Festivals are always the most significant events in my family. In so many Chinese traditional festivals, Mid-Autumn Festival might be one of the most important ones for that it symbolizes the reunion and regathering of a family. Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month in the Chinese calendar when the moon is the fullest and brightest in the month. The full moon rises gradually from the skyline. When the sky is getting darkened, my family will sit together, talk and smile, drink some tea and taste the delicious mooncake. The mooncakes are always the most welcoming parts at all times, for they are tasty and have different kinds of flavors.
Mooncakes are round yellow bakery pastries just like a full moon. Usually, they have moon-yellow crusts made of thick sugar syrup, lye water, sodium carbonate, flour, and oil. Inside the crust are different types of fillings, traditionally various from lotus seed paste, sweet bean paste to mixed nuts. As I’m a newcomer in New York, I felt lonely for the first few weeks. But my landlord is so kind and gives me a warm welcome. When the Mid-Autumn Festival came, we tasted mooncakes and had a good time together.

– Mingzi

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant