PROCESS ESSAY

               AN AMAZING FESTIVAL IN MY HOMETOWN
Growing up in my hometown, a small and beautiful village in the countryside 100 kilometers away from VungTau city brings me so much unforgettable memories, especially a lot of incredible memories about some festivals which I enjoyed a lot when I was a little girl. One of them that I love so much is the Full-moon festival which I did not know is also a popular festival in Asia until I was 10. This festival is original come from China. It soon spreads out and becomes more popular in Viet Nam and some other countries nowadays.
It is the most expecting festival for kids in my village at that time. It is always celebrated in the evening on 15th, lunar August. On Full-moon festival, kids play outside with hand-made lanterns and enjoy the beautiful moon which is the brightest and roundest moon in a year. Also in my village, it is believed that the moon light on this day can dispel the darkness and bad luck. Here is how people celebrate this festival in my hometown.


On the first stage, about two days before the festival, all kids about 5-12 years old eagerly start to make various kinds of lanterns, which is the most essential thing that without it, we cannot celebrate this festival. They usually spend all day long for creating their own lanterns. The materials are some color papers, branches of bamboo, bottles, red light candles, lighters and some glue. It is greatly meaningful that those lanterns are hand-made, kids having so much fun making it together and enjoy their creativity. As a child, making lanterns was one of my favorite parts of the Full moon festival.
On 15th, lunar August, when nighttime comes, the sky appears to be such a beautiful night with the roundest and brightest moon in year. Sparkling rays of moonlight brighten every corner. The air is pure and fresh but a little wind. Around 7pm, all kids in my village lighten their own lanterns and start to gather in the front yard of the oldest men’s house in our village to listen to an annual old fairy story. The story is a legendary about the origin of the moon called “ Miss Hang & Uncle Cuoi”. This tells us all the myths explain where the moon comes from and why we have Miss Hang & Uncle Cuoi nowadays. Kids sit together radially with twinkling lanterns in their hands and listen quietly. The old men will sit in the centre of the big circle and they all sit under the moonlight. In spite of the fact that, we all memorize every word, every sentences of this legendary, we cannot refuse sitting down together in such a beautiful moon night and enjoy a peaceful moment like that. After the end of the story, kids will receive lots of candies and cakes. Then they start to sing and dance happily in a big circle. The atmosphere is full of laughter and happy songs.
Around 8pm is the most expecting time for kids on this night. This is a time to make a parade. Kids will hold their lanterns on their hands and start to walk to the streets. They separate into many small groups to walk to every corner. Every corner is filled of kids and beautiful lanterns light. Kids are walking, eating candies and reading a traditional rhythm at the same time. The poem always has to be about “Miss Hang & Uncle Cuoi”.
After that, around 9pm, kids start to gather on the main street again to say goodbye and go home with their lanterns. But it is still not the end of the festival. As soon as they come home, kids will hang their lantern in front of their porch and say goodbye to their own lantern. Then they will join their family to have dinner and eat moon-cake, a special cake only eaten on this festival. The festival ends with a warm atmosphere of family gathering. It ends with a peaceful night like this. Full moon festival brings so much amazing moments for everybody, especially for kids.
Even though I have grown up to be an adult, Full moon festival is always my best festival. I hope that kids in my village nowadays could still experience such an incredible like Full moon festival to worth it a childhood.