The cobblestones of Largo do Senado are illuminated by colourful festive lanterns hung overhead, with those of different shapes and sizes that light up and even play music to make their way into the hands of children. Supermarket shelves and bakeries are stocked with boxes and tins of different types of mooncakes, each with designs competing for your attention. The sunny skies and humid nights, meanwhile, are now accompanied by slightly cooler winds. The Mid-Autumn Festival is fast approaching.
Having lived in Macau for as long as I have, the holiday has been something that I look forward to every year. The festival, as I am told by my local friends and former teachers, is a time of togetherness where people gather and take part in the customs involved in it, notably through sharing a mooncake. This is special to me and my family as well as whenever a box of this customary delicacy is brought home, there never fails to be a sense of excitement among us. Whether for flavours such as white lotus and red bean or ice cream and durian, everyone in my household gathers around the box and its contents for a slice.
Across the city, areas such as the tourist hotspots are decorated with large displays that illuminate the night, with no shortage of people wanting a picture with or of them. Meanwhile, schools, at least from my experience, prepare to make lanterns or Mid-Autumn themed projects for their arts and crafts classes. Everywhere you go, it seems that there will be no way for you to forget the coming of this holiday – which this year falls on September 10, i.e., this Saturday.
Among the things to anticipate, perhaps it is the excitement among students and those with a public holiday to have a day for rest or plans to be put in place. Maybe it is for the love of mooncakes and the prospect of trying a new flavour, or the new themed atmosphere that decorates most parts of the city. But most importantly, maybe it is the excitement of having everyone brought together.
Photo: Rui Pastorin
