The Lantern Festival. – 2015 03 05 It is 15th of January today according to the lunar calendar, which is called the Lantern Festival. When I was a kid and living in the village, there were lots of interesting customs. We had a traditional food called “Tang Yuan”. It is like a little snow ball with fillings inside, such as minced sesame, fruit jam and jujube paste. Usually it is sweet. When it was dark, we turned on lanterns. Each family came to street and placed candles or small torches, to make it bright. Then some people knocked metal basin/pan to make some “noise”, with the implied meaning of freaking “ghosts” out. Kids were given home-made lanterns. Usually fathers prepare these sweet gifts, they are made of glass bottles and candles. The structure was easy, but the candles should be put inside steadily. Otherwise it may burn the kid. I was always proud on that day, and my father made very nice lantern for me, and the candle never fell. With lanterns in hands, kids didn’t feel afraid of darkness any more. We went to the wide rice field and played on the ice. The rice field became quite empty after harvest, and it was like a skating rink in the long winter. Some kids rolled on the ice to get “good luck”. But I never tried as I didn’t want to stain my new clothes. There was so much fun in the old days. Nowadays kids don’t love home-made lanterns any more, they don’t go out in the evening. I wish the old traditions can be preserved in some degree and people can spend more time with families. ----- My question about tense: Should I describe “Tang Yuan” in past sense? I decided to use present tense as we have the same food now. Was I right?