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Moon cakes once exchanged as gifts to family and friends, representing unity, have become a way of showing off wealth. A once simple cardboard box of moon cakes has grown to include an expensive, top-quality, imported bottle of wine, or “even a diamond ring”. This day which has become the “Chinese Valentines Day” has brought jewelers into the business of moon cakes as well. Jewelry companies have invested in presentable gift boxes containing a heart shaped moon cake paired with a heart shaped diamond for those romantic consumers. Many companies have also invested in more elaborate moon cake boxes, ranging from silk to silver and wood carved boxes. But, with all this fancy elaboration comes a price. These fancy gifts could reach a couple hundred U.S dollars to over a thousand U.S dollars per box. Some people have even bought these moon cakes as gifts for others as a form of bribery for advancements and permissions. Far from its simple beginnings, the gift giving of moon cakes “have become a costly affair,” and has lost some of its original meaning of festivity and unity.
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