In ancient China, moon worship was tied closely to fertility and the harvest. So the full moon that happened closest to the fall equinox became the holiday now called Mid-Autumn Festival, also called Moon Festival by some. Originally a celebration of the harvest and a plea to the gods for rains to ensure a good harvest next year, the festival has become a more secular bit of autumn fun, with children and adults alike eating sweet mooncakes, lighting lanterns, and giving thanks for all they have. Really, they had us at ‘mooncake.’
Mooncake time
Today in History
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Daylight saving time
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Presidents Day
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Paralympic Games begin in Paris
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Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
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A long winter’s nap, perhaps?
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A Eurasian red squirrel in Switzerland
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Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii
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Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana
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International Day of Human Space Flight
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A desert arts pop-up, just popped up
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Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
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First day of National Park Week
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An island in the Highlands
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A peek at an explosive peak
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Cosplay strongly encouraged
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