Vu Lan Day, is a Buddhist festival which has long been celebrated in Viet Nam.  The festival takes place every year on 15^th day of the 7^th lunar month, and it celebrates the seventh full moon of the lunar year.  This year, Vu Lan falls on 10 August, and the moon itself will be an extra large ‘supermoon’. 

In Vietnamese, it is also called the "Xa toi vong nhan" festival because Vietnamese people, and the many in other countries who share the same festival, believe that on this day the souls of the dead can return to their homes and gather with their families.  It is therefore an occasion for family gatherings as well as a time to express love and gratitude to ancestors and parents.  This is the reason why Vu Lan Day is also known as Mother’s Day in Viet Nam.

In the morning, a lavish tray with various delicious dishes and votives is placed on the ancestral altar.  The householder burns incense and invites the ancestors to return home and celebrate the festival with the family.  Then, all the family members gather together and enjoy lunch, with vegetarian food being very popular. 

Pagodas are crowded during the festival day because Buddhists gather for the monks’ lectures.  In the lectures, the monks explain the responsibility of children to pray for their parents, whether they are living or dead.  Each Buddhist holds a flower (usually a rose) in front of their chest - a red flower if their parents are living, or a white flower if their parents are dead. 

In the evening, a tray filled with food is set out in front of the house.  The householder lights incense and prays for the homeless souls, wishing them rest in peace. 

At night, candle-lit lanterns are released onto the river to float with the current.  Vietnamese people believe that, by doing this, their wishes for their parents will come true.  The ceremony creates a wonderful scene with the river sparkling in a holy ambiance.  Vu Lan Day is a wonderful tradition which demonstrates the humanitarian spirit of the Vietnamese people.