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Thread: Star Festival for Jess?

  1. #1
    Inactive Member kitandkat's Avatar
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    I think that sounds like a great idea! I'm sure someone could even set up a virtual version with all the dolls wishes! I'm going to be on vacation though but we might do this at our May Fair now that you brought it up. My sister did this in school, too. I could make the dolls paper cranes out of the wishes' papers.

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    Inactive Member QNPoohBear's Avatar
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    oh cool! My friend Keiko never mentions any of these cool festivals. I suspect that since her parents are Christian and her mother is very religious, they might not participate in some of the more traditional cultural ceremonies.
    I want a Japanese doll so badly now! Darn you Cherry LOL!

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    Inactive Member Sakurako's Avatar
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    Did you know that many Japanese girls celebrate a romantic, fairy tale festival on July 7th? Since 2006 is the year for Jess, who is at least half Japanese, I thought this might be a fun thing for us to share. It could be quite easy to make on a doll scale, using origami paper cut into long strips and hung from the wooden dowels you can find in craft stores. Just write a wish or a short poem on the strip of colored paper and tie it to the wooden pole with a thread. You could also use Kit's paper lanterns as decorations.

    Here is the info about this festival that I found on a website: "Star Festival (Hoshi-Matsuri) or Tanabata (Weaving-loom) Matsuri

    This is a festival in which children and young women find much enjoyment. Fairylike in its fantasy is its legend: That on the eve of July 7 Shokujo, or Weaver Princess Star, is supposed to meet Kengyu, or Herdboy Star, on the bank of the Amanogawa (River of Heaven), or Milky Way, for their annual tryst. Veda is the Princess Star, Altair, the Herdboy Star. The legend is that the celestial princess, daughter of the celestial king, a most skillful weaver and the embodiment of industry, while engaged in weaving cloth for the king's garments, fell in love with a handsome lad, a cowherder, and as a reward for her diligent industry the king allowed them to marry. But so much in love were they that the princess gradually neglected her weaving and the herder allowed his cows to stray, which so exasperated the king that he finally separated the couple by forcing them to remain on opposite sides of the Milky Way, and permitting them to approach each other only once a year. But there is no bridge over the Milky Way and the princess wept so bitterly at the impossibility of meeting her husband that she roused the sympathy of a Kasasagi (magpie) who assured her that a bridge would be contrived for her. This was done, the magpies with their wings spread forming a bridge on which the princess crossed. But if the eve of July 7 is rainy, the magpies will not form the bridge and the celestial lovers must wait another year before meeting.

    Although the modern celebration of Tanabata varies widely, a common feature of this festival is the display of bamboo branches decorated with long narrow strips of colored paper and other small ornaments and talismans. The paper strips are inscribed with poems expressing the wish for fulfillment of romantic aspirations. Young girls firmly believe that when they observe the festival earnestly, they will gain skill in weaving and sewing. The decorated bamboo branch is tied to a pole and placed in front of the house."

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    Inactive Member Bean Bunny's Avatar
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    Yeah! Let's celebrate this!

    Would you like to be in charge of heading up the festival?

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    Inactive Member Sakurako's Avatar
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    I would be honored (bowing deeply). Should we set July 15th as the target date for sharing our festivals?

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    Inactive Member Sakurako's Avatar
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    Wink

    http://www.planetpals.com/ppcraft2.html

    has one version of a folded origami star. There are quite a few others. Just in case anyone has time to think about the Star Festival this weekend.

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