Give Me Money Moon ~ A Wish for Blessings

A famous line in Cebu ‘Moon… Give Me Money, Moon’ whenever the moon shines bright and big. Over the weekend, I asked my husband, my Tagalog friends, and a friend from Leyte, about the line and nope, they are not familiar with it. And I’m so surprise “Really? You haven’t heard of it? You’ve never said it at all?!”

Myyyyy.

I do, and I still do at times especially when the moon looks enticingly beautiful, full of promises like tonight.

I don’t know if it’s a Cebuano thing or just in our place in Lapu-Lapu City that folks utter the line when it’s full moon or when the moon looks extraordinarily nice.

Whenever I read one or two #GiveMeMoneyMoon shout out on my newsfeed, it’s normal for me, a given, but it’s altogether new to my husband.

In my hometown, parents teach their kids at an early age to say the line. It’s become like a mantra, a childhood chant. It is common to see mothers pointing the moon to their babies and cooing, ‘look up baby and say moon, give me money, moon’, all the while holding the baby’s hand. Then as soon as the child transition to toddler, the child is taught to extend their hand on their own, look at the moon, and wish by saying the moon line. Me and my cousins, our neighborhood kids grew up doing this, it has become part of our tradition, a thing to pass on.

Give me money moon becomes a special moment, a bonding between parent and child, a simple wish. Do I believe that the moon will give money or be instrumental for money to land on my feet, nope, but I still like saying it. It is another thing that bridges time and memories.

So tonight the moon is huge, beautiful and bright,  I urge you, look up, stare at the moon, and say the words we’re taught.

May your night and day be showered with blessings. 🙂