Something about Moon Festival

The festival itself is o­nly o­ne day long, but its atmosphere spreads throughout the month. While people are preparing to welcome the event, some believe Moon Festival seems to face a sense of commercialism.

It is understood that the festival is a great opportunity for adults to present cakes and toys to children.

In fact, in most areas, Youth Unions have a responsibility to hold a Moon Festival party, where children will receive presents, hang lanterns, partake in the festivities with moon cakes and fruit, and play games, with support from the local authorities and social organisations.

It is especially meaningful to handicapped children and orphaned children, who also get the chance to join the party along with other children.

Hanoi, HCM City social sponsor centres, and other provinces use their funds to present children with simple gifts like books, notebooks, and toys.

OMO washing powder corporation recently held their own festival (OMO festival) at the Thong Nhat (Unification) Park to celebrate Moon Festival in advance.

The children joined the festival with free admission, and played educational games like Magical Hand, Grandmother's Garden, and Flying to the Future, which all aim to improve children's creativeness and awareness in protecting the environment.

"I'm so happy to join in the games and make lots of new friends. I just wish to have more chances like this", said Nguyen Hong Trang, a fourth grader at Binh Minh primary school.

However, the practice of dishing out presents during the festival is becoming a hot topic. Many people see the festival as an opportunity for the parents to reap benefits.

For example, some people are giving out more valuable gifts to the kids, such as money or jewellery. As a result, children are getting things that their parents don't want them to have, and are meant to be passed o­nto them instead.

This may explain why moon cake is quickly becoming the ideal present for children and adults alike, and manufacturers are now paying more attention to the moon cake quality and package design.

Kinh Do moon cake takes the leading position among Hong Ha, Huu Nghi, Hanoi's and others, at a starting price of VND78,000 to 100,000 per package (which includes four cakes).

Metropole Hotel and Hilton Hotel are advertising their trademark as high quality, and have a starting price of US$6-10, to cater mainly to higher salaried customers. "The moon cake is so delicious, but it's also too expensive", says Tran Thuy Linh, a six year old girl from the central city of Thanh Hoa.

Clearly, the Moon Festival in big cities is gradually becoming commercialised, and we can see that some people are making use of it.

For several days before the festival, the streets in Hanoi glow a bright red colour from the lanterns, moon cakes and slogans. Shops that usually sell clothes or stationary immediately redecorate with the colour red, and arrange to sell all kinds of moon cakes.

In larger cities there are more moon cakes in stock than can be sold, while in more rural and remote areas, many children don't have the chance to enjoy the festival as they simply don't have the means to celebrate it.

The Moon Festival is thought be more meaningful if it could be enjoyed by all of the children in the country, and if adults were to see it as a means to express their love for their children, instead of focusing o­n commercialism./.