Like most other traditional holidays in China, the Mid-Autumn Festival has a long history. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which in the Gregorian calendar usually is in September or early October. Various legends exist as to the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival, in most of which the moon plays some more or less important part. In modern day China, probably the most important aspect of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the eating of the so-called “mooncakes,” small round pastries decorated with ornaments on the outside and filled with various blends of fruits, nuts and/or beans inside. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a public holiday, which means schools and other public institutions are usually closed.