Say hello to a night of mooncakes, lanterns and moon-gazing— it’s the Mid-Autumn Festival!
Usually, celebrations involve people thronging the streets to catch glimpses of giant lantern displays, or gathering at the houses of family and friends for a night of merrymaking.
This year, unfortunately, with the pandemic, it might be best to simply enjoy a night in.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a fantastic night of fun!
Roll up your sleeves, here are a few great activities to do together with the family:
1. D.I.Y. your own mooncakes
There are plenty of mooncakes available on the market, but why not make your own mooncakes as a great bonding activity? Look up recipes online or, if it’s easier, check out these nifty D.I.Y. kits.
Make your own snow skin mooncakes, which even come in the shape of bunnies. Durian fans will love this durian mooncake kit; alternatively, go all out and delight the kids with some Minions, sushi, or rainbow mooncakes!
2. Prepare dinner together
The Mid-Autumn Festival symbolises the coming together of families, and there’s no better way to do so than over a hearty meal.
In fact, why not have some fun by incorporating elements of the Mid-Autumn festival, such as the bunny, into your meal?
You can also find ways to include moon-shaped ingredients in your meal. Set the mood by playing music on your speakers – SAFRA members can snag 8% and 10% off all Bose products with the promo codes “SAFRA8” and “SAFRA10” respectively.
3. Make your own lantern
Get creative, and scavenge for materials around the house to make your very own lantern. A cardboard, tissue box, colour paper, or milk carton lantern, anyone?
If you’d like, you can even write a few riddles on the lanterns for a fun guessing activity.
P.S. bet you didn’t know that this tradition of guessing lantern riddles dates back to over 1500 years ago!
Some sample lantern riddles go like this:
Q: Sometimes it’s curved like a smile; other times, it’s round like a plate (hint: It’s something in space). What is it?
A: The moon
Q: Two houses with doors wide open. They allow a million people in, but can’t stand a tiny grain (hint: it’s a body part). What is it?
A: The eyes
If you’re planning on lighting your lanterns indoors, be sure to keep them away from any flammable substances or materials. In fact, check out this portable air purifier by Quair Singapore that will help to combat all that lantern smoke. Safra members can slash $10 off each regular-priced Quair Plasma Mini – on top of free delivery! – with the promo code “SAFRAXQUAIR”.
4. Check out virtual Mid-Autumn Festival events
This year, all the Mid-autumn grandeur has been brought online–gather the family and check out Music Under the Moonlight 2021, a virtual event organised by Jurong Lake Gardens. Enjoy the online concert from 7pm to 8pm, featuring local talents such as The Freshman and Dawn Wong.
Chinatown is also having an exciting line-up of virtual events, such as mooncake making workshops and a session where you can learn about various tea blends. Check out their Facebook page for more information. Esplanade is also organising an inaugural virtual interactive Moonfest Lantern Walk, how cool is that!
If you prefer a chill night in, simply pop in a movie – Kungfu Panda, perhaps? – or belt your lungs out with a rented home karaoke system, video gaming console, or a mahjong table. Take your pick at HappyK, where SAFRA members can use the promo code “SAFRA202110” to snag 10% off all rental services, together with free delivery and collection.
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone! Here’s to having a cosy moon-tastic celebration at home.
