—Nguyễn Bá Duy Kiên 7A11 THSG

First of all, as you know, Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most common and well-known in Vietnam. People can do a diverse of things in this major day namely baking and eating mooncakes, going lantern procession or having a sightseeing with a breathtaking, jaw-dropping and picturesque night sky view. Likewise, I had an immensely memorable moment with my family on Mid-Autumn Festival which deeply enchanting me. Firstly, I had a scrumptious, union and flavorful meal including mooncakes, pumpkin nuts, and all kinds of tradition and cultural Vietnamese candies. And once in the blue moon I ate reluctantly like this time. Secondly, I visited the Nguyen Hue walking street which was people's dominant choice. In addition, it was actually extremely garish and splendid. Morover, some amateurs performed lion dance and fire dance which drew people's attention a lot. However, I think those people did the lion dance for the purpose of transport the meaningful of Mid-Autumn Festivals and create joy for watchers. Eventually, I and my family had

That's right! it's Mid- Autumn festival. Mid Autumn is a traditional celebration in Vietnam .Today, I will tell you my feeling about the Mid-Autumn Festival. As you know, Mid-Autumn festival also can call Full Moon Festival. In our country, It's an important culture events for the local. It's held the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month. During this festival, people often carry lanterns and enjoy moon cakes. For my opinion, I think this festival is fun and this is also an opportunity for families to gather and do traditional activities. I will tell you a stories about the first time I celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. I still remember that stories. In that day, I come back home late, when I came back home ,I feel really tired after a very busy day. In that time, I just think that I need to sleep . My neighbour told me about the meaning and why that have this festival. After that, I feel very happy and interesting of this festival. I can learn of new knowledge. In the world ,In some countries, this festival look like the most important festival . I also love to do somethings fun in this festival to relax and play. Each year, when this festival start , the first thing that I want to do is make the latterns with my family. But the favourite things I want to do is making mooncakes. I think in this day, people usually set up a feast for children to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, buy and make all kinds of candle-lit lanterns to hang in the house and let the children carry the lanterns. In this festival, my family and I always watch lion dance or fire dance. I really want to a traditional things in this festival.Can you guess ?

My answer is lantern procession. I think it's fun to do it. I feel very happy and excited about the Mid-Autumn. I'm participating in a contest so if you like my opinion give me a like. Thank you for reading.

But nowadays we don’t celebrate Mid-Autumn festival like that anymore but the echo of that time will never dissapear. Nowadays, my memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival have taken on a different rhythm, though they still carry that sense of nostalgia and togetherness. The lanterns are brighter, more elaborate, and sometimes even electronic, but they still capture the essence of tradition. What stands out now is how much the festival has become a time to reconnect with loved ones, even if we’re scattered across different places.

Sharing mooncakes has taken on a new meaning, with friends and family sending each other boxes, each one filled with unique flavors and heartfelt wishes. It’s more about exchanging moments of joy, even if through a screen or a phone call. The festival has shifted from the lantern parades of my childhood to quieter, more reflective evenings, where we pause to appreciate the full moon and the people in our lives.

Now, when I look at the lanterns or taste a bite of mooncake, I’m reminded of how the festival has evolved with time, but its heart—celebrating unity and connection—remains. Even amidst the busyness of modern life, the Mid-Autumn Festival still holds that magic of bringing people closer, no matter where they are.

             As you know, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most common and well-known festivals in Vietnam. People can do a diverse of things on that day namely baking and eating mooncakes, going lantern-procession, or having sightseeing with breathtaking, jaw-dropping, and picturesque night sky views. Likewise,  I have an immensely memorable moment beside my family which deeply impressed and enchanted me. Firstly, I had a scrumptious, savoury, and flavorful meal including mooncakes, pumpkin nuts, and various traditional and cultural candies. However, once in a blue moon, I ate reluctantly like this time. Secondly, I visited Nguyen Hue walking street which is people’s top dominant choice in the Mid-Autumn Festival. In addition, it looked eye-catching, garish, and splendid. Moreover, some amateurs performed lion dance and fire dance which drew my attention a lot. However, I think they did the lion dance to convey the meaning and also create joy for everybody. Eventually, I and my family had a walk around our residents' area with our hands holding colorful lanterns made by ourselves. Out of the blue, my hospitable, generous, and kind-hearted neighbors also wanted to engage in walking with us, therefore,  we had a fascinating, wonderful, and amazing  Mid-Autumn Festival.

I consider myself lucky to have my birthday close to the Mid-Autumn Festival. This is also why my family usually decides to celebrate both events together. The weather was nice on the weekends, my family decided to drives me around the city. As day whispers its farewell, we had dinner at a large restaurant, after that we go shopping. I also wanted to attend the new Gumball 3000 event, but it was overcrowded. I went anyway, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any pictures.

My family also celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with Mooncakes, and I gift some to my teachers and friends. I find it joyful to watch my friends cutting the mooncakes and sharing them with each other. Some even gave their portions to others.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is meaningful to me not just because it’s near my birthday, but because it’s a moment when I see my friends and family gathered together, sharing with their loved ones, and giving each other the best. It’s truly a moment that makes me think this world deserves connections like this everywhere. I hope that every day on Earth, people connect with each other just like one big family, where everyone has their own unique but important role.

From Sydney

To my beloved grandmother!

"Grandma, I MISS YOU EXTREMELY MUCH! AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU INCREDIBLY MUCH! CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME LIKE YOU USED TO DO, GRANDMA? IF YOU DO NOT, I HATE YOU!!!"

Another Mid-Autumn Festival has come. Unexpectedly, a profound sorrow and a tremendous longing for you come back to echo somewhere deep in my heart. I do not know when I felt truly lonely! A gentle breeze blew past me, along with the full moon shining brightly in the brilliant night sky, as if you had appeared right before my eyes!

Grandma, do you remember? During the first five Mid-Autumn Festivals in my life, I still had you by my side! At those times, our whole family was delighted and reunited, gathering warmly around the cozy dining table. Those days seemed like just ordinary nights, but they turned out to be incredibly memorable and special!

No one in our family went out to eat, but everyone wanted to enjoy the dishes rich in the sweet taste of your love. I still remember that every time, it was always you who personally cooked for our family a Mid-Autumn Festival dinner with the most scrumptious and elaborate dishes you had ever made.

Every Mid-Autumn Festival, you set up games for us to play together, such as Dragon Snake Up to the Clouds, Uno, Chess, Horse Racing, Monopoly, Dominoes, etc. When I was 5 years old, you taught me how to make vegetarian mooncakes and mooncakes with mixed salted egg yolk fillings, which I have loved since I was a child. After that, the two of us went up to the terrace to watch the full moon on the full moon night. I spontaneously turned to look at you while you were looking up at the sky. I still remember that moment clearly, each twinkling star "fell" into your eyes, making you look even more sparkling than the starry night sky. Instantaneously, you closed your eyes. Under the bright and round moonlight, you prayed for the whole family to be warm and happy together forever. You always just wished for something simple, nothing more. As I was only five years old at that time, I was still innocent and carefree, I thought your prayer was a miracle that would happen to our family and the two of us. I had no idea that it was both a positive sign and an unlucky omen.

Nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival when I turned 6, I was very excited because I thought I would be able to have fun with you again, confide in you and listen to you telling lovely stories about the legend of Cuoi on the Moon, the legend of Hang Nga, the legend of the Jade Rabbit and the legend of moon cakes and most importantly, I would learn how to make a different kind of moon cake from you. If that had happened, I would definitely have asked you to show me how to make moon cakes with green bean filling because that is one of my favorite moon cakes. However, perhaps that will never happen, the truth will always be the same! If an unexpected event is the truth, then no one in this world can help me change it, even superheroes!

Last Mid-Autumn Festival night in 2024 - the year I was 13 years old, I went with my parents and younger sister to do charity work, donating old textbooks from previous years to impoverished children in Ward 28, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. I also donated my sneakers to poverty-stricken youngsters in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City. On the way home that night, I met a plethora of homeless elderly people scattered along the roads and I stopped to give them the most delectable moon cakes that I had saved. It was those people who reminded me of YOU!

This Mid-Autumn Festival, I lived a good life, doing multiple meaningful things as you had told me before. But Grandma, I wish you were here with me so that we could continue doing wonderful things together every Mid-Autumn Festival and doing charity work with me in order to help those who need us!

But IT IS OKAY, Grandma! I know that the love and bond between you and me is endless and eternal and that is why we cannot be apart, even though we are separated by the yin and yang. Just thinking about this, two lines of tears rolled down my cheeks. Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew through the corner of my eyes and helped me dry the remaining tears on my eyelashes. This breeze was strangely warm and gentle. And it seemed to be you, MY GRANDMOTHER! Looking up at the exquisite night sky, I saw the full moon shining dazzlingly, I secretly smiled and felt both grateful and thrilled when I saw every trait on your face depicted on the bright moon high up in the sky. Indeed, for me, I still have you living in my heart and I will always have you by my side. Every Mid-Autumn Festival comes, I will certainly do as many noteworthy things as I can to make you proud of me! Your wish that year seemed to have been heard by the moon and come true, that our whole family is happy BUT ONLY YOU ARE MISSING, DEAR GRANDMA!

"Again, Grandma, I MISS YOU EXTREMELY MUCH! AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU INCREDIBLY MUCH! CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME LIKE YOU USED TO DO, GRANDMA? IF YOU DO NOT, I HATE YOU!!!"

The Mid-Autumn is celebrated on the 15th of August according to the Lunar calendar and lasts for one day. The origin of this event is from China and it is widespread in the Southeast Asia area. In addition, it was related to an interesting tale with the main character called Cuoi. Cuoi is a carpenter and he killed a baby lion by chance in his alarm. However, he found a magical Banyan tree and decided to bring it to his house. Unfortunately, his wife did not water the tree in the right way and the tree flew away with him. People say that when you look at the moon, you will see a shadow of a man with a tree next to him. This festival has its meaning in each country, which is different from each other. To the best of my knowledge, this occasion stands for the gathering, reunion, and praying with the family members.  These days, although it is not as traditional as before because human beings are busy, The Mid-Autumn festival is still considered a famous event.

What are the iconic features of the Mid-Autumn Festival? The Mid-Autumn festival is full of magic for kids owing to numerous activities and food. One of the most popular elements is Lion Dance performances and Ong Dia- a man with a funny face bringing the children happiness every time. When the drumbeats ring out, everyone sings together the folk songs memorized since childhood. With the Lion Dance’s appearance, when it opens its mouth and lounges closer to the crowd making the kids scream and laugh. That is a unique feature bringing good fortune, chasing evil spirits, and making me by how wonderful the lions can dance when I was a kid. What is more, the Mid-Autumn festival is also famous for the moon cake, which has both sweet and savory flavor and it is a traditional culture of the S-shaped country. The round shape of those cakes represents fullness, bonding, and joy and is molded with elaborate details of flowers, carp, and geometric patterns . What an amazing and delicious cake! Mooncake stalls appear on every corner, and pop up with beautiful decorations a few weeks into the middle of August, too! All of the things above make a picturesque view. Last but not least important, red lanterns are worth taking them into consideration. On that night, the kids in the neighborhood will hold colorful weird-shaped lanterns and sing songs together. In the dark, the youngster look like a big fire floating in the air. This can be compared to the contribution and passion of the young generation for the nation. Nevertheless, no matter how many innovations people have made for lanterns, the origin feature- a star made with red cellophane should be conserved.

The Mid-Autumn festival always brings me a close and cozy feeling. For me, this is a very special event in Vietnamese culture giving people a chance to gather and meet each other. When the festival comes, it always reminds me of my childhood days with meaningful memories. The shimmering lanterns with different kinds of candies and cakes or very loud folk songs make the atmosphere turn more hustle and bustle than ever. How lovely the festival is! In addition, observing the kids running around and parading lanterns is so exciting. However, this festival for me is the time when I can talk and share my story with my relatives and friends and listen to the tale about Cuoi, which is usually told by the elders. What is more, this festival is the combination of the traditional feature of Vietnam and the innocence of adolescents. No matter how far I go, I still always feel moved when I see those star lanterns or watch the Lion dance performance because all of those are the unforgettable marks of my childhood and the spirit of my motherland. The Mid-Autumn festival, for me, is the symbol of reunion, love, and mental values in life.

To sum up, the Mid-Autumn festival plays a vital role for Vietnamese people and me. Thanks to this festival, I have already had lots of beautiful moments with my family members, which is of great help for my current life and my future. I promise that I will introduce this great culture to my international friends and encourage them to participate in this activity with me so our culture will become more developed. Simultaneously, the young generation in our country should conserve the Mid-Autumn festival to prevent it from loss and the disintegration. Dear all my international friends, come and enjoy our MID-AUTUMN festival!!

NAME: NGUYỄN PHƯƠNG NGỌC DIỆP

CLASS: 8A1.