebrated Zhong Qiu Jie early with KY's parents and we did it over a cosy and delicious bubbling pot of steamboat. We also hung lanterns in the trees which created an even cosier ambience. I can't help but think that Mid Autumn is the chinese equivalent of Christmas. There are lights, "presents" in the form of mooncake boxes and warm fellowship. Nice!
Janine was having the time of her life alternating between blowing out the candles (yes. REAL candles with FIRE) in the lanterns (which we painstakingly lighted and re-lighted) and "walking" Caleb's aeroplane lantern (which has wheels and can MOVE when placed on the ground). But her favourite still remains her Thomas light stick. The money spent was DEFINITELY worth it! ;)
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