Makar Sankranti - Indian

Hello! I am the festival of Makar Sankranti. I am a special and happy time of year in India. People celebrate me to welcome the sun. When I arrive, it means the sun is beginning to shine for longer each day. The days start to feel a little bit warmer and a little bit brighter. My arrival is a sign that the chilly winter is almost over. Hooray for that! It means that sunny, happy spring is on its way. People love to see the sun and feel its warmth. It makes the world feel fresh and new again.

I am also a time for people to say thank you for all the wonderful food. That is why many people call me a harvest festival. This is a time when farmers have finished gathering their crops from the fields. They are so thankful for all the good things that have grown in the earth. They have crops like yummy rice and super sweet sugarcane. My celebration is a very happy time for everyone to remember all the good food the earth gives us. Families feel grateful for the tasty harvest.

People have so much fun with me! Families get together to enjoy many happy traditions. One of the most exciting things people do is fly kites. They go outside together, and soon the big blue sky is filled with beautiful, colorful kites. You can see red, blue, green, and yellow kites dancing in the wind. People also share special sweet treats with each other. They eat yummy foods made with little sesame seeds and a sweet sugar called jaggery. Sharing these sweet foods is a lovely way to share happiness and friendship.