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How to properly prepare an offering tray for the full moon in January 2024, can it be done in advance?

Here are some things to know about the Full Moon Festival in January.

24 February, 2024

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Why is “worshiping all year round is not as good as worshiping on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month”?

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, also known as the Lantern Festival, means the first full moon night of the new lunar year (“Nguyên” means first, “tiêu” means night).

The Lantern Festival is an important festival in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people, so our elders have a saying: “Worshiping all year round is not as good as worshiping on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month” or “Buddhist rituals all year round are not as good as the rituals on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month”.

There are many explanations for why the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is called the Lantern Festival. Many people believe that this is the night when Buddha descended to earth, so on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, everyone goes to the pagoda to pray for peace, good luck, and perform rituals to dispel bad luck…

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is also the Upper First Festival, which is the month when farmers start preparing to go to the fields. Before going to the fields, they hold rituals to show their gratitude to their ancestors and pray for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest.

Along with the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there is also the seventh day of the seventh lunar month called the Mid-Autumn Festival and the tenth day of the tenth lunar month called the Lower First Festival.

When is the best day to worship on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month?

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, or the Lantern Festival, falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month (15/1 Lunar Calendar). On this day, families often prepare carefully, from the worship offerings to the exact date and time of the worship.

So which day is the best day to worship on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024? According to customs, the Lantern Festival worship ceremony is usually held at the hour of the Horse (from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) on the exact full moon day (15/1 Lunar Calendar). The ancients believed that this was the divine hour when Buddha descended to earth and would manifest the sincerity of the homeowner.

However, if a family is busy, they can arrange the worship before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, from the 13th day of the first lunar month, or even start the worship from the 11th or 12th day of the first lunar month.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024 falls on a Saturday (February 24th in the Gregorian calendar), so families can arrange the worship on the exact full moon day (15/1 Lunar Calendar) and have time to prepare the Lantern Festival worship ceremony meticulously.

What should the worship offerings for the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024 include?

Normally, the worship on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024 includes 2 trays, one vegetarian tray and one non-vegetarian tray. The vegetarian tray is offered to Buddha, while the non-vegetarian tray is offered to ancestors and deities. Specifically:

Vegetarian offerings for the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024

The vegetarian offerings to Buddha do not need to be too elaborate, but they should be solemn and clean. Choosing the colors of the dishes in the vegetarian tray corresponding to the five elements is even better. Eating vegetarian food is a method to pursue balance, simplicity, and all things good. The dishes usually include:

Fresh flowers

Seasonal fresh fruits

Sweetened porridge, sticky rice

Various soy-based dishes

Vegetable stir-fry

Rice ball dessert

Non-vegetarian offerings for the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in 2024

Depending on each region, the non-vegetarian offerings for the fifteenth day of the first lunar month may vary. Generally, it is hard to miss chicken meat. Other dishes, such as stir-fried vegetables, spring rolls, sausages, etc., are also offered on this day.

1 boiled chicken (or chicken dish)

5 lang boiled beef

1 bowl of soup (bamboo shoot soup, mushroom soup, etc.)

1 mixed stir-fry dish

1 plate of spring rolls

1 plate of sausages

1 plate of red sticky rice, 1 bowl of plain rice

1 plate of fruits

Yellow incense; candles; betel leaves and areca nuts; wine, gold…

Note: The vegetarian tray offered to Buddha and the non-vegetarian tray offered to ancestors on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month are usually placed separately, in different locations.

Frequently asked questions

To prepare an offering tray for the full moon, you will need a tray, flowers, fruits, incense, a candle, and a glass of water. Arrange the flowers and fruits on the tray, light the incense and candle, and place the glass of water on the tray. You may also want to include a small statue or image of the moon, as well as any other symbolic items that hold personal significance.

The full moon in January 2024 is known as the Wolf Moon and is considered a powerful time for setting intentions, making offerings, and practicing magic. It is believed that the energy of the full moon can help to amplify our intentions and bring about positive change.

Yes, you can prepare the offering tray in advance, but it is recommended that you do so no earlier than the day before the full moon. This is because the energy of the full moon is believed to be most potent during the 24 hours before and after the peak, which occurs on January 17, 2024, at 6:48 PM Eastern Time.

You can use any type of flowers and fruits that you like, but it is traditional to use white or light-colored flowers and fruits that are associated with the moon, such as apples, pears, and white roses.

After the full moon, you can dispose of the flowers and fruits in a respectful manner, such as returning them to the earth by composting or burying them. You may also want to save some of the water from the glass and use it to water your plants, as it is believed to be charged with the energy of the full moon.