Mid-Autumn Festival: Has the Tradition Shifted? New Ways Millennials and Gen Z Celebrate

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the Chinese lunisolar calendar, signaling when the moon was at its brightest and fullest size which coincided with the harvest season in the middle of autumn. It has since been adopted and celebrated by other East Asian countries with their own unique cultural traditions (e.g., Chuseok in Korea, Tsukimi in Japan, Tết Trung Thu in Vietnam, etc.) where celebrations focus on gathering family and friends, giving thanks for the season’s harvest, and praying for a good future.

Traditionally a time for gathering at home to make and prepare traditional foods, hang lanterns, play games, etc., this festival has evolved in recent years. As household structures change and younger generations delay settling down, celebrations have shifted away from home-centered activities. Millennials and Gen-Z, in particular, are taking a more modern approach to the holiday to avoid the many uncomfortable personal questions from older generations like, “When are you having kids? or Why aren’t you married yet?” – These are questions that reflect more traditional expectations and often create tension, causing some to celebrate alone or with friends instead of their family.

Younger generations are paving a new way of observing the Mid-Autumn Festival.  While still honoring its core values, they have started to prioritize their mental well-being and personal fulfillment.  Instead of meeting with extended family at home, they use the time to create different experiences and memories like traveling. Some opt to extend their celebrations by taking a weeklong vacation in countries like Japan, visiting hot springs and experiencing new foods.

And, in an effort to maximize time relaxing, there’s been a shift from traditional food preparation to pre-made or frozen foods that were traditionally made from scratch like frozen dumplings and pre-made Bulgogi sauce. This shift to more convenient, pre-made food items go beyond the Mid-Autumn Festival into their everyday lives.

Several brands have tapped into this growing demand:

• Bibigo released a single-serving sticky white rice and Bulgogi sauce
• PF Chang’s released a frozen single-serving Chinese foods
• Trader Joe’s released a Japanese-style frozen dumpling (Gyoza)
• Weee! released to make online Asian grocery shopping more convenient

As the Asian population in the U.S. continues to grow, it’s encouraging to see some U.S. States, such as New Jersey, recognizing the Mid-Autumn Festival as an official state holiday! Yet, there is still work to be done to uplift Asian communities fully. This includes deeper efforts to acknowledge and celebrate their contributions across all sectors of society.

At C+R Research and through our CultureBeat division, we are committed to helping brands gain deeper insights into Asian communities.  By understanding these cultural shifts, brands can engage and connect with the Asian market more effectively, recognizing and celebrating their unique traditions and evolving lifestyles.