Happy Mid-Autumn Festival in the midst of Covid pandemic

Pull the cart to deliver banh chung to homes

In recent days, people in Tuong Dinh hamlet, Dai Dong commune (Thanh Chuong) have organized wrapping and cooking banh chung for children to celebrate Tet.Mid-Autumn FestivalDue to the epidemic, it is impossible to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival, art festival, and gift giving as in previous years, so the neighborhood decided to give gifts to the children at home, but still bring the full Mid-Autumn atmosphere to each house.

Pulling a cart to distribute moon cakes in Dai Dong commune (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Huy Thu

The Village Front Committee decorated a cart with national flags, pictures of Uncle Ho, star lanterns, balloons, music players, etc. This cart is used to carry moon cakes and can be pulled to each house to distribute the cakes.

On the afternoon of the 14th of the 8th lunar month, after careful preparation, the hamlet organized a trip to give out Mid-Autumn gifts. At first, the cart carrying the cakes was pulled by motorbike. Then, representatives of hamlet organizations (youth, women, veterans, etc.) joined hands to move the cart along the streets to give out gifts. The cart went to each house and each alley, and everyone took turns giving out gifts.Chung cakehand to the children

Wherever the moon cake truck goes, the Mid-Autumn Festival music plays. The image of the moon cake truck in Tuong Dinh hamlet is very new and unique. Although there is no full moon festival or lion dance, the children and even the adults in the area still feel the bustling atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Inside the truck carrying moon cakes. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Nguyen The Dung - Head of the Front Committee of Tuong Dinh hamlet said: In Dai Dong commune, all hamlets organized the Mid-Autumn Festival activities well for the children. However, due to the epidemic conditions, each hamlet organized in its own way, requiring ensuring epidemic prevention measures. Tuong Dinh hamlet organized differently from other hamlets by decorating a cart to distribute Mid-Autumn gifts. On this occasion, the hamlet distributed 300 Chung cakes to 200 children, the elderly, and the disabled... Everyone in the hamlet was excited and welcomed this way of organizing.

On this occasion, many localities in Thanh Chuong have organized the wrapping and cooking of Chung cakes for children. Delivering gifts by a cart filled with Mid-Autumn Festival music to each house is both convenient and ensures epidemic prevention. This is also one of the simple forms of organizing Mid-Autumn Festival, suitable for the epidemic season, but no less attractive in the "land of the shy".

The joy of a child in Dai Dong commune (Thanh Chuong) when receiving a Mid-Autumn gift. Photo: Huy Thu

Carrying star lanterns in the yard

In order to limit large gatherings and contribute to the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, the organization of the Mid-Autumn Festival in many localities is assigned to inter-family groups and family offices. Moon cakes and learning encouragement awards from Associations and Youth Unions are all received by representatives of inter-family groups and given to children. On this occasion, people from many inter-family groups joined hands to decorate, wrap, cook Chung cakes, and organize the Mid-Autumn Festival within the framework of the group or office. People often use the yard of a large household to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Enjoying Mid-Autumn Festival with family groups in Khanh Son commune (Nam Dan). Photo: Huy Thu

In the context of the pandemic, many households pay attention to celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at home. Some families also make moon cakes, buy toys and fruits to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at home for their children.

Mr. Nguyen Van Truc in Khanh Son commune (Nam Dan) said that his family ordered a lovely moon cake from the shop, prepared some fruits and celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival at home at noon on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month for his and his wife's 3 children and the children of their relatives and neighbors.

Mr. Nguyen Cao Bang in Hamlet 2, Thai Son Commune (Do Luong) shared: To create a fun atmosphere for the children on the Mid-Autumn Festival, his family members decided to organize a Festival Night.Full Moonfor the children right in their yard on the night of August 14th of the lunar calendar.

A Mid-Autumn Festival tray in Thanh Chuong village. Photo: Huy Thu

In the middle of the yard, a large mat was spread out, displaying the Mid-Autumn Festival food and star lanterns. Everyone sat around, eagerly waiting. After the Mid-Autumn Festival song, the whole family stood up, some holding star lanterns, some pulling a glowing cart, and the star lanterns walked around the yard in a long line, singing “Tung rinh rinh. Tung tung rinh rinh…”.

"Although the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated within the framework of several families, everyone, especially the children, feels warm and happy," said Mr. Bang.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival via the Internet

In order to bring children a joyful Mid-Autumn atmosphere, in addition to organizing practical activities, the Youth Union in some localities such as Do Luong, Nam Dan... also enhances Mid-Autumn activities and enjoys Mid-Autumn Festival via social networks.

Mr. Tran Van Quyet, Secretary of the Youth Union of Nam Anh Commune (Nam Dan) said: This year, the Youth Union of the commune organized the giving of 50 gifts to children from poor and near-poor households, children receiving social protection and disadvantaged families in the commune. At the same time, connecting with volunteer groups to send many gifts to children in difficult circumstances.

Giving Mid-Autumn gifts to children in the program "Full Moon Festival to join hands to defeat Covid." Photo: Huy Thu

In particular, the Commune Youth Union organized the "Full Moon Festival Program to join hands to defeat Covid in 2021" with a variety of content broadcast on the Commune Youth Union group on the night of August 14th of the lunar calendar.

This is a video that is a synthesis and elaborate staging from many sources with typical images of the Mid-Autumn Festival such as lion dance, performing arts, breaking cakes... especially with actual Mid-Autumn Festival activities of the local Youth Union.

According to Mr. Quyet, although they were not able to directly attend the Mid-Autumn Festival, when watching videos about Mid-Autumn Festival by local youth on social networks, children could feel the jubilant and exciting atmosphere of Mid-Autumn Festival.

Nam Anh Commune Delegation (Nam Dan) gives gifts to children at home. Photo: Huy Thu

Mid-Autumn Festival 2021 takes place in the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, many localities in the province are implementing social distancing according to Directives 15, 16, 19. Depending on the specific circumstances, each locality and each family has organized the Mid-Autumn Festival for children in their own way, in the spirit of "enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival but not forgetting to prevent the epidemic".

Although the scale and atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival are not as bustling as previous years, with the attention and efforts of departments, branches, organizations and the social community, children still enjoy a warm and loving Mid-Autumn Festival in the midst of the pandemic./.