#happy mid-autumn festival to all who celebrate and happy full moon to the rest of us <3

[falderaletcetera]

🌕

[starlightfm]

happy mid-autumn festival to all who celebrate! i hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful full moon tonight. i'm taking over bec's place tonight since she's been having a long week. if you're looking for a new group to call home, look no further. we would love to have you here at starlightfm, our roleplay fam that just opened two days ago! there are so many celebs still up for grabs, and you can pick up two roles at once if you're interested in more than one faceclaim. hope to see you in our inbox and wishing you a lovely rest of your tuesday night!

[solar-bear]

Magic In These Moon Cakes

I make my way back home from the market, hands full of dishes and sweets for tonight, and sigh loudly as my swollen ankles protest my actions. I’m barely through the door when I’m faced with a very cross-looking cryomancer.

“Qīn, where have you been? I’ve been worried about you,” Bi-Han says sternly, grabbing the bags from me with frightening ease. He ushers me into our apartment as he sets the bags down on the kitchen counter, not even bothering to acknowledge his brother sitting on the couch.

“Kuai Liang-Gēgē, I didn’t know you’d be here so soon, my apologies for taking so long at the market, the lines and crowds were crazy,” I greet my brother-in-law and rest my hand on the small of my back to try and give it some more support.

“Sit,” Bi-Han commands as he pushes me gently down onto the couch before pulling my legs up and onto the ottoman, giving them immediate relief. “All this walking and stress of shopping and carrying all those bags aren’t good for the baby, why didn’t you just wait for me to get back home from picking Kuai Liang up?”

“Polar Bear, I’m pregnant, not made of glass, besides you hate shopping when the crowds are this bad,” I try and reason with my stubborn husband, but it’s halfhearted at best since I know he’s right. “Besides I felt so bad for not preparing the meal myself this year I felt like I needed to do something at least,” I sigh and rub my ankles.

“The Mid-Autumn Festival happens every year qīn, who cares if we miss moon cakes one year, your health is more important to me,” he grumbles even though I can see him eyeing the boxes of various moon cakes.

“It’s important for the boys, they love the Mid-Autumn Festival, you know the boys all take turns being Hou Yi and defeating all the demons not to mention stuffing themselves full of as much duck and crab they can. Besides they’re not the only ones who wanted duck,” I mumble and slouch down in the chair.

“Don’t forget brother it’s also an important time for families to gather together and appreciate the beauty of the moon,” Kuai Liang pipes up in an attempt to help defend my insistence at celebrating this year.

“Who exactly invited you again?” Bi-Han shoots his younger brother a look before turning his attention back to the groceries, “which ones need to be refrigerating qīn?”

Kuai Liang sulks at his brother’s playful malice, “your wife invited me thank you very much, and my nephews actually enjoy spending time with me.”

“Someone has to,” Bi-Han scoffs as he starts looking through the bags. “How many boxes of moon cakes did you buy qīn?” Bi-Han exclaims in disbelief as he pulls box after box of moon cakes out of the bags.

“Red bags need to be refrigerated and I six boxes, one of each of us, there are so many different varieties now I wanted to try them out. They have Oreo ones now! Oreos! I can’t wait! Oh! Oh! I can’t forget about the custard-filled ones! I also got some of the traditional ham and nut ones since I know your brother likes those ones, and some sesame paste ones for you, I don’t know I just wanted to go all out for the baby. I know shes’ not here yet but it’s technically her first Mid-Autumn Festival and since I’m too far along to really stand on my feet long enough to bake moon cakes and boil crabs and roast ducks and all the other dishes, I maybe went a little overboard.” I excitedly explain to both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang as I affectionately cradle my round belly.

“Well when you put it that way I guess I can’t be too upset, but I still wish you had just waited for me so I could carry everything for you, or at least you could have taken the twins,” Bi-Han grumps while putting the raw crabs in the fridge and the various containers of roasted duck and vegetables.

“Bi-Han I wasn’t going to make the boys get up early on a rare day off of school, they deserve to sleep in,” I yawn and lean back in the chair before I’m startled by a loud shout.

“Gotcha Shūshu,” my youngest announces as he flings himself in Kuai Liang’s lap with a pitiful handful of snow to the face.

“Shìxuě,” I scold him, and no sooner does his name leave my mouth than Kuai Liang’s hands come up to masterfully deflect a punch from Xiǎo-Hán and a kick from Xiǎo-Bīng, “boys!”

Kuai Liang chuckles as he pulls the twins next to him ruffling their hair, “it’s ok Sol, they’re getting much better! Your father must be doing a good job training you boys.”

Xiǎo-Hán is the first to break free from Kuai Liang’s gasp, “we’ve been working hard in between school lessons and soccer practice, look!” He exclaims excitedly as he begins forming an icicle in his palm.

“Yes, very impressive! I trust you’re putting the same effort into your studies too,” Kuai Liang questions quirking an eyebrow.

Xiǎo-Hán gives him a sheepish grin, “I’m doing a lot better this semester than last, so that’s got to count for something right?”

“Yes,” I smile at him knowing how hard he’s been trying, “it hasn’t gone unnoticed.” I turn to Kuai Liang, “Xiǎo-Hán takes after his Father maybe a little too much in the sense that he cares far more about his cryomancy than he does his studies.”

“Who wants moon cakes?” Bi-Han comes into the living room with a tray piled high with the pastries as the boys clamor for the treats.

I frown at him momentarily, “you boys can have one before dinner, and I mean you and Kuai Liang in that too Bi-Han. I don’t want anyone spoiling their dinner.”

“Deal,” Bi-Han agrees as he sets the tray down on the coffee table as he reaches for one of the sesame-filled ones and stuffs it in his mouth.

The boys all grab theirs before Shìxuě toddles over to me with a custard-filled one, “here mama. I brought it to you so you don’t wake up Mèimei and she doesn’t make you grumpy.”

“Thank you my little pumpkin,” I smile and pull him into my lap before taking a bite of the sweet, flaky pastry. I sit back and enjoy my happy little family as I can’t wait for our newest little one to join in next year’s festivities.

“Mama, will you tell us about Chang’e? I wanna hear the part about Hou Yi again,” Shìxuě asks as he bites into his moon cake and snuggles against my growing stomach.

“Would you rather watch Over the Moon again?” I ask grinning at him and humming the opening tune to the movie knowing full well what my son will choose.

“Yes!” he grins, with Oreo cream already all over his face.

“Boys, do you mind turning on the TV and getting the movie set up? We can watch it together before dinner,” I turn to ask my twins who are still trying to wrestle with their uncle. The boys do as I ask and we all settle in to watch the movie before enjoying dinner and basking in the beautiful glow of the full autumn moon.

[pro-fangirls-unsocial-life]

The Dark Side of the Full Moon (1/9) Were!Rex x Reader

A/N: Aaaaahhhhh! Its finally here! After all the hype and buildup and WORK its finally finished!! I really hope that you guys like it. I will say that the reader does use she/her because this was super self indulgent but I hope you guys like it nonetheless!! I’m also going to say that because this was super self indulgent, the terminology and technology of the time period may not always be 100% accurate but I did my best lol. Also if you want to be tagged in this series, feel free to message me to let me know! Enjoy!!

Tags: @captainrexisboo​ @writer1​

Length: ~2000 words

Warnings: none this time :) but I will warn you now that its gonna get ANGSTY in later chapters. 

Also there is one instance of Mando’a in this chapter that is not commonly used so: ner burc’ya = my friend

Next

As the wind of autumn began to cool with each passing day, and the harvest came to an end, everyone in the large town of Coruscant was preparing for the festival that was to come. Although it happened every year at the end of the harvest season, everyone was especially looking forward to this one. The last few months of the war had taken their toll on everyone and the Kingdom of the Republic was at a stalemate. Neither side was gaining any ground and the fatigue from constant conflict was pushing the people to the edge.

 The Chancellor had made a decree that the government would help to supply the festival for the kingdom this year to show that it still has faith in the citizens and the war effort. Most common folk bought into his façade of wellbeing, but Marshall Commander Cody and the rest of the army saw right through it. He knew that the Chancellor just wanted to buy himself more time to be in charge, but it was not his place to say anything to the contrary. The Fett clan had been “hired” to do a job, and he was going to do it. Besides, they did not have much of a choice after the Republic had paid the lords of the House of Kamino for the service of their citizens.

 Cody was looking forward to the festival. He couldn’t wait to let himself rest. One thing that the Chancellor said that Cody had actually cared about was the fact that the members of the army would be allowed to join in on the festival this year. Cody knew that it was just because two days after it ended, they were all being sent back out to join the rest of his family on the front lines. But it was a break, nonetheless. 

He also was excited to be helping his little brother, Rex, with his plan for you.

 Rex had been planning this night for months now and Cody was happy to see his brother be in such high spirits considering the current situation with the war.  

 As Cody walked down the main road of the town, he passed by villagers who were setting up tables and areas for the games that would take place during the festival. He walked past the huge area in the town square where a bonfire would be lit as soon as the sun went down up until it came back up again the next day. Turing his eyes toward the sky, he saw the clouds rolling in from way on the horizon.

 “Cody!” He looked down to see you walking toward him wearing your apron with flour covering your face and hair. You had just finished bringing many loafs of bread to the tavern so they could be distributed the next day. “I didn’t expect to see you until tonight. I thought that all of you were still on duty today?”

 A smug smile crept its way onto Cody’s face. “No. I thought that I would skip duty today and come steal one of your famous pies. I mean, Rex just goes on and on about how amazing his girlfriend’s pies are, I just couldn’t wait for the festival to try one.” His voice was laced with sarcasm as he leaned toward you sticking his tongue out.

 You put your hand to your chest, feigning surprise as you gasped. “Well,” you said breathily, “I guess you wasted yourself a trip then. I’m sorry to tell you that you’ll just have to wait.” You scrunched up your face and began to giggle as you wiped the remainder of the flour on your hands onto your apron.

 Cody chuckled. “Damn. I really thought I had you.” He crossed his arms and began to slowly continue walking. “In all seriousness though, I am still technically on duty. Fox is drowning in work from the Chancellor so while the other commanders of the guard help him, I volunteered to take their patrol duty.”

 “You should think about getting some rest too you know. Every time I come over to see Rex, I only ever see you working.” You stop and turn to look at him. “You look tired. Have for a few months now.”

 Cody slouched a bit and thought of all of the work that he still had to do in preparation for the day after the festival. How he needed to make sure that everything else was done so that he could focus on bigger issues. He reached up and grabbed the back of his neck. “I am. But being a high-ranking officer comes with extra work. Especially when my and Rex’s generals are constantly doing things that have only been a quarter of the way thought out.”

 “Oh yeah,” you said, “Rex had told me all about those missions.” You look up at Cody and put your right hand on his cheek. “You should still get some rest though,” you said as you inspected the dark circles under his eyes. “You wouldn’t want General Kenobi to think you don’t enjoy having tea with him anymore because you’re falling asleep.” You smiled at the annoyed look on his face.

 “Ha ha. Very funny Y/N,” he said as he pulled his face away and rolled his eyes.

 You proudly looked back at him. “I know,” you smiled. “I do have to get going though if I am going to finish all of my baking before the festival starts tomorrow morning.” You turned and began walking back towards your bakery as you waved bye to him. “Make sure you get some rest tonight so that you can enjoy tomorrow,” you said as you smiled at him.

 “I’ll be fine Y/N.” He waved as you began turning your head back forward. “Oh, and you might want to bundle up tonight! It looks like there is a snowstorm on its way.”

 You looked up at the sky and then back down to meet his eyes. You gave him a warm smile and nodded before continuing on your way.

 Cody continued walking his patrol route and smiled to himself. Ha. Rex is lucky to have someone sweet like her. He turned a corner and thought about how he would not have to do anything tomorrow except relax and have fun.

 Cody smiled. He really could not wait for the festival to begin.

 *******************************************************************************************

 Cody and Rex laughed as they watched their little brothers playing in the snow that had blanketed the town the night before. Fives was chasing after Echo after he had just stuffed a snowball down the back of Fives’ shirt. The two of them were standing next to one of the smaller fires that had been lit as they drank the hot apple citer that Generals Kenobi and Plo had made in celebration.

 Wolffe had opted to stay in bed and sleep longer into the day so that he would be more rested for the games that would take place once the sun went down. His legion had been the last to arrive out of the three that had been selected for leave and he had been exhausted when he got back just three days prior. The 212th and 501st had been back for a couple of months now due to some trouble that they had faced on their last mission to the outer territories.

 You had just walked up to where Rex and Cody stood and could see the happiness and relief on their faces from being able to take time off. The sun had started to go down and it was casting a beautiful pink and orange glow on their faces. The clouds had begun moving out toward mid-day and it looked like there would be a clear sky during the nighttime portion of the festival.

 You walked up to Rex’s side and pressed yourself into him, laying your head on his shoulder. He looked at you and placed a soft kiss to the top of your head as you pushed your hands toward the fire to heat them up.

 “I’m glad to see you two having a good time.” You smiled and lifted your head to look at Cody. “Was my pie worth waiting one more day for Cody?” You smiled smugly at him as you felt Rex lightly chuckle from watching your teasing.

 Cody shot an annoyed look at Rex and then smiled at you. “I would say so ner burc’ya. Rex really wasn’t exaggerating when he said that you made the best.”

 Rex beamed proudly and then gave a curt nod to Cody, a serious look briefly washing over his face. He then turned to face you as his face softened once again. “Would you care to take a walk with me cyar’ika?” He held his arm out for you to take and looked at you lovingly.

 You took his arm and gave him a mischievous and adoring smile. “Why of course my Captain. How could I ever say no to you when you look at me like that?” The two of you began walking toward the other end of town where your bakery is. It would be quieter there and Rex wanted to make sure that everything was perfect.

 Cody smiled as he watched the two of you huddle together as you walked, glad that his brother had found someone so loving. He continued to watch his little brothers play in the snow while he drank his cider. He sat there for what felt like forever, happy that his brothers got a chance to act like kids for once.

 As the sun finished setting, Cody looked up at the sky. He saw the clouds parting and could see the first few stars start to already peak out through the sky.

 “Ah! Enjoying your night off Commander?” Cody looked down to address the booming voice.

 “Admiral Yularen sir.” Cody gave him a nod. “I am. It is nice to have a break from everything.”

 The Admiral nodded in agreement. “Indeed.” He looked up toward the sky just like Cody was when he approached him. “It sure will be nice once the clouds finally dissipate all of the way. It shouldn’t be long now until we are able to see the full moon.”

 Cody whipped his head to face the Admiral, dread quickly creeping onto his face. “Excuse me sir?” He felt himself start to panic as the Admiral brought his face to look back at Cody.

 “The full moon Commander. It will give the festival a nice atmosphere don’t you think?”

 Cody swallowed nervously. “But sir, the full moon isn’t until tomorrow.” Cody could hear the fear rising in his voice as he silently begged for the Admiral to be wrong.

 Admiral Yularen looked at him confused. “I’m afraid that you are a day behind Commander.” He shrugged. “I can’t say that I blame you though. Never-ending battles tend to make one lose track of time.”

 Cody felt like everything around him had just shattered. He looked up to the sky and saw that the sun had finally sunken below the horizon and that the clouds had finally parted to begin to reveal the slivery moon in the sky. “Sir,” he said while trying to keep his voice firm, “will you please excuse me?”

 “Of course, Commander.”

 Before the Admiral could finish his sentence, Cody had turned around and was sprinting in the direction of your bakery. As he ran, he heard the sound of his footsteps echoing off of the cobblestone streets and the houses that lined it. His heart was pounding in his ears and his mouth had gone completely dry.

 “No no no no no. This can’t be happening. It was tomorrow.”

 He looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds had completely uncovered the bright moon. His breathing was ragged, and his muscles ached from how hard he was trying to get himself to move faster. Your bakery was completely on the other side of the huge town from the festival and having to run on the icy road was slowing him down.

 “Please,” he said as he breathed heavily. “Please let them be alright.”

 The Commanders desperate pleas and pounding footsteps echoed through the freezing night air as he ran down the dark road, frantically hoping that he would reach you before it was too late.

[ka-za-ri]

Demon Brothers and Mid-Autumn Festival

Happy early 中秋節 !This spawned from me crying over pretty mooncake packaging. And then I fell into a hole of matching the boys to boxes and this Mildy AU stuff happened. Uh... so I know this isn’t the only way to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, but it’s mostly based on my experiences and nostalgia. So excuse the super self-indulgence and have fun~ I tried to include links to things that might need some more explaining.

It’s my first time writing headcanons so pls be gentle on me .･ﾟﾟ･(／ω＼)･ﾟﾟ･.

Lucifer

“Mid-autumn festival? I may have heard of this before in passing.” 

“What is this? A Jewelry box?” 

Don’t tell him how long you went looking for the perfect packaging and flavor. 

Doesn’t celebrate the whole week, but will at least sit down with you for a night to share mooncakes

Prefers them without the yolk, but he’s not going to complain if they’re there.

Neatly cuts the mooncake into quarters and has to have it with tea 

Likes the wintermelon filled kind the best. The chewy texture goes better with tea. 

He’ll make an exception for black sesame lotus paste though

Unfortunately too busy to do any sort of moon viewing with you since he’s swamped with paperwork. 

At least he’ll share mooncake and tea with you while he does it 

Keeps the box and actually uses it as a lamp from time to time

You find out he’s using the tins to store wax seals and stamps too

He doesn’t have time for it, but appreciates the small bottle of osmanthus wine you leave at his door at the end of the festival. 

Finds you a month later on the next full moon to sit down and drink it with you. Offer him a Laopo Bing or leftover mooncake to go with it as a snack. (Of course there’s leftover mooncake) 

You share tea and cakes while sitting on a pavilion overlooking a lake. The moon’s reflected on the surface. Lotus flowers are blooming and the sounds of cicadas are in the distance. Wispy clouds float past the full moon but don’t really hinder its brightness. 

He brushes a stray strand of hair out of the way before maybe sneaking in a kiss or two. He’s much more entranced by how you look lit by the moon and not the moon itself.

Mammon

Got gifted a box of them from a designer as a gift after a photoshoot

You may or may not ogle at how pretty the packaging is. He teases you and taunts you with it. Of course they would only gift something so majestic to The Great Mammon. 

Doesn’t bother cutting into them, just eats them like a cookie 

Until he gets to the yolk 

“The heck is this? Who puts salted egg yolks into a sweet thing?” 

Looks up how much the mooncake box from a designer might sell for. 

So many gifted mooncakes

But he doesn’t eat any, unless you show interest in them. 

You find chocolate flavored ones among all the boxes 

Still doesn’t cut the mooncake up, but at least there’s enough to share. He’s less traumatized now that he’s had one that doesn’t have yolks in it. 

Spends the rest of the night sampling all of the weird ‘haute couture’ flavors of the year. 

The strangest one is the truffle and ham flavored one. 

He nearly spits that one in your face

Both of you are rushing to the kitchen to find something to wash away that taste. 

Thankfully there’s the bottle of Osmanthus wine you’ve saved for this occasion

He takes a giant gulp and nearly gags at how strong it is. 

Now you have a partially tipsy Mammon on your hands. 

Take him out on a long moonlit walk to get him sober. 

The air is crisp, the moon is bright, the leaves are just starting to turn color. There’s just a hint of dampness in the air but it’s refreshing. He takes your hand as you’re walking to make sure you don’t wander off. 

Ends the night kissing your forehead and thanking you for sharing so many memories with him this year. 

Doesn’t try to keep any of the boxes and tries to sell them all off if he can unless you find one that catches your fancy, then he’ll just give that one to you.

Leviathan

“Oh my gosh, it’s the Super Rare Limited Edition Ruri-Chan as Chang’e mooncake box?!?!?!?!?!?!” 

He doesn’t care what the flavor is. It’s Ruri-chan

Takes more care of the box than he does the actual mooncake. 

Prefers the small custard filled/lava ones 

They’re easier for snacking while he’s prepping for a raid. 

Raids don’t stop for holidays. Gaming must continue

Invites you to join him one night and gifts you the limited equipment from the current Mid-Autumn festival event in game. 

“It’ll look cuter on your character than mine.” Don’t question him on how long it took him to farm that gear. 

You end up playing games with him all night long and forget to watch the moon. 

Instead, the two of you decide to just watch the sun rise while snacking on the last of the cakes. 

Tea is in order, those things got really sweet really fast. 

The two of you are so loopy from staying up all night, you giggle at the dumbest things as you’re trying to sneak into the kitchen to get something to drink. 

“How long did you wait in line for that box?” 

Don’t tell him you just pre-ordered it like a normal person would. “Oh, maybe a few hours.” 

“Well, I guess I owe you a few hours of time as a thank you.” 

You nearly forget that tea’s done and almost wake up the house from the whistling kettle. Worth it for all the kisses you got in between that time though. 

Satan

“Oh yes, of course I’m familiar with the festival. I’ve read all about it.” 

He’s rather fascinated with how ornate the packaging can get for some sweets. “What’s so special about them?” 

Red bean paste with the yolk 

Cuts the mooncake into six 

Lets you eat on the bed as long as you make sure you don’t get crumbs anywhere. 

His room literally has the best view of the moon. It’s mandatory that you watch it from there.

Lets you gaze at the moon from his bed while he reads. 

Until you interrupt him and start reciting  Li Bai’s Quiet Night Thought. Mostly it’s to yourself out of homesickness

Moonlight before my bed/ Perhaps frost on the ground/ Lift my head and see the moon/ Lower my head and I miss my home. 

And then you start reciting “Drinking Alone Under The Moon” 

You really start drinking and living the drunken poet life. 

“You know, you’re not alone though.” 

He finally puts the book aside and joins you to watch the moon and listen to you recite poetry for hours on end. 

Asks you about Chang’e and listens as you drunkenly ramble off her story all the while nibbling on pieces of mooncake. He offers you the occasional piece so you’re not drinking so much on an empty stomach. 

Keeps the box and the tins but has no idea what to put in them so they end up gathering dust in the room until one day he needs something to put spell components in and he remembers it exists. 

Spends the week watching the moon and listening to you recite poetry or tell fairy stories. 

Often falls asleep in your lap, a half eaten piece of mooncake in hand.

Invites you over for moonviewings even after the festival.

Asmodeus

He can't tell if he should be more impressed by the packaging or by the cake designs. 

Snowskin mooncakes become his favorite

Rose and lychee flavors are preferred

He adores how pretty crystal mooncakes are as well

Absolutely no yolks please 

Refuses to watch the moon with you. Staying up late will ruin his skin care routine 

He will day drink the osmanthus wine you’ve save to go with the mooncakes while you watch operas

It sounds weird to him at first, but the makeup and the costumes draw him in. 

Cries at the end of Farewell My Concubine 

You end up spending hours telling him about the Four Beauties and China’s Four Most Handsome Men 

He’s upset that all of the stories end in tragedy

You try to cheer him up by going to a local festival and watch the lanterns and other festivities 

Gets super invested in lantern making and spends hours learning how to make one to hang up in his room.

While he’s gone, go buy him some Tanghulu Not only can he appreciate the bright red hawthorns, but they’re a delicious snack on the go while you let him explore the whole festival.

The two of you spend hours looking at cute packaging for mooncakes and buying them back for the others. He’s happiest with the one you gifted him though. 

Okay, maybe he can stay up late to look at the moon just this once. 

Take a small picnic to a grassy hill somewhere so you can admire the moon in its full glory. Most of the snacks are rice cakes and fruit and of course more moonakes. (Seriously, there’s so much mooncake)

He knows he’s supposed to be watching the moon, but he finds it easier and better to watch you instead. You’re just as ethereal as Chang’e in the silvery light of the night. 

Definitely keeps the mooncake box and uses it to hold parts of his makeup collection. It fits right into his room decor.

Beelzebub

You get him the biggest box with the most variety that you can find so he can try as many flavors as possible. 

He ends up liking the kind that tastes like Gai Zhai Beng (Sorry, I don’t know what this is in English?) with all the nuts the most since they’re the heartiest. 

Actually, he likes all of the more savory ones

If it’s sweet, it should have yolks. Four of them if they have those, if not, he’ll settle with the Cantonese style with two yolks.  

You take him to the festivals so he can try even more flavors

The best part is that you get to try them as well. He offers you at least a bite before downing the rest of the mooncake. 

Do the two of you go around eating everything until you feel like you’re about to burst? Absolutely. 

If you can’t see anything that’s going on during the performances at the festival, he’ll lift you onto his shoulder to get a better view. 

With how much time you spend at the festival and how much you’ve eaten, you don’t know if you can stay up late to watch the moon like you want to. 

He lets you piggyback on the walk home 

The sound of a pipa song from the festival echoes in your brain and you hum the song while half asleep on the way home. He gets it stuck in his head for the next month and a half. 

Worth it though, it means he’s reminded of the great time he had with you and all the food he got to try. 

Now he’s constantly asking you if you can make him mooncakes. 

Literally forgets the box and tins exist until he’s cleaning out his room for hidden snacks months later. 

Almost forgot about the osmanthus wine you gifted him as well. He hits you up on the next full moon to drink it while eating snacks and you get to tell him about all the legends behind the foods he’s eaten. 

“Next time, I’ll make you Crossing the Bridge Noodles.” 

“What’s the story behind that?” 

“I’ll tell you when I make them.” 

“Is that a promise?” 

“Of course.” 

Belphegor

Thinks a fairy must have visited him in his dreams when he rolls over and finds the box of mooncakes next to his pillow

Sleeps all day so he can watch the moon all night with you. 

Expect tons of cuddles while doing that

Find out when he’s halfway through eating the box that he prefers tang yuan over mooncakes

He covets the box you gave him regardless

Maybe you make the tang yuan with a little extra ginger to spite him

Too bad for you, he prefers it that way. 

Convinces you that the gardens is the best place for moon viewing 

He’s right since there’s an osmanthus tree there and it smells absolutely amazing this time of the year. 

His favorite dessert is pretty much impossible to transport, so he’ll have to deal with what you brought. 

Ends up quite liking sachima but not jin dui 

Beel drank the last of your celebratory osmanthus wine, it’s time to break out the baijiu

It takes only a few sip of this to have you both tipsy and slurring superlatives at the moon. 

“She’s just so beautiful. Look at her. So radiant and glowing and just the most magnificent isn’t she?” 

“I can’t tell if you’re describing the moon or if you’re describing yourself.” 

“The moon. Of course. She’s so beautiful that poems are written about her for thousands of years.” 

“I could do that for you too you know…” 

The two of you end up falling asleep in the garden under the tree. By the time you two wake up, you’re both covered in the tiny fragrant blossoms 

Take some back with you to make cakes and maybe some more wine to remind you of the lovely night you had. 

[grapefruitsketches]

If That Could Be...

For fytheuntamed’s Untamed Fall Fest Day 1: Mid-Autumn Festival (Thank you for hosting/organizing another Untamed Fest! I’m excited!)

Rated G, 853 Words. Yanli-centric, Yunmeng Sibling Feels, not really sad, but kind of bittersweet 

Also available on AO3.

Yanli loved the idea of the holiday. It was a time to focus on her favourite thing, her favourite people.

As a child, she spent hours in the kitchens, still at that time perfecting her skills, adding just this or that amount of seasoning to some dish or another, offering to help wherever she could, wherever she was allowed. She experimented with whatever bounties were brought in from the fields, from the market. She earned her fair share of stomachaches as she refused to let any food go to waste, no matter what dish resulted from her own mistakes as she learned.

But for the Mid-Autumn Festival, at least until she developed a bit more confidence in her cooking abilities, she left the kitchens to those who knew better, unwilling to risk the gentle balance this day brought, not wanting to spoil the splendor that the fields only seemed to yield for this very day. Still, she did what she could. She carefully sliced the melon, arranging the pieces to mimic something of the circle they’d once naturally formed. She set the places at the large tables, arranging it all just so, packing the centre of each table with as much food as possible. The kitchen staff smiled as she offered to carry even the heaviest of platters out, and was just as surprised as she was when she made it, placing each component of the feast on the tables, not a drop of soup, not a crumb of food allowed to fall to the floor.

The day grew dark, the disciples, families crowding the courtyard. The food she’d so carefully laid out disappearing bit by bit until they all felt it time to stand, to walk out the gates towards the lake for the best view. She looked to her little brother, staring at the sky in wonder. They watched the moon together: mother, father, sister, brother, gathered as a family. Each comfortably full from the feast, enjoying the unusually peaceful atmosphere. Her mother and father’s annual truce for the sake of the holiday was certainly in effect, and Yanli politely ignored that their strained faces indicated they’d been fighting.

She took her brother’s hand, squeezing it tight. Even at four years old, a-Cheng already took every opportunity to speak of the golden core he would develop one day. To Yanli, to the sect masters, to his puppies. She thought of his dreams, his determination, as they all watched the round, golden moon rise in the sky. His face glowed in the light, seeming to reflect its brightness almost as well as the lake’s clear waters.

She hoped that his wishes, his hard work, would be fruitful. That the glow in his core could be half as strong as the glow in her heart as the four of them stood there, happy, together at least at this one time in the year. If that could be, then she would be happy.

--

Something about a-Xian brought a new lightness to the now trio of Yunmeng siblings. While Yanli had initially felt sorry for her new brother’s apparent memory loss, he seemed not to mind, grinning and telling her how much more exciting it would be to be surprised by all the Mid-Autumn Festival had to offer.

So together they made their lanterns. A-Cheng acted frustrated as he tried to show a-Xian the proper technique, only for a-Xian to do something just a bit different, possibly, to a-Cheng’s annoyance, something that worked just a bit better. Yanli helped them both with their designs. Together, they let all three lanterns fly.

But Yanli did not watch the floating lights for long. Instead, she watched as her brothers’ faces lit up brighter than any flame.

She hoped that her brothers could keep that look of wonder, of joy, on their faces every day of their lives. If that could be, then she would be happy.

--

She stood at the top of the steps of Jinlintai, belly round, doting husband by her side. She watched as the crowds gathered. The smiles, the laughter, the embraces at the end of long separation – from wars, from marriages, from geography – ended only through this annual celebration.

Yanli rested her hand gently on her stomach, the little life inside her wriggling restlessly. She smiled. She could already tell that the child was a fighter. A-Ling. Rulan.

She kept her watch as more guests arrived. She and Zixuan both knew who she was looking for, just as they both knew he would not come.

And then there was a-Cheng by her side as well, resting a hand on her shoulder, sad smile on his face mirroring hers before he turned to join her. He, too, was looking, waiting for the brother they both knew would not appear.

She hoped… A kick in her belly made her startle, then giggle. No, she knew that this little one, this fighter, would be the one to finally bring them together again. The long overdue reunion they all wished for.

She knew, with all her heart, that that would be. And then, she would be happy.

[witchescompendium]

Sunday School Week 6 and 7 Sabbats, Esbats and The Wheel of The Year

SUNDAY SCHOOL WEEK 6 & 7

SABBATS, ESBATS AND THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR

               WHEEL OF THE YEAR:

The Wheel turns and so do we, changing as the forces of nature change, our powers ebb and flow, wax and wane, we move on a mystic cycle that we seldom realize. But take a moment if you will and look at yourself now, in this season. (As I am writing we are in late Spring) You may feel you are eager to be outside, to work in nature to start new projects or begin a new adventure, its natural in the Spring to feel this way  because nature is waking, it is in full bloom and plants are blooming, wildlife is giving birth and we are finally away from the winters cold dark hold.

As the season change so do we. Our minds, bodies and spirits acclimate to the changes, as the Winter comes we retreat within and often we get down, as we turn to the Spring we become more awake, and shaking off the gathered grime of the past season, and then we move to Summer, where we tend to be more active and free. As the Fall comes on we begin to settle down and start nesting, preparing for winter and repeat.

As the Wheel of the Year turns, it brings about more than the seasons, it brings opportunities, possibilities and magic, all we have to do is to be open to them. We are presented with so many chances and opportunities we just have to be willing to take them and be open to receive them.

As the Wheel Turns we go through the cycles of life and the seasons, but we also turn with the phases of the moon. This affect us just the same as the changing of the seasons, bring us to different awakenings, and pulls. The Moon affects our spiritual and emotional energies as the season do our physical and mental.

The Wheel of the year is divided into 4 quarters, each of these quarters contains two Sabbats and in a normal year 3 Esbats, per quarter there are 1 major and 1 minor Sabbat. The Wheel turning, as it is known, follows the path of the sun and the Sabbats and Esbats mark times of growth and enlightenment along the way.

SABBATS:

The Sabbats fall to the seasons, and a particular time of the year. They originally marked important dates or times in the cycle of life and nature, much of our ancstors survival depended on the timing of these particular festivals to begin planting, and harvesting, breeding live stock and other things. The Sabbats are divided into two groups, major and minor. The minor Sabbats mark the cross quarters, or the the two solstices and two equinoxes, while the Major Sabbats mark the midpoints between them. The Four Major Sabbats are:

Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas.

The Minor Sabbats are:

Ostara, Litha, Mabon and Yule.

The Sabbats are Solar festivals, each one representing a different  aspect or trait, and a cycle of life, depending upon its placement in the wheel. Depending upon the tradition and the practice of a particular wiccan, pagan, witch or coven, can also depend on when the wheel starts over and ends the old year. Some will say Samhain (as is generally a traditional approach) others say Yule, (this too is fitting do to the practice and celebration of the day)

               BREAK DOWN OF THE SABBATS:

I like to begin with Samhain, 1. Its my favorite sabbat, and 2. Because I practice that the Wheel turns to Samhain and begins again, it’s the witches new year. You can adjust to your own liking and preference as with anything you learn here. This is a bases a guide for you to discover your own path, or build off of this one.

SAMHAIN: Also known as, All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day, All Hallows, Day of All the Saints, Feast of All Saints, Solemnity of All Saints, All Souls Day, Ancestors Night, or Feast of the Dead and more commonly HALLOWEEN. One of the Major sabbats. Falls on October 31 or  the first full moon of Scorpio. Samhain is probably one of the most infamous witches holidays and is still seen in bad context among many groups and people. It is also seen as one of the Highest of holidays and most important among the practice. (Beltane being its equal) Samhain is the night of the thing veil, when the departed may cross to the land of the living once more, magic is said to be strongest and highest on this night. Samhain is the time to celebrate the harvest, to plan for the coming year, and to remember the ancestors and be thankful for their journey, that has paved the way for your footing now. It’s a time to reflect on the past year and honor our loved ones no longer with us. It begins the time of rest and the time of darkness upon the year as we begin to transcend into the Dark Half of the year. Samhain is also known as the Witches New Year. We honor the Great God who departs this world on this day and journeys to the afterlife. Many of the traditions of the modern Halloween are part of the customs of old, such as dressing in costumes, carving jack o lanterns and the spirits of our departed, can be reflected in the modern ghost.

YULE: Also known as, Alban Arthuan, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Mid Winter. Falls on the Winter Soltice, (Between Dec 21-23) The origins of many of the Christmas traditions. One of the Minor Sabbats. Yule is about rebirth, the return of hope and the return of the Sun God who brings the Light. From the Winter Solstice we know the days will get longer and warmer and as the sun is reborn we are offered a fresh start and a new day. Yule is when we celebrate the sun god who departed us at Samhain, returning, reborn to the Great Mother Goddess, now in the aspect of the Crone, and with his return we are reminded that nothing ever goes away forever, we are all reborn and return.

IMBOLC: Also known as, Bride's day, Candlemas, Candlemas Day,Brigantia, Groundhog Day, Festival of Lights. Falls on February 2 or the first Full Moon of Aquarius. This is one of the Major Sabbats, Imbolc is about brushing off the winter and setting ourselves to de-clutter and de-stress from the winter. At Imbolc we light candles and fires, it is a festival of light after all. We light the candles to drive away the shadow and welcome the sun back into the world as the sun slowly gains power and the God grows. We also do this to help light the spark of inspiration and creativity within and to prepare for the seaon of growing that is coming.

OSTARA: Also known as, Alban Eilir, Eostar, Eostre, Lady Day,Vernal Equinox, falls on March 20-23, (The Spring Equinox), one of the minor sabbats. Ever wonder why people dye eggs at Easter? Or how the Bunny fits into the Easter story? Well Ostara is a sabbat about rebirth, and awakening. Growth and renewal are the themes for this day. At Ostara the Day and Night are equal, and the male and female energies balanced. The Rabbit and the eggs are both signs of fertility, as this would be a time when the earth begins to stir and life begins to blossom and awaken all around us. A perfect time to begin to expand on those plans made and begin sewing the seeds for your future.

BELTANE: Also known as, Beltain, Beltainne, Beltaine, Bealtaine, Beltany, May Eve, Lady Day, May Day, Walpurgis Night (although some people consider Walpurgis Night to be April 29, the night before Beltane)Falls on  May 1st, or The First Full Moon in Taurus. A Major Sabbat. Beltane is the day of the Green Wood Wedding, or The Handfasting of the God and Goddess. By now the God has moved from his youth stage, to his Green man form, and the Goddess from her Maiden aspect to the Mother. In this time their union blesses the earth and makes the grounds fertile and ready for planting. This a joyous time to celebrate and rejoice that Winter is gone and that light and mirth are all around. Beltane is also Sister Sabbat to Samhain. On the wheel they are adjacent from one another. It is said that during Beltane, the strength and power that is felt at Samhain can also be felt. Beltane is another of the most commonly known of the Witches holidays. It’s a time of love and growth.

LITHA: Also known as, Alban Hefin, Gathering Day, Midsummer, Vestalia, Summer Solstice, Falls on The Summer Solstice (June 20-23) A Minor Sabbat. On Litha, the powers of the sun are at their highest and most powerful. Day light hours rule this day and is a pure Solar Sabbat. As the Sun and the God are at their peak, so to is nature at hers. The woods and forests are at their fullness, and life is spilling forth. The light triumphs over the dark and, the crops are busy growing and nature is alive and happy. We know however that from this day forth, the light shall dwindle and grow weaker. That we will have to face the darkness in mere months, but for now, we must embrace life at its fullest, and celebrate the bounty that is all around us. This is supposed to be after all, a joyous time.

LAMMAS: Also known as, Lughnasad, Lughnasadh Lunasa, Falls on August 1 or the first full moon of Leo, a Major Sabbat, Lammas is the first harvest, when the first of the crops are beginning to be cut down and brought in. This was an ancient festival of Hope and Fear. Hope being in that the harvest was coming in and that nature and hard work had provided what was needed for survival, Fear came in the same manner, it was feared that the harvest wouldn’t be enough and the cold of winter would win. At Lammas we are thankful for what we have and also it is a time for facing our fears, and creating protection. Defending ourselves and what we value and care for. If we allow the fear to out weigh our hope, then we will surely loose.

MABON: Also known as, Alban Elfed, Fall Equinox, Autumn Equinox, Harvest Home... A Minor sabbat and falls on the Fall Equinox (September 20-23) once more day and night are equal but ultimately the Night shall win out and the dark of the year will begin as days shorten. Mabon is the second harvest, and is a time for being thankful and grateful, a time to share with others what you have. It is a time to honor and thank the universe and the earth for what it has given you, but also to look back at what others have given you, nd what you have given yourself. Remember you reap what you sew. Mabon is the last sabbat before Samhain and the cycle begins again.

As you can see the turning of the Solar Wheel has effects on our physical as well as our mental and spiritual energies and beings.  This is a brief summary keep in mind, and more can be found online and in books. Regardless of what may be written about the sabbats, remember that as with anything in magic, it’s the feelings you get, and the purpose and message you take away from the ritual that matters.

Now for the moons.

FULL MOONS

As the Solar festivals (sabbats) deal with a more physical, the Moon Rituals (Esbats) deal with more of an emotional and magical aspect. The Moons have various names and each month contains a full moon. (For more on moons and phases see the lesson on Moon Phases)

Here we will delve into each moon and its meaning and purpose in the cycle of the moon.

Jan: Wolf Moon, also known as Moon of the First Circle, Wolf Moon, Chaste Moon, Ice Moon. During this moon we turn inward looking for inner strength and inner power. This is a time of looking inward to discover who we are, what our purpose may be. It is also a time of beginnings and rebirth, for protection and purification. It can also be a good time to prepare for the changes you wish to achieve in the coming year.                                              

Feb: Storm Moon, also known as Storm Moon, Moon of the Seer, Snow Moon, Quickening Moon. The moon of this month fights through the cold to shine enough light for us to see into our own darkness. The purpose is to see into our inner truths and overcome our inner demons. We all have them and we all have things we choose to leave in the darkness that we rather not deal with, however, burying them in the shadows does no good because eventually we return to the darkness and those demons come back to us. With the Storm Moon we are challenged to overcome and learn from our darkness.                                            

March: Chaste Moon, also known as Moon of the Wind, Quickening Moon, Hare Moon.  As the winds of change blow away the darkness of winter, we are granted the chance now to blow away those things we no longer need in our lives. This is the time of the “spring cleaning”. Strength is another symbol of this moon, discovering and embracing your own strength, as well as the evolving of ones spirit.

April: Seed Moon Also known as, Moon of Waters, See Moon, Grass Moon, Rain Moon. Can you guess what the theme is for the April Full Moon? Water is fundamental for survival. Its celebrating the life force of the universe. It is about continuing the evolution of the spirit, and growing and nurturing your soul. As nature unfolds and life comes into bloom, we open our souls and our minds, that they may grow and bloom, so we may open our minds, bodies and souls to the Gods and Goddesses and Universe that they may help us to continue to grow.                                                  

May: Hare Moon, also known as, Moon of the Faeries, Flower Moon, Milk Moon, and Merry Moon. Open your heart, reach out embrace the power around you but more importantly with in you. Now is the time of intuition and of balance, of healing and hope and pleasure. A time to connect to your spiritual energy, and to listen to that inner voice. It is a time of healing death, when you finaly put those things to rest that have caused you such strife, listening to the good and the bad of that inner voice, and growing from the bad, by turning it into something better. It is also the time of the faeries and is believed that at this time it is easy to feel the realms and the energies and magic of the realms and the faeries.                                

June: Lovers Moon, also known as, Moon of Life, Mead Moon, Dyad Moon, Honey Moon, and Strawberry Moon. A Time to balance your energies, your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional self, it is time to bask in the moonlight and to embrace your true self, to feel fully alive and connected, to the energies around you, but mostly to yourself, take pleasure in what is around you, in the things that have been given to you and gotten you this far. It is a time of hope and pleasure, strength and self.                              

July: Mead Moon, also known as, Moon of Fire, Blessing Moon, Wort Moon, Thunder Moon. Self confidence is a common theme as obviously is fire. The flame is to remind us of the spark within us all, that burns in our souls and spirits, that drives us and guides us. It is to remind us of the powers of fire, and its fundamental purpose, for warmth, to cook, to provide light and gives a since of protective energy and safety.

August: Wyrt Moon also known as, Moon of Delight, Herb Moon, Barley Moon, Corn Moon. Unity and memory are themes here. Remember the past because it has paved the road for your future. Only by seeing where you came from can you appreciate where you are now. Wisdom and preparing for the future, quiet yourself, silence your voice, quiet your mind and listen for the guidance of your guides.

Sept: Harvest Moon also known as Moon of Harvest, Grain Moon, Fruit Moon, Green Corn Moon, Truth, knowledge, and changing of life cycles. This is a time of preparing for the coming darkness, the harvest time, a time to gain the necessary energies to make it through the coming months. Time to realize the truths about ourselves and the coming months, the darkness is inevitable, a time of transformation, as the season begin to change and so do we.

October: Blood Moon also known as Moon Before The Dark, Blood Moon, Hunters Moon, Harvest Moon. We enter into the darkness of ourselves, and embrace the immortality that lies within us all. This is a magical time as October tends to be a magical month anyway, you can incorporate bits of Halloween, (Samhain) into your moon magic, so likewise, the moon reflects the dark mystery of the universe and our self. The life cycles of life death and rebirth.

Nov: Snow Moon also known as the Moon of Decent, Snow Moon, Mourning Moon, Frosty Moon. As we descend within we prepare and rest to regroup and turn our eyes inward. As winter approaches we tend to over indulge and become materialistic, so be warned of this. The moon reminds us once more of the truths and falsehoods we have come to know and wear as masks and shrouds.

Dec: Oak Moon also known as Moon of Completion, Cold Moon, Snow Moon. Take time to notice if you have met the goals for the last year that you set. Have you achieved the things you wished to or started in the direction you planned? This moon also asks you to look beyond  the surface of the situation and realize, things are never as bad as they seem. As the year closes, remember that things that have happened cannot be changed, but learned from and used to help plan your future, and start making new plans or building off the old ones for the new year.

 Much more information can be found in many amazing books, as well as online. Many usually will contain some form of ritual as well as to the celebration of the Sabbats and Esbats. There are of course generic rituals which serve as great outlines for your own writings, should you wish to try your hand at it. I advise looking over other rituals so that you can gain a better understanding of the sabbats, the ritual structure and activities that can take place during these festivals, as well as spells and magic designed to cater specifically to these rites.

You will discover though as you research more that many different views and practices will produce many different rituals and ways of celebrating. Do not think you are limited to just one. That’s the beauty of the craft, you can take from these the parts you like and build your own way, your own celebration. As with our coven, we tend to change up the rituals every time, our June Full moon for this year will be vastly different from the previous years, as will our Samhain rite. However, you may find passages or parts of a ritual which you love so much you want to included them year after year, or you may even be so lucky as to come across or create your own ritual that is so astounding that you need not change a thing. All of these are common.

And I cannot stress enough this point, READ, READ, READ. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you will become and the more understanding you will gain. Start a note book to keep notes, or designate a file on your computer where you wish to save things you have found. Just remember to give credit where it is do, don’t try to pass off someone else’s works as your own, not only can it be considered plagiarism, but it’s also rude (see future lesson on Witches Etiquette).

I hope this helps you to understand a bit more about the season, the cycles, the turning of the wheel and the Sabbats and esbats.

[quarantinemusiccalendar]

Day 211: V+W+J / Osvobozené divadlo

Today is the 28th October, which means it’s a bank holiday: The Days of the Establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic. The state I was born into and which seized to exist 27 years ago celebrates its birthday today. And although it may seem illogical to celebrate the biggest national holiday on the anniversary of the creation of the predecessor of our current state, it seems absolutely right to do so.  Countries usually celebrate these holidays on the anniversaries of their independence. But if the successor state came into being as a result of a another part of the joint territory separating from their joint state and declaring independence, we can hardly expect the remaining state of the previous state, which sees itself as the core and continuation of the previous state, to celebrate its existence, national identity and tradition on the anniversary of the they when that state fell apart and seized to exist.

Although Austria used to celebrate the "Nationalfeiertag" on 12th November during the First Austrian Republic (1919-1933), and this date is connected to the downfall of the Austrian Empire, the date is first and foremost linked to the anniversary of proclamation of the First Austrian Republic and the end of monarchy, rather than the disintegration of the Hapsburg Empire itself. Belgians celebrate their National Day on the 26th September, which is the anniversary of the investiture of King Leopold I to the throne. It meant the end of a year long revolution and secession from the United Netherlands. Logically, the Dutch don’t celebrate their national day on any of the dates connected to this event, but rather on the birthday of their king (or queen). So it’s really no wonder, that Czechs follow this pattern as well. It’s not that exceptional after all.

This holiday is currently being hijacked by the incumbent president for the manifestation of his own selfish twisted political agenda, rather then being an inclusive celebration of country’s national and historical heritage and it’s people, but I am determined to hold on to the positive, inclusive and festive tone of this holiday and remembering it through music from the era of the 1st Czechoslovak Republic is one of the ways to do that.

From the Czech avant-garde circles of the mid 1920s emerged Jiří Voskovec (1905 - 1981) and Jan Werich (1905 - 1980), a fascinating duo of theater actors / playwrights / comedians / directors / writers. In 1926 influenced by dadaism and futurism they co-founded a small alternative theater in Prague and named it Osvobozené divadlo (Liberated Theater) - LIberated meaning liberated from traditional genres and forms of theater. They were quote vocal about social and political topics of the era, leftist oriented yet critical of the rising communists as well as the fascist movement. In several of their plays they mocked Hitler, Mussolini and Franco. They performed performed plays by modern authors such as Apollinaire, Jarry, Cocteau, Breton and Marinetti as well as their own original plays and revues.

The original music for their plays was supplied by Jaroslav Ježek (1906 - 1942), a brilliant jazz / swing pianist and composer. He also wrote classical and film music, but jazz and swing were his field of specialty. Together they became known under the abbreviation V+W+J. Since they were so openly critical about the the rising Nazism in neighbouring Germany and popular among the general public, in the autumn of 1938 when Germany annexed the border regions of Czechoslovakia, it became clear that they would be among the first group to be targeted and arrested should Germany occupy the rest of Czechoslovakia. They fled the country in January 1939, just few weeks before the Germans troops rolled in. They spent the war years mostly in New York City. Jaroslav Ježek, who had suffered from ill health  since his childhood, died in America on New Year’s Day 1942 at the age of 35. Voskovec and Werich returned back to Prague after the war and reopened their theater. But soon after that, after the communist coup in 1948, Voskovec emigrated again and returned to USA. Jan Werich remained in Czechoslovakia. You can read up on them on Wikipedia. Today, I would like to introduce you to the music Jaroslav Ježek and his collaborators.

In Bůh suď (Let the God Judge) and Usměrněná píseň (Regulated Song) they make pure political satire. They are no longer hinting on political situation in Germany and Italy, they openly name Mussolini and mock Hitler by nicknaming him Adolf Kohos. They make fun of their geopolitical aggression and practices in politics. Even these two songs would have been enough to get them arrested firsth thing after the occupation. Pochod stoprocentních mužů (The March of Hundred Percent Men) is a song from the play / revue Golem, which premiered in the Osvobozené divadlo in 1931. It tells the story of Golem, a clay figurine of superhuman proportions and equipped with superhuman strength created by the Jewish rabbi Löw, who controlled him with the scheme Ha M´Fóráš (represented by artificial teeth in this play), and intrigues at the imperial court where many wanted to control the Golem. The play was very successful and in 1951 the story was turned into a double film Císařův pekař (The Emperor's Baker) / Pekařův císař (The  Baker's Emperor) directed by Martin Frič. Noisy Serenade and Full Moon’s Music are original compositions by Jiří Traxler written directly for Ježek’s Jazz Orchestra. Similarly Biguine Hydroplane (Biguine v hydroplánu) was composed by Jiří Srnka for this orchestra and it featured in the Robin zbojník revue (Robin the Robber) and in the film Peníze nebo život (Money or life), a second film by V+W, directed in 1932 by Jindřich Honzl.

My selection closes with Bugatti Step, Ježek’s most famous composition to date. And it’s so famous it’s still being used in films and adverts as well. I am almost embarrassed to put it on the list how famous it is. But just in case someone who has never heard it is reading this, I will list list it nevertheless.

Happy Wednesday, relax and enjoy.

Highlights: - Noisy Serenade - Full Moon’s Music - Biguine Hydroplane - Bůh suď (Let the God Judge) - Usměrněná píseň (Regulated Song) - Pochod stoprocentních mužů (The March of Hundred Percent Men) - Bugatti Step

Playlist:   shorturl.at/fEUX4 Links and references: - Osvobozené divadlo (Liberated Theatre) - Wikipedia - Jaroslav Ježek - Wikipedia

[simplemlmsponsoring]

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40 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World

Did you know that more people celebrate New Years around the world than any other holiday? But, of course, that doesn’t mean that we all celebrate it in the same way.

How I celebrate the New Year– watching the NYC countdown on television, kissing at midnight, champagne toasts, and fireworks– may be relatively commonplace in the United States. But New Year customs vary widely in different cultures around the world.

Each country seems to have its own unique New Years celebrations, with different customs for ensuring health, wealth, happiness, and luck in the coming year.

As we learn more about the various New Years celebrations around the world, we may discover strange cultural twists that seem foreign to us. But these unique variations in the way people celebrate the New Year are part of what makes exploring the world so great.

So let’s take a look at some of the more interesting New Year traditions around the world, and see how people will be ringing in 2019. Who knows? Maybe we can find something fun along the way to adopt into our own New Year celebrations.

I know many of us can’t wait to bid 2018 good riddance. So get ready, because New Years Day is coming soon!

READ MORE: 75 Christmas Traditions Around the World

Celebrate the New Year At Home New Year’s Eve Food Traditions Which Country Celebrates New Years First? Traditional New Year’s Clothing New Year’s Festivals Around the World New Year Traditions for Good Luck Shared New Year’s Eve Traditions Around the World

New Year’s Song: Auld Lang Syne New Year’s Resolutions New Year’s Fireworks New Year’s Champagne New Year’s Kiss

Kadomatsu, a traditional decoration for New Year in Japan via CC How to Celebrate the New Year at Home

The home plays an important role in many countries’ New Year’s traditions, which can involve everything from intense cleaning sessions to inviting special guests. Regardless of how it’s done, home is where many people celebrate New Year’s Eve and Day.

England: For good fortune in the newly arrived year, Brits believe the first guest to enter through the front door should be a young, dark-headed male bearing gifts such as bread (to be full), salt (to be wealthy) and coal (to stay warm).

Japan: Oshogatsu is celebrated with family, which both cleans and decorates the entire house together. Then natural decorations such as pine branches, plum blossoms, and bamboo play a special role in preparing for the New Year celebration.

Denmark: As a sign of friendship, people save their old dishes in order to break them on each other’s front doors. Residents will allow these broken dishes to pile up in order to show who has the most friends.

China: To symbolize happiness and good luck in the New Year, Chinese celebrants paint their front doors red. In general, red colors New Years Eve in China, with red packets of money for children, red rackets for married couples, and red lanterns.

Puerto Rico: In addition to cleaning their homes as the Japanese do, Puerto Ricans clean everything— the car, the garden, and even the streets. They also have a practice of throwing buckets of water out the window in order to do away with the bad juju of last year.

South Africa: Some South Africans—particularly those in the neighborhood of Hillbrow in Johannesburg— take cleaning house for the new year to an entirely new level. Throwing old furniture and appliances (think fridges!) from the windows of tall buildings somehow helps to make the new year bright. It’s actually a very serious health hazard there!

READ MORE: 15 Ways to Reduce Waste and Move Towards Waste-Free Living

Black-eyed Peas and Cabbage by Pen Waggener via CC Celebrate with New Year’s Eve Food Traditions

Food is used to celebrate the New Year around the world. In many countries, eating the right thing has a strong influence on the next year’s outlook. Many of these New Year’s food traditions are delicious, but they don’t necessarily make a lot of logical sense…

Louisiana: The New Year’s food tradition I grew up with is eating Cajun-style black-eyed peas and cabbage, with the promise that it will deliver health and wealth over the next 12 months. Even after 12 years of living and working abroad, I’ve never stopped celebrating the New Year with the dish!

Brazil: Lentils are the alimentos do dia for Brazilian New Year’s celebrations. The legume can come in different forms, such as soup, to help with finances in the New Year. Then, before midnight, they believe people should also eat seven raisins (because why not?!).

Austria: The New Year’s food traditions in Austria come two-fold. First, there’s finding a lucky charm that has been hidden inside a suckling pig. Then it’s onto a dessert of peppermint ice cream, which somehow represents economic windfalls in the coming year.

France: The French are known for their weird food preferences. On New Year’s Eve, edible opulence steals the show in the form of le reveillion de la Saint-Sylvestre. Partiers will feast for hours on foie gros, goose or turkey, oysters, and of course plenty of champagne. The top-flight fare is meant to signify wealth in the year to come.

Spain: A challenge in speed-eating, Spain’s New Year’s food tradition requires that people eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve– one for each time the clock chimes. Otherwise, superstition suggests that you’ll miss out on extra good luck for the coming year!

Switzerland: In a strange cultural twist, the Swiss don’t actually eat their New Year’s treat. Instead, they simply drop whipped cream on the floor and leave it there. Obviously, that means richness in the coming year, right?

Estonia: How Estonians make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve awake is a mystery. They should be in a food coma! Tradition dictates that the holiday should be celebrated with a lucky number of meals, with either seven, nine, or twelve trips to the table. However many meals you choose, you’re said to have the strength of that many men (or women).

READ MORE: Traditional Hoppin’ John Recipe (For New Year’s Luck)

Khmer (Cambodian New Year)  by Sam Sith via Flickr CC by 2.0 Which Country Celebrates New Year’s First?

Despite the Gregorian calendar being globally recognized, many countries follow different timetables. So some cultures observe New Year’s on a different day! As weird as it may sound, there’s some debate as to which is the first country to celebrate the New Year.

India: While January first is certainly celebrated there, the New Year celebration in India actually has many different dates. Rongali Bihu is the most popular: It’s celebrated in mid-April, on the first day of the Hindu solar calendar. But the specific day of celebration changes from region to region.

Egypt: In Egypt, the New Year’s Day celebration changes according to the moon. But, unlike other countries that go the lunar route, here the festivities do not begin until a crescent moon is sighted!

Cambodia: Another country that celebrates a New Year in April, Cambodia has a 3-day long holiday that is dictated by the end of their harvest season. It follows the same lunar calendar as India, in which the New Year begins when the sun enters the sign of Aries.

Israel: The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana brings in the New Year in early autumn, as does the Islamic New Year (usually in late September). Many Orthodox Christians in Israel celebrate New Year’s on the first of September.

Bali: Many east Asian cultures use the lunar calendar to determine New Year’s Day. But some parts of Indonesia use a special Saka Calendar, which puts the holiday on a different date than China’s lunar system. It’s typically more of a somber affair, used primarily as a day of rest rather than celebration.

Samoa: There are 39 time zones in the world. Based on the International Date Line, the islands of Samoa and Kiribati are the first places on Earth to reach the Gregorian calendar’s new year on January 1st.

As for the last country to celebrate the New Year? Though not technically a country, that would be the U.S. territories of Baker Island and Howland Island, two uninhabited wildlife refuges located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia.

READ MORE: 20 Exotic Islands For Your World Travel Bucket List

Traditional New Years Clothing – Vietnamese ao dai via pixabay Traditional New Year’s Clothing

When celebrating the New Year, many cultures take the opportunity to get dressed up in whimsical or dapper fashions. Most of these New Year’s clothing choices are wrought with meaning, and occasionally they’re good for a laugh or two as well.

Philippines: For New Year’s in the Philippines, round is all the rage. People eat round foods, carry coins in their pockets, and wear clothing with nlots of polka dots. The round shape symbolizes money, and is believed to boost your finances for the new year.

Vietnam: The Vietnamese wear brand new clothes to bring in the New Year with a fresh start. These clothes are not the modern Western styles that most people wear in their daily life, but rather a traditional outfit called ao dai, featuring a long gown worn with trousers.

Russia: In a throwback to the Soviet era, most of Russia (except for Russian Orthodox Christians) celebrates something similar to Christmas at New Year’s. Grandfather Frost visits at midnight to leave presents while the kids aren’t looking. Christmas was actually banned in Russia during Soviet times, so New Year’s took its place!

Italy: Like the Vietnamese, Italians wear new clothes to ring in the New Year. As with the Russians, it’s a time for presents, with each gift (things like honey, gold, money, and lamps) symbolizing something specific for the receiver. The gifts are serious business!

Turkey: In Turkey, wearing red underwear at midnight on New Year’s Eve is crucial to bring good luck in the coming year. For that matter, this tradition is also observed in other countries, including Italy, Spain, and Mexico. Red is traditionally a lucky color at this time of year. Who knows how the underwear in particular became important?

Brazil: Taking the idea of lucky New Year’s underpants even further, in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela, the color of underwear helps to determine the wearer’s specific successes for next year. Red brings love, yellow brings money, green brings luck, and so on. Local markets will be festooned with colored underpants leading up to the New Year.

READ MORE: The Best Travel Clothing For 7 Travel Styles

Torchlight Procession Hogmanay. Photo by This is Edinburgh (edinburgh.org) via CC 2.0 New Year’s Festivals Around the World

Some of the world’s New Year’s traditions have an air of seriousness about them. They’re tied up in ancient religious rituals. They’ve been created by lawful decrees. Or maybe they just involve impressively huge fires in public spaces. Regardless, it’s important to recognize why we celebrate the New Year the way we do.

Scotland: Celebrating Hogmanay, which denotes the last day of the year, is a big deal in Scotland. So much so that it often overshadows Christmas. Christmas was outlawed by the Church of Scotland for nearly four centuries, until 1958. Though the holiday has regained its popularity, the New Year Festival of Hogmanay still holds a sacred place in Scottish hearts.

Australia: Sydney Harbour hosts one of the biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world.  It’s mid-summer in the southern hemisphere, and thousands of people gather around the Opera House in anticipation. An aerial show and water display kick off the celebration at 6pm. A family-friendly fireworks show starts at 9pm, while the main attraction– the Harbour Light Parade– is at midnight.

Belarus: In Belarus, New Year’s is included as a part of a 13-day festival known as Kaliady. Kaliady originates from the old pagan recognition of the winter solstice. It was only later that the Orthodox Christians added the celebration of Christmas (on January 7). Kaliady has customary foods in three ritual dinners, trick-or-treating, caroling, and more.

Netherlands: Amsterdam hosts one of the world’s largest street parties on New Year’s Eve. If you attend, buy some oliebollen (oily balls) to eat at midnight. Tradition holds that eating these deep fried dough balls will ward off evil spirits in the New Year. Dam Square (the craziest), Rembrandtplein, Nieuwmarkt, and Leidseplein host unofficial street parties with music, fireworks and beer tents. Amsterdam’s celebration is not for the casual partier: Some attendees have likened it to a war zone!

United States: Each year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to New York City to see the Big Apple drop at midnight. This New Year’s Eve tradition actually began as a replacement for fireworks, which had been banned in New York. In addition to watching balls drop, in other US cities you can watch peaches, giant walleye, and other locally relevant symbols lowered as the clock strikes midnight.

READ MORE: 20 Best Festivals in the World (for Your World Travel Bucket List)

New Year’s Eve Ball by Nicole Beauchamp courtesy Flickr via CC 2.0 New Year Traditions for Good Luck

One of my favorite things about New Year’s good luck rituals is that not all of them seem completely sane. Many of the traditions we’ve already learned about on this list probably seem a bit off-the-wall. Here are a few that seemingly come out of nowhere, but remain integral pieces of some countries’ annual New Year customs.

Colombia: One of Colombians’ favorite ways to celebrate the New Year is to carry an empty suitcase around the block. The tradition is meant to bring celebrants a year of travel (which hopefully will involve a little more packing).

Denmark: Many of the world’s New Year’s traditions revolve around the stroke of midnight: fireworks blasting off, the ball dropping, kissing a loved one, toasting with champagne, etc. In Denmark, people jump off of their chairs in unison at midnight. This symbolizes jumping forward into the new year and leaving bad things behind.

Belgium: In Belgium, Walloon and Flemish farmers rise early on New Year’s Day and promptly head out the stables to wish the cows (and other domesticated animals) a happy New Year. Though the origins of this tradition are unknown, the same thing is also practiced in Romania.

Finland: Going to a fortune-teller can either be a fun or harrowing experience. But one Nordic New Year tradition involves reading the future for yourself. Finnish people melt tin horseshoes, pour the molten metal into cold water, and use the resulting solid to gain insight into the coming year. Its shape and shadow supposedly tell all, and a broken piece of tin is considered a sure sign of bad luck.

Japan: In Japan, Joya no Kane is a Buddhist ritual that takes place at midnight on New Year’s Eve. It involves ringing a bell exactly 108 times. Buddhists believe that we humans are entrapped by 108 different desires that keep us suffering. The chimes symbolize purification from the accumulation of these passions over the previous year.

Chile: In the small town of Tulca, Chile, it is tradition to spend the last night of the year at a sleepover at the cemetery. Locals believe that the souls of dearly departed friends and family come to hang around on the night of New Year’s Eve. So they make fires, bring food and drink, and decorate their loved ones’  graves for some ghostly quality time.

Ecuador: In Ecuador, los años viejos (the old years) is a beloved part of how to celebrate the New Year. People construct large scarecrows of those they don’t like and set them alight at midnight in order to burn away the ills of last year. Building the scarecrow is a family activity. While it’s mostly done for fun and laughs, controlling the bevy of fires is sometimes a serious undertaking.

Panama: Panama has a similar “viejo” tradition to the one in Ecuador. Only here the effigies are called muñecos. Rather than simply setting them on fire, the dolls are typically stuffed with fireworks in order to really get the festivities cranking.

READ MORE: 7 Harmful Traditional Practices Tourists Shouldn’t Support

Shared New Year’s Eve Traditions Around the World

And then there are the New Year’s traditions that are celebrated by people all around the world. These shared customs are part of what makes the New Year one of the planet’s most popular holidays. Here’s a look at some of the many traditions that transcend time zones, borders, and cultures…

Singing the New Year Song, “Auld Lang Syne”

Singing “Auld Lang Syne” at midnight is done throughout the English-speaking world and beyond.

The traditional Scottish folk song was transcribed (not written) by beloved poet Robert Burns in 1783. The literal Auld Land Syne translation is “old long since,” which really means, “days gone by.”

After that, it became a common song of celebration—for weddings, graduations, funerals, etc.—throughout Scotland. In the nearly two and a half centuries since, “Auld Lang Syne” has become the most popular New Year’s song in the world.

The tradition of singing it at midnight on New Year’s Eve was popularized by a Canadian band, Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians. The band, which came from a part of Ontario settled by Scots, often covered the song, partially to promote one of the sponsors of their radio show, Robert Burns Cigars.

In 1928 the band got a chance to do a New Year’s Eve show and closed their set with “Auld Lang Syne.” It became the show’s closing number for nearly 50 years, the remainder of Lombardo’s life.

READ MORE: Exploring Doune Castle, the Famous Filming Location in Scotland

New Year’s Resolutions

People have been making New Year’s resolutions for literally thousands of years, dating back to the ancient times of the Mesopotamians.

The tradition began as part of a 12-day New Year Festival (which was celebrated in March) called Akitu, during which citizens of Babylonia would swear an oath to the sitting king or allegiance to a new one. The Romans did a similar thing, also in March, devoting themselves to the Emperor.

In the mid-1700s, the Methodist Church used the New Year to encourage its members to renew their commitments to God.

Nowadays, most resolutions are neither oaths to kingdoms or religious tradition. Instead, they’re generally commitments to make some effort towards self-improvement. Unfortunately, studies show that– while nearly half the US population annually makes resolutions– less than 10% of them are kept.

Here are some of the top New Year’s Resolutions:

Exercise more / Get in shape Lose weight Get organized Learn a new skill or hobby Live life to the fullest Save more money / spend less money Quit smoking Spend more time with family and friends Drink less Eat more at home Floss Look at cell phone less Reduce stress Get more sleep Travel more

READ MORE: How to Start a Travel Blog & Build a Successful Travel Blogging Business

New Year’s Fireworks

Invented in ancient China, fireworks were originally made from dried bamboo stalks. When thrown in a roaring fire, they would emit loud bangs.

These were later filled with gunpowder (which was also a Chinese invention) to enhance the explosive effect. Finally, the bamboo was replaced by paper (another Chinese invention).

Around the 12th century, gunpowder and fireworks gradually worked their way over to Europe. Some historical accounts credit the Mongols, while others believe they were invented independently.

Since the beginning, fireworks have been used to scare away evil spirits and enemies. Because the holiday is often associated with starting anew, fireworks have long been a part of New Year celebrations, setting up partygoers for a positive year to come.

Today, the tradition of setting off fireworks as part of New Year celebrations in pretty much a staple all around the world.

READ MORE: How to Experience Traditional Mongolian Culture

New Year’s Champagne

Champagne, some people claim, was originally an English invention as opposed to a French one. The Brits developed the technology to bottle carbonated drinks in the late 1500s.

Using techniques translated from making cider, they began to make sparkling wines (of which Champagne is one variety). This invention also required creating stronger glass bottles that could withstand the pressure built up inside by the fermented drink.

Later, Champagne became the popular drink of choice for celebrations by the royal courts of Europe.

It eventually became a worldwide phenomenon in the late 1800s, when the price began to drop and producers started marketing the drink to common folks. While commoners couldn’t afford it for their daily table wine, it was affordable enough for special occasions.

It became especially popular for New Year’s celebrations because opening the bottle produced a firework-like POP, and the beverage flowed out in a display of abundance.

READ MORE: Weird Foods the French Consider Delicacies

New Year’s Kiss

The tradition of sharing a New Year’s Eve kiss at the stroke of midnight has been featured in countless classic movies, from The Godfather II to When Harry Met Sally. The custom is now a part of most modern New Year’s celebrations.

Amazingly, the practice has been around for millennia, beginning with the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Lots of meaning has been attributed to the kiss over the years. In Roman times, it was more an act of basic debauchery.

German and English folklore cited that the first person you encountered in the New Year (and how that encounter went) would set the tone for the rest of the year. Attendees of masked balls in Europe used it as an act of purification after removing their masks.

These days, it’s widely believed that failing to share a midnight kiss on New Year’s Eve foretells a year of romantic loneliness.

However (and wherever) you may celebrate the New Year, most people around the world embrace and honor the passage of time with mixtures of reverence and revelry. It’s yet another thing that shows just how similar, yet unique, our planet’s diverse array of cultures are.

We value analogous things and celebrate in our own ways. But we all love to share these moments we hold sacred. We should all remember and relish the customs and traditions that unite us this New Year’s. At a moment when division and dissidence seems inevitable, we still have each other.

Happy 2019, everyone!   –Jonathon Engels

  Jonathon Engels is a traveler, writer & teacher who’s been living abroad as an expat since 2005. He’s worked in nearly a dozen countries, and visited many others in between. He’s currently on a slow travel trip from Central America to Patagonia, volunteering his way throughout the journey. He’s a regular contributor to One Green Planet as well as Permaculture News, which focus on helping to keep the world green and clean. He’s also the founder of The NGO List, a compilation of grassroots NGOs seeking international volunteers.

The post 40 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World appeared first on Green Global Travel.

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