Autumn is “the most wonderful time of the year”, contrary to what Andy Williams tells us through his famous song about winter and Christmas. Green leaves turning red, gold and orange, people surrounded by different kinds of smells, like cinnamon, apples, pumpkins, a refreshing wind blowing in your face… those are only a few things that I absolutely love about this time of the year.
Across the world, various festivals and events, not only Halloween and Thanksgiving, add to the excitement of the season. Although it may rain sometimes during this period, the slight chill in the air that fall brings is for sure the best feeling in the world. Besides some countries, like Spain, where there aren’t four distinct seasons, so autumn isn’t really celebrated, almost everybody on Earth gets excited the moment fall begins.
Known as the “Moon festival” as well, this celebration is extremely important to the Chinese culture, being considered the second most known festival in China, after the Chinese New 
Year. This event that takes place every year, in the first days of autumn, consists in people gathering for dinners, worshiping the moon, lightning paper lanterns, eating mooncakes and many other activities.
Some Chinese people write good wishes on the lanterns for health, harvests, marriage, love, education and in some countryside areas, local people light lanterns that fly up into the sky or make lanterns that float on rivers and release them like prayers of dreams coming true. People usually set a table outside their houses and sit together to admire the full moon while enjoying tasty mooncakes and in the same time parents tell to the little kids many legends and stories.
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DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Right after Americans celebrate Halloween in the United States, in Mexico, a holiday 
named “Day of the Dead” gathers together people of all ages, no matter their social classes on the 2nd of November.
During this day, Mexicans remember and honor their deceased loved ones by decorating their graves in cemeteries, in the presence of other close friends or family members. Being assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning and sadness, the people from Mexico are celebrating the lives of the deceased with food, drinks, music, parties and lots of activities the dead used to enjoy in life.
More than this, they also make colourful altars in their homes and skull masks, as well, in order to welcome the spirits.Those skulls have a name written on the forehead and are placed near the gravestones for honouring the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colourful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments.
Like any other country, Cambodia has its own celebration in autumn, one that is known under the name of Bon Om Touk or the Water Festival.
Taking place every year in fall, this holiday celebrates the natural phenomenon of the reversing of the flow of water, just after the monsoon season has passed so, as a result, the water levels have subsided. The event is held in every province from the country, but many Cambodians are going to the capital city, Phnom Penh, for big boat races, illuminated floats and special food, such as rice made with banana or coconut juice.
