Today for the fun part of our day we learned about the chinese moon festival and made Moon Cakes! Mmmm they were ever so yummy!!
On the 8th full moon of the lunar year comes the Moon Festival. On this night, the moon is at its brightest. Friends and family gather together to enjoy the moonlight and of course eat mooncakes!
This Festival is the equivalent of Thanksgiving Day and its origins go back to ancient times, when people would get together on the 15th day of the 8th moon (around September or October in our Calendar) on a day of thanksgiving for a good rice harvest. This is the time when crops and fruits are at their best and the weather is pleasant.
In ancient China, emperors would make offerings and sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn.
An so it is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Autumn in the Chinese Calendar falls on the seventh, eighth and ninth lunar months.
Nowadays, families get together with friends to celebrate and enjoy the moon and the savory Mooncakes.
In celebrations around the world, there are the usual Dragon Parades, Lion Dances, and festivities of the season. Take a look at this Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in San Francisco,
Here's what real moon cakes look like
Er, yours likely will look more like these as ours did unless you are a better artist lol
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam (traditionally red bean paste is used so if you want a more authentic version, you can use a can of red bean paste instead of the jam).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.
Mix in the flour.
Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate dough for half an hour.
Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand.
Make a hole with your thumb in the center of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of jam.
Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie sheet. (We didn't have a brush to do this, so skipped the brushing step)
Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.
We also studied about winter and made some fun winter painting outs of snow!
Foam shaving cream
White glue
Construction paper
Small plastic bowls
Paintbrush or Q-tips
Toothpicks, twigs, or craft sticks, if desired
We also made some paper snow flakes!
Some of our math fun was season today and Christmas themed pictures as well as writing letters to Santa!
Aidan's letter read..
Dear Santa,
I want an ipod touch. I want a iphone more. More cologne and gingle bells. I want a bird. I want a four wheeler. A country guitar or an electric guitar and a picture of rudolph.
Keagan's letter read..
Dear Santa,
I wanta monkey and a foobal and a light saber. I want to be like you and a reely little motor cycle and a i podd touch and a remote controle car. I want a monkey stuffed animal and a picture of rudolph. And a toy elf and toy phone and a hug from santa and to see you. I love santa.
Brooklyn's letter read..
Santa,
I want a ds and a monster high and a repunsel doll and dora kitchen and dora with her dogs and operation game.
On the 8th full moon of the lunar year comes the Moon Festival. On this night, the moon is at its brightest. Friends and family gather together to enjoy the moonlight and of course eat mooncakes!
This Festival is the equivalent of Thanksgiving Day and its origins go back to ancient times, when people would get together on the 15th day of the 8th moon (around September or October in our Calendar) on a day of thanksgiving for a good rice harvest. This is the time when crops and fruits are at their best and the weather is pleasant.
In ancient China, emperors would make offerings and sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn.
An so it is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Autumn in the Chinese Calendar falls on the seventh, eighth and ninth lunar months.
Nowadays, families get together with friends to celebrate and enjoy the moon and the savory Mooncakes.
In celebrations around the world, there are the usual Dragon Parades, Lion Dances, and festivities of the season. Take a look at this Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in San Francisco,
Here's what real moon cakes look like
Er, yours likely will look more like these as ours did unless you are a better artist lol
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam (traditionally red bean paste is used so if you want a more authentic version, you can use a can of red bean paste instead of the jam).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.
Mix in the flour.
Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate dough for half an hour.
Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand.
Make a hole with your thumb in the center of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of jam.
Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie sheet. (We didn't have a brush to do this, so skipped the brushing step)
Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.
We also studied about winter and made some fun winter painting outs of snow!
Foam shaving cream
White glue
Construction paper
Small plastic bowls
Paintbrush or Q-tips
Toothpicks, twigs, or craft sticks, if desired
We also made some paper snow flakes!
Some of our math fun was season today and Christmas themed pictures as well as writing letters to Santa!
Aidan's letter read..
Dear Santa,
I want an ipod touch. I want a iphone more. More cologne and gingle bells. I want a bird. I want a four wheeler. A country guitar or an electric guitar and a picture of rudolph.
Keagan's letter read..
Dear Santa,
I wanta monkey and a foobal and a light saber. I want to be like you and a reely little motor cycle and a i podd touch and a remote controle car. I want a monkey stuffed animal and a picture of rudolph. And a toy elf and toy phone and a hug from santa and to see you. I love santa.
Brooklyn's letter read..
Santa,
I want a ds and a monster high and a repunsel doll and dora kitchen and dora with her dogs and operation game.
