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Mid-Autumn Festival
OpinionLetters

Letters | Even with new technology and all, mooncakes still represent our hearts

  • Readers discuss the tradition of Mid-Autumn gifting, the value of critical discussion on TV and the damaging effects of unrestrained capitalism

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Customers crowd around a stall selling mooncakes ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong on September 4. Photo: AFP
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As the Mid-Autumn Festival nears, the long-standing Chinese custom of offering gifts for traditional festivals is in full swing. It’s a custom we should seek to sustain in contemporary society.

The love and care expressed in greetings on festive occasions are often abstract and distant in nature. Therefore, it is good to offer gifts as a way to show our affection more concretely.

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For instance, many employers give mooncakes and fruit baskets to their employees to thank them for their hard work and effort through the year, while businessmen send gifts to their partners to maintain relationships. Some also donate to charity organisations so vulnerable and underprivileged groups can also partake in the festive celebration.

Some people argue the custom of gift-giving has become outmoded. Advances in information and communication technology enable people around the world to maintain contact and relationships with family and friends, and we do not need to rely on tangible gifts as a medium. Also, as the standard of living has improved, gifts might no longer be appropriate or even be wasteful.
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Nonetheless, despite social progress, the underlying spirit and value of handing out gifts should not be forgotten. It is still an important way for people to maintain relationships with one another and express personal feelings.

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