Mid-Autumn Festival lost most of its meaning for me at a relatively young age after I discovered that a full Moon appears many times in a year, not just during the supposedly “full Moon” festival. Different shapes of lighted lanterns; round-shaped mooncakes; the meaning of seeing our close ones – these full Moon-themed features are, I think, what makes the festival special, but if a full Moon happens so frequently, why bother?
Perhaps I am criticising the festival too much given that it’s a fable only, and things shouldn’t be taken so seriously. I do admit that I have had some enjoyment during the festival in the past. The mooncakes are delicious for the first few bites before I very soon get bored with them. Nonetheless, I especially enjoyed the lanterns where I finally got the approval from my parents to “play with fire”. Our art class teacher would teach us how to make paper lanterns for the festival. The one I made was quite ugly, but at least it’s more interesting and better than just buying an electric lantern outside.
If it wasn’t for the unending advertisements of mooncakes, I would have completely forgotten the festival. Besides, you have to look for the day of the festival on the lunar calendar every year to know which day it is, and I am always oblivious of it. Last year when I was in Malaysia, I had no idea that the Mid-Autumn Festival had arrived until my parents told me on WeChat because not a lot of people celebrate it in the Muslim-majority country.
Still, I missed the time when I would take my self-made lantern outside with my parents and walk around when I was in primary school. The weather is usually pretty neat during the festival, so it’s comfortable. We would go out at night and I would pretend that I was “lighting up” the street, and it is memorable and hilarious how I used to carry the lantern so meticulously because I was so scared that my paper candle lantern would catch fire.
Photo: Rui Pastorin
