Indian children, dressed in costumes, take part in a harvest
celebration in New Mexico.
The Feast of the Hungry Ghosts September 6
Gifts for ghosts
Have you ever heard of ghost money, orphan ghosts, or hungry ghosts? All
these things are part of a holiday called the Feast of the Hungry
Ghosts, which is celebrated in Singapore.
Singapore is a small island country in Asia. About three-fourths of the
people of Singapore are Chinese. The Feast of the Hungry Ghosts is one
of their special holidays. Other people of Singapore do not celebrate
the feast.
The Singapore Chinese believe that the souls of the dead roam the earth
during the month of September. On a special day, people offer gifts to
the spirits of their ancestors. They also do this for \”orphan” ghosts
who have no one to care for them.
The gifts are mostly food, clothes, and pretend paper money called
\”ghost money.” It is believed that if these things are burnt up, the
spirits will get them. They will then have food to eat, clothes to wear,
and money to spend.
