Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Over The Years

I promised back in February that I would share how Doug, Bri and I have celebrated the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival over the years. I already posted about how our family has celebrated Chinese New Year over the years. And I also posted about other activities that we have participated in to embrace Bri's heritage. So, here is my moon festival post! (Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is fast approaching on Sept 19 - just two weeks away!).

When I first brought Briana home from China, I had no idea what the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival was. I hate to admit that, but I had never even heard of it. Briana came home in August of 2007 and when the Moon Festival came around in Sept of 2007 - it came, went and I never even knew. I was very sick in August and September of 2007 - battling a stomach virus, pneumonia, jet lag and sleep deprivation. Plus, I was a first time mama. I was really in survival mode at that time.

Two years later (2009), my friend Angela introduced me to the Moon Festival. She had a play date at her house around that time with lots of crafts and of course food...

I was so happy to finally learn about this Chinese holiday.

In 2009, I had been a long time follower of Sandra's blog. She shared a recipe for mooncakes (cookies) that she always made for the Moon Festival. Thus, my tradition to make them with Briana was born...

That year, Doug, Bri and I stepped outside our house and gazed at the moon...

The day before the Autumn Moon Festival in 2010 - Bri and I once again made our mooncakes...

The Moon Festival landed during Briana's fall break. We went to the zoo that day with Angela and her girls...

Briana was so excited to see the pandas. If you didn't know, she is pretty obsessed with pandas...

That evening, Doug, Bri and I went to the neighborhood playground to eat mooncakes and look at the moon...

In 2011, the local FCC chapter put together an Mid-Autumn Moon Festival picnic. There were crafts, performances, food, umbrellas and lanterns...

The following day, Bri and I once again made our mooncakes...

I also purchased the book "Thanking the Moon" (which Bri and I now read each year)...

In 2012, we once again attended the FCCA Moon Festival celebration/picnic. This time we invited friends Khalid, Ansu and Kira to join us...

We also spent time with Beverly, Emma and Shelby...

I found some adorable lanterns at T@rget that worked perfectly that night...

The following day, Bri and I made cookies. That year I decided to just buy sugar cookie dough to make the cookies to quicken the process. They were pretty good, but it was just not the same. Back to the original recipe this year - not making that mistake again...

Now we are in 2013. Sadly, I don't think the local FCC will be hosting an Autumn Moon Festival get together this year. A friend of mine is trying to work out something else for the girls to do for the holiday. I do know for sure that Bri and I will be making cookies and gazing at the moon once again!