What does a full offering tray for the 8th lunar month include?

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Children's Festival or Reunion Festival, is a special occasion not only for children but also a time for families to gather and reunite. One of the important and indispensable parts of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the offering tray on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

Ancestral worship tray

Depending on the customs of each locality or the lifestyle of each family, the offering tray for the 8th lunar month is prepared differently, and may include vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes.

The savory feast usually includes chicken, sticky rice, traditional dishes or dishes according to the family's taste. If the family is Buddhist, you can make a vegetarian feast including sticky rice, vegetarian porridge, vegetarian salad, stir-fried vegetables, tofu, etc.

If there is no time or conditions, families can prepare simple fruits and candies to burn incense on the morning of the full moon day.

Moon-watching tray

The Mid-Autumn Festival moon-watching tray cannot lack fruits, usually fruits with sweet flavors or eye-catching colors such as bananas, grapefruit, pomegranates, sapodilla, watermelon, oranges, tangerines. In particular, grapefruit is an indispensable fruit, not only because of its flavor but also because of its round, perfect image, looking like the full moon of the 8th lunar month.

Many skillful women can carve grapefruit and watermelon into animal shapes to create joy and excitement for children.

Moon cakes and moon cakes are also the soul of the Mid-Autumn Festival tray. In addition to traditional fillings such as green beans, mixed fruits, and salted eggs, bakers are increasingly creating many modern fillings such as green tea, custard, chocolate, etc.

Traditional star lanterns made from colorful cellophane, fish-shaped lanterns, and rabbit-shaped lanterns are hung up, bringing sparkling, magical light to the full moon night. In addition, traditional toys such as spinning lanterns and papier-mâché masks not only bring joy to children but are also sacred cultural symbols, closely associated with the childhood memories of adults.

Flowers used to display on the moon-viewing tray are also always carefully selected, usually chrysanthemums, lotus or jasmine, bringing freshness and luck.

Tea is also an indispensable part of the Mid-Autumn Festival tray, which will then be enjoyed with moon cakes.

In addition, depending on the region, the moon-watching tray may have some special dishes, for example, in the North there is green rice flakes, in the Central region there are banh bot loc, in the South there is che troi nuoc...

Meaning of the August full moon offering tray

When arranging the offering tray, people need to pay attention to make it harmonious and beautiful. Moon cakes and fruits should be placed in the center. Toys and star lanterns should be arranged around to create highlights for a complete and sophisticated offering tray.

Normally, the moon-watching tray does not need to be placed on the altar but only on a large table, which can be placed inside the house or in the yard.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the warm family atmosphere and beautiful dishes will help everyone feel more clearly the value of reunion, affection and the joy of a simple but fulfilling life.

The offering tray on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month is not only a spiritual bridge to remember ancestors, pray for health and happiness for the family, but also an opportunity to show care and solidarity in the family. The offering tray with full traditional dishes will bring a warm atmosphere, help everyone remember their roots, maintain and promote the good cultural values ​​of the nation.