We are kicking off October this year with a visit to the local pumpkin patch!  This weekend we went to Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch.  Every year they set up a beautiful pumpkin patch in an empty lot next to a small park.  It’s beautifully decorated with a wide range of pumpkins, scarecrows, witches, families of skeletons (with pets, too), and many more. 

There are a lot of benefits to teaching your kids about Easter. For one, it teaches your child about acceptance of all faiths. Much like celebrating Christmas, you don’t have to be religious to participate in the cultural traditions. Also, it introduces your child to the concept of birth and renewal. Whatever you decide to teach your child, follow up with engaging Easter activities in Mandarin Chinese!

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day) is a very important holiday in China and Taiwan and Chinese ethnics in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It’s a holiday that honors the dead relatives and ancestors. In a way it’s similar to Memorial Day in the US, but instead of commemorating those that served in the military, it commemorates those that passed away in your family. On Qingming Festival, families all gather at the graveyard to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and deceased relatives.