Anyone participating in the Hungry Ghost Festival?

birdcat@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 31 points –

I'd love to hear about your personal experiences and traditions!

What are you offering? And how much and when, what time? And if it's food/drinks/cigarettes, what to do with it after tomorrow?

Is it better to put the offerings outside your home or inside? Or is the balcony ok too?

I put 5 cigs, a pack of soy milk, a fizzy beverage and a bottle of soda water on my balcony railing. Would also have put incense sticks, but I only have the ones that repeal mosquitos and my friend advised against using it.

(If you're too smart and logical to believe in ghosts, congratulations, here's your cookie 🍪 if you're curious, this video explains the Chinese version/history of the Festival)

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Oh damn, that is now isn't it. I always lose track of the Lunar calendar. And also the Gregorian calendar. Actually come to think of it, it's 50-50 that I know what day of the week it is.

Anyway, I don't observe it personally, but I better bring something to the in-laws this weekend. Normally we construct houses with a room on the top floor for the family shrine -- it's a bit like a balcony, I guess! We use that room for this kind of thing. I see people put things out on the street too.

I think last night I saw someone offering a whole boiled chicken. That's a common one. You eat it after -- so it's very practical :)

Cigarettes and rice wine are pretty common things I see too. Or beer -- you pour a glass and leave it. Then you drink it after too, if you don't mind flat beer that smells like incense :)