Top 6 Traditional Mid-Autumn Festival Gifts

The Mid-Autumn Festival- i.e., Mooncake or Moon Festival - is a harvest celebration observed in China, Vietnam, Japan, and several other East and Southeast Asian countries. The Mid Autumn Festival takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month using the lunar calendar.

The Gregorian calendar and lunar calendar don't match up, so the date changes every year, typically falling in the middle to the end of September to early October. It falls on September 17th in the autumn of 2024.

It started as a harvest celebration because the moon was used to track time for agriculture for centuries. The autumn harvest coincided with this full moon, thought to be the brightest and most beautiful. To give thanks for their bountiful harvests, people would worship the moon, pray to it, and tell folktales about it.

Today, the Mid Autumn Festival has evolved but maintained many of its original traditions. It's now less about harvest schedules and more of a time of family reunion. People gather, eat traditional Mid Autumn Festival food, give traditional Mid Autumn Festival gifts, and spend the night moon gazing.

The Mid-Autumn Festival gifts and foods are all deep-rooted in tradition and symbolism. For many, these elements are extremely sentimental and filled with nostalgia. The traditional Mid Autumn Festival gifts and foods are often the way they share the tradition with their children. That's what makes them so important.  

If you want to be sure you get the right Mid Autumn Festival gift for your celebration, keep reading to learn about the top five traditional Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.

1. Mooncakes

Mooncakes are often considered the most traditional Mid Autumn Festival food. It's a round pastry seen as a symbol of the full moon, unity, togetherness, completeness, and harmony. It has many variations and depends on the specific country or even region.

Traditional versions elsewhere often had fruit, meat, and/or mung bean fillings. However, over the years, the recipes have been updated and modernized. Today, filling options include tea, coffee, truffles, and mochi. They are very rich and filling, so traditionally they're cut up into slices and shared, despite looking rather small.

2. Edible Bird's Nest

Birds have an association with the heavens and the sky. Edible bird's nest has cultural significance as well. It is a delicacy in many Asian countries, as well as a symbol of luxury- often called the “caviar of the East.” Edible bird’s nests also have many health benefits like improving the immune system, respiratory, skin, and digestive health. It's also believed that they improve energy and vitality.  

Edible bird's nest comes in various forms including dried, ready-to-eat, and baked into desserts. It can be used in many recipes but is most commonly made into bird's nest soup. Bird's nest makes a great Mid Autumn Festival gift. What's better than the gift of health and luxury?

Due to its rarity, there are fake products that try to fool consumers. To ensure you get authentic, high-quality bird's nest products:

• Buy from a reputable source
• Ensure they are FDA-approved
• Check with the Better Business Bureau

Bird's nest products aren't common, especially in the US. However, there are some reputable online retailers like Golden Nest that have rigorous standards for their authentic, high-quality, FDA-approved bird's nest products. Browse some of our white, red, and gold bird's nest products or sign up for our newsletter to learn more about them. 

3. Tea Sets

Tea is a traditional Chinese drink that goes back thousands of years. It is woven into the culture. Of course, it's the traditional drink of the Mid Autumn Festival. The bitterness of the tea is the perfect balance for the sweetness of the mooncakes.

Not only does the tea itself have great cultural significance and symbolism, but so does the tea set they use to make and serve it. Each tea set material has a story and a purpose.

Best Tea Set Materials:

• Clay Pottery Tea Sets: Clay pottery was the first material used to brew tea and is still considered the best. Yixing clay teapots are believed to be the best of the best. The clay absorbs the fragrance and flavor of the tea each time it's used, making the experience better with time.
• Porcelain Tea Sets: Porcelain originated in China and has existed for about 2,000 years making it a very popular and traditional choice. This is the most common type.
• Lacquer Tea Sets: Lacquer is great for tea sets due to its heat and damage resistance. It also allows for beautiful designs to be hand-painted on them.
• Glass Tea Sets: Glass has its advantages and drawbacks. The main reason to buy a glass tea set is either due to the low cost or for the enjoyment of watching the tea brew and seeing the color spread through the water. It is very fragile though and often painfully hot to handle.
• Metal Tea Sets: These were common thousands of years ago, but they're rarely still used. They're believed to drain the flavor from the tea.
• Enamel Tea Sets: Enamel is known for its hardness and longevity. It's durable, scratch-resistant, stain-resistant, and resistant to chemicals.
• Wood and Bamboo Tea Sets: These are the most cost-effective options. They're sustainable, beautiful, and considered a healthy option as they won't pollute the tea.

Choosing the right tea set as a Mid Autumn Festival gift requires some thought. If you know the person well, try to match it to their style preferences. If not, go with a simple and traditional design. Consider the pros and cons of each material as well.

4. Gift Boxes

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care through thoughtful and creative gifts- which is why build-a-gift-box sets are perfect for this occasion. 

Build-a-gift-box gift sets with edible bird’s nest products are a great choice for Mid Autumn Festival because they add a personalized touch and convey wishes for health as well as prosperity. Edible bird’s nests are known for their nutrition-packed benefits, immunity boosts, enhanced skin complexion, and overall well-being. 

Choosing a gift box allows you to customize options for your loved ones: Golden Nest build-a-gift boxes allow you to combine healthy and nutritious products such as edible bird’s nest soups, drinks, and nests- ensuring that there is something for everyone to enjoy.

5.Lanterns

Lanterns are a huge part of Chinese culture and the Mid-Autumn Festival. They symbolize luck, light, and familial togetherness. Some are meant to be hung around the house or yard while others are released into the night sky.

While it used to be common to make handmade paper lanterns with family, there are now a myriad of stores that sell really beautiful and unique lanterns. These days, they even have electric LED options.

These are a huge part of the Mid-Autumn Festival tradition- making them a perfect Mid-Autumn Festival gift option since there are many types to choose from. They come in different colors, shapes, and even look like different animals. Consider buying one that matches the recipient's favorite color, animal, or Mid-Autumn Festival folklore story.

5. Fruit Baskets

The Mid-Autumn Festival began as a celebration of thanks for a bountiful harvest. What better Mid-Autumn Festival gift than a lovely fruit basket filled with traditional fruits like pomelos, pears, and apples?

The most beautiful fruit baskets begin with a sturdy and visually appealing basket. Opting for a wicker option rather than plastic will have the best effect. You can use colorful shredded paper as a base and arrange fruits of different shapes and colors in a visually appealing way.

Conclusion

The Mid-Autumn Festival is all about tradition and togetherness. The traditional Mid Autumn Festival foods and Mid-Autumn Festival gifts are the basis for some of the most precious memories of those who celebrate. You can't go wrong with a Mid Autumn Festival gift of mooncakes, tea or tea sets, edible bird's nest products, lanterns, or fruit baskets.

Uniquely tailor your gift choice to the receiving friend or family member. Opening a thoughtfully chosen Mid Autumn Festival gift of something special and culturally significant like Golden Nest's edible bird's nest products will make the day all the more special. Buy Golden Nest edible bird's nests for the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival today!