Hanoi with Mid-Autumn

This week has been signaled by one of the most wonderful festival for Vietnamese children: Mid-Autumn Festival. It is one of the most important festivals in the year of Vietnam when family members gather for a feast and children dance and parade with colorful lanterns and cakes in the moonlight. The atmosphere of Hanoi has become warmer and excited even several weeks before the main day of festival. Everywhere local cake shops selling Moon-cakes of different brand names such as Kinhdo, Huu Nghi, Hanoi, Bibica… have made Hanoi streets full of brilliantly red color. Streets turn out to be more crowded, even not in the peak hours because there are more commercial activities supporting for the Mid-Autumn business transaction, and also people are busy with visiting friends, relatives, family members and even current and potential corporate partners with a set of delicious moon cakes to strengthen relationship.

Last weekend, I and my close friends also decided to make a quick travel around Luong Van Can and Hang Ma street, two busiest areas in Hanoi famous for children toys to have a look at recent trends and design for children toys during this special occasion. Although shops on Luong Van Van are flooded with Chinese toys of various types and designs, those nearby Hang Ma display more made-in- Vietnam toys. Its seems that now Vietnamese parents favor traditional hand-made toys for their children  compared with Chinese imported ones because of the safety, reasonable price and the historical value that local bring about. Traditional toys such as drums, masks of various shapes and lanterns in the shape of 5-star, rabbit, lotus still dtand out to be the most preferred items among Vietnamese parents and children. Walking along a shop in Hang Ma street, we heard the voice of a father explaining to the shop owner for his choice of a drum as Mid-Autumn present for his children: “ I choose this because I’d like my son to know about what my parents, my wife and I used to play when we were small. Also, Chinese imports are dangerous. Who knows which harmful substances can affect our children”.

I felt extremely happy to in accident hear that comment. This prove that traditional toys still have their own position in heart and mind of our local, approving that traditional beauty and customs are still considered as an important part in this modern life with so many rapid and unbelievable changes.

Traditionally, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest, there are often a procession with 5-star shape lanterns and lion and dragon dances which are held almost every provinces and local area. In my local living area, The Youth Union combined with local authorities organized a very big celebration with star-shaped procession and a competition on fruit and moon-cake decoration. All kids of all ages participated and it made a very joyful and bustling atmosphere with sparkling lights of candles around the whole street. Members of 13 local Youth Union gathered and prepared for the fruit decoration and carving competition. 

Outstanding product for fruit decoration competition among local Youth Union

Outstanding product for fruit decoration competition among local Youth Union

S-shaped of Vietnam made by fruits and flowers

The area was has become a big meeting point full of joyful laughter and talk. It reminds me of by wonderful childhood moments, and also the portrait and image of President Hochiminh everywhere around the place make me think of 2 sentences in a poem depicting the enormous love of our president towards Vietnamese children:

“The Autumn moon shine as bright as a mirror

  Uncle Ho thinks of children as the Uncle gazes as the moon”