Mid Autumn Festival

It was Mid Autumn Festival a.k.a. Mooncake Festival a.k.a. Lantern Festival on 6th October 2006.

Since my little family of 2 kids is only 50% chinese, I have to remember to practice these rituals during the major chinese festivals throughout the year so that they will not forget their roots when I go to that big burrow in the sky.

The major chinese festivals we celebrate are : Chinese New Year, "Chung" Festival, Mid Autumn Festival and Winter Soltice Festival.

So, after dinner on 6th October, we were supposed to bring microWombie (5 years old) to a friend's house so that he can play his lantern with kids his age there. Unfortunately the night was ruined by rain and haze so we had to stay at home.

Then the rain stopped so I thought I will let him play his lantern in the front yard, as it is already too late to go out. The problem is there's no chinese kid his age on our street so he has to play alone.

I lighted up his lantern and we hanged around the front yard for a while but I can see he is missing something. Worse, we cannot even see the moon since the sky is covered by haze. I tried my best to help him make the best of it by telling him the story why we celebrate Mid Autumn Festival.

15 minutes later he looked at me and said : "Daddy, I think we should go in now. I am bored."

I said : "Ok son. Whatever you say. But don't forget why we do this every year, ok?"

microW : "Ok Daddy"

Me : (Sigh).