The sounds ofthe frog drum herald the coming of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The drum is an indispensable instrument accompanying all the children’s games and activities, such as lion dance, dragon dance, lantern parade and moon appreciation. Apart from the frog drum, there is also the trống bỏi, a coin-sized hand-held drum, which when swung, produces ear-pleasing “clack clack” sounds.
As the eighth lunar month drew near when the heat was less intense and the weather became cooler, flocks of children often gathered in large crowd under the silver moonlight to play traditional games such as pomelo-seed crackers, dragons and snakes rising to the clouds, leapfrog, circle of hands, etc. The children's laughter creates a special ambience on the full moon night of Mid-Autumn Festival.
Unicorn, lion and dragon dances are indispensable children’s activities on any Mid-Autumn occasion. The dancers and accompanying children who hold the mid-autumn lanternscreate a joyous atmosphere all around the lanes and streets. Unicorn, lion, and dragon dances symbolize good luck, peace and good omen for families. In addition, in countryside, couples often go to the communal house or river to sing a kind of popular local reparteeknown as Trống quân.
The sticky rice mooncakes bánh dẻo, baked moon cakes bánh nướng are an indispensable delicacy of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, as they symbolize blessings and family union. The outer cover of bánh dẻo is made of glutinous rice flour, a little flavor ingredients such as vanilla or pomelo flower and syrup while its filling is made of green bean, lotus seed or other mixtures. Meanwhile, bánh nướng has a thin, tender pastry skin made of wheat flour and its filling is made of sausage, lean meat, peanut, sesame. Once baked up, it has a fragrant and buttery taste.
On the Mid-Autumn day, families make offerings to their ancestors. In the evening, a party platform is set up, filled with pastries, mooncakes, fruits, and eye-catching toys. After that, everyone starts to party and moon-gaze together in the hope that their families will be blessed with safety and happiness.