The Festival of the Moon

I love the Moon Festival! I'm kinda lucky, my birthday is a little bit before their new year, so I get a fun festival for free!

— Timmo, age 6

History

The Festival of the Moon is actually the name of three festivals from one religion, blending both secular and religious aspects.
The specific festival being written about here is one that has evolved over the years, starting from a small religious ceremony celebrated by a small religious group and becoming the well-know and very celebrated festival it is today.

Execution

There are three ceremonies associated with the Festival of the Moon is observed, two secular and one religious; one could say that the first way is the Star Gyd's way to celebrate their brother's festival, making it so that all are welcome. The second way is how the Moon God would prefer his worshippers to celebrate him.
In the past, these two ceremonies have been held separately (times, locations, etc.) with the Star Gyd's festival lasting more than a couple of days in a nearby town (or empty field) while the Moon God's took place at the center of worship, and only for the time the ceremony needed.
In modern times the ceremonies are sometimes in the same location and at the same time. The key people who take part in the religious cermony will leave the Star Gyd's festival, and possibly rejoin it when the sedated wine has worked its way out of their system.

1. Star Gyd's: "Shine softly" is taken to mean that all neighbors, visitors, and travelers are welcome to take part in the festivities. No one should be forced into attending, and also as important, no one should be forced into religious ceremony. The activities at this time can all be described as "spreading joy." There are games for children, fireworks, festival foods, and games of chance all with a moon theme.
2. Moon God's: "Shine softly" is taken to mean how the Moon God would want the death of the old year and the birth of a new.  should be worshipped. Religious ceremonies are held at the darkest hour of night, with candles held by people representing the stages of the Moon. An extra candle, representing the past, lights the other candles, and then the final candle (specially made), has 9 wicks attached to it. An instant before the others, the candle of the past lights the slightly longer wick. Then, the other phases all come up at the same time and light their wick ends. This results in the year's future candle being lit by both the past and the present (since these two time periods both create the future). There are some foods here, mostly cheese or cake in the shape of moon phases, and afterwards everyone drinks a type of sedated wine so that they quietly enter the new year, and don't attract the attention of bad luck.

Components and tools

Since the religion started small, there are not many components or tools needed for the religious ceremony.
Moon God's ceremony (not optional)

1. 9 average candles (8 moon phases normally white/yellow, 1 not white/yellow to represent the past)
2. 1 candle (future) with 9 wicks intertwined into one
3. Sedated wine (if a person is known not to be able to drink wine, a sedative potion may be given)
4. Food for the people there, usually in the theme of moon phases (optional)

Star Gyd's festival (optional)

1. Fireworks to make the sky pretty for the moon (also, some say, to paint the stars in colors).
2. Foods along a moon theme, "festival food," and sometimes the food can be made by the eater (Crescent Cookies - like senbei crackers with sugar coating)
3. Tents and stalls for larger festivals
4. Games of chance (a gambling game called Moon's Face, two die with each phase of the Moon on the sides)
5. Fortune tellers and good luck charms for the new year

Participants

While the Star Gyd's festivals are usually started by an important figure in the community (and ended by either the same figure or the local police equivalent), the Moon God's ceremony shares the responsibilities between those who are best suited to represent the eight phases, the past, and the future.

1. New Moon - adventure, travel, fill (adventurous) - the future cannot be seen, take advantage and use your energy to make it a good one.
2. Waxing Crescent - plans, notes, details (meticulous) - while you travel, keep your plans crafted and open yourself to new possibilities.
3. 1st Quarter - growth, action, energy (energetic) - now that the planning is in place, like a trellis, use all your energy to combine your travels and plans.
4. Waxing Gibbous - defend, protect, keep safe (protective) - this is when you should protect what you've created and you've been caring for; defend all the time and energy you've invested.
5. Full Moon - stopping, resting, relaxing (thoughtful) - the present - plans have been made, energy is spent, wait for fruition and tweak small things.
6. Waning Gibbous - unconstrained, impulsive, unplanned (spontaneous) - this is the time when plans may have unraveled, or defense wasn't enough; time to rely on luck and see what happens.
7. 3rd Quarter - laid back, supporting, bolster (helpful) - your own plans are now on their own, it's time to help others in the community and be the luck that they're waiting for.
8. Waning Crescent - thankful, grateful, happy (thankful) - a person should remember to give thanks for what they have, what they are willing to help others with, and take the time to relax for enjoyment's sake.
9. Past - learning, study, knowledge (studious) - even if we didn't learn in the past, the opportunity was there and we can still learn from it; we are who we are today because of what we learn.
10. Future - death, life, relationships (these are qualifications needed to represent Future) - a person is never alone, even when there is death, there are new lives to great and relationships to make.

Observance

While this festival was once celebrated more solemnly and with a lot less pomp than it is now, the two ideas have changed places within many of the communities; festivals use fireworks, have more of a carnival atmosphere, and usually have only one or two booths pertaining to the religion behind this festival.
Another change through the ages has been from a very formal religious ceremony only concerning those in the religion to a festival that welcomes the entire community, regardless of their religious background.