Keeping the Mid-Autumn Light Alive
On Monday, October 6, 2025, Việt Nam will celebrate Tết Trung Thu, the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most cherished family holidays. Falling on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, it marks the harvest season, the brightest full moon of autumn, and a time when family, children, and community come together under the same sky.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has roots that stretch back thousands of years across East Asia. In Việt Nam, it carries a unique blend of meanings:
Agricultural origins. Traditionally, Trung Thu marked the end of the rice harvest, when families gave thanks for abundance and prayed for good fortune.
Children’s holiday. Over time, it became known as the festival of children, a way for parents, once busy with the harvest, to show love and joy to their little ones.
Legends of the moon. Folk tales of Chú Cuội (who clings to his banyan tree on the moon) and chị Hằng (the moon goddess of beauty and kindness) have been retold for generations, weaving mythology into the celebration.
At its heart, Tết Trung Thu symbolizes family reunion, gratitude, and the passing down of stories, a holiday where food, light, and folklore bring people together.
In Việt Nam
Lanterns in the streets: From Hà Nội’s Old Quarter to Sài Gòn’s Chợ Lớn, neighborhoods are lit with vibrant paper lanterns in the shapes of stars, carp, and rabbits.
Mooncakes & tea: Families exchange mooncakes — rich with lotus seed paste, salted egg yolk, and modern flavors, as a gesture of reunion and good fortune.
Children’s festival: Kids carry lanterns, perform lion dances, and recite tales of Chú Cuội (the man on the moon) and chị Hằng (the moon goddess).
Community spirit: It’s also a holiday of giving, gifts to children, community gatherings, and charity events for those less fortunate.
For the Diaspora & Keeping Tradition Alive
Even far from Việt Nam, you can keep the light of Tết Trung Thu alive in your own home and community:
Host a lantern walk. Craft paper lanterns (or improvise with jars and candles) and gather with friends for an evening stroll under the moon.
Share mooncakes. If you can’t find traditional ones, bake or buy sweets that symbolize reunion and share them with neighbors or family.
Tell the stories. Pass on the legends of Chú Cuội and chị Hằng, or share your own migration stories under the same moonlight.
Give to children. Donate to local youth organizations or host a small gift exchange, echoing the heart of the holiday.
Pause together. Simply step outside, gaze at the full moon, and remember: no matter where we are, we look up at the same light.
Why It Matters
For the diaspora, traditions can fade if not nurtured. Trung Thu is more than mooncakes or lanterns, it is a reminder of continuity, of the bonds between generations, and of carrying culture forward. Keeping these rituals alive is not about perfect replication, but about intention: choosing to celebrate, to gather, and to remember.
Voices of our Diaspora
How do you celebrate Tết Trung Thu where you live? Do you light lanterns, bake mooncakes, or share stories with your children? We’d love to hear how you keep this tradition alive.
