Chinese student Tang Fan decorate her graduation gown in traditional Chinese style when she graduate from Syracuse University, United States, in May.

McDonald's UK has removed the iconic smiley face from its Happy Meal boxes for its Mental Health Awareness Week campaign.

Blooming grad

How do you plan to dress for your graduation photo? Many of this year's graduates in China would probably say, "In traditional Chinese attire."

This style often includes a graduation cap embellished with zanhua, a traditional floral headdress, and yunjian, a decorative shawl draped over the shoulder. Some would also opt to wear the hanfu underneath their graduation gown and hold props such as oilpaper umbrellas and moon-shaped fans.

According to Taobao, an e-commerce platform in China, sales of yunjian have surged by 350 percent, while sales of zanhua caps have increased by 336 percent by early April.

Not only have sales risen, but many Gen Zers have also decided to DIY these caps and gift them to their graduating friends.

"Dressing in traditional Chinese attire makes me feel like I've transcended time. Wearing a zanhua-adorned cap in my graduation photo symbolizes that my future will be in bloom," a graduate from Wenzhou-Kean University in East China's Zhejiang province told the Wenzhou Evening News.

Unboxing emotions

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), observed from May 13 to 19 this year in the United Kingdom, McDonald's locations in the UK have removed their iconic smile from Happy Meal boxes and replaced it with messages such as "It's okay not to feel happy all the time".

According to a news release by McDonald's published on May 13, their research indicates that 48 percent of UK children feel pressured to be happy all the time, even when they may not feel that way.

"To help get families talking, millions of limited-edition boxes will be available in McDonald's restaurants during MHAW along with emotive stickers to help children illustrate their feelings," stated the news release.

McDonald's research highlighted that 74 percent of parents believe that it is crucial to stop their children from experiencing negative emotions.

McDonald's has also partnered with BBC Children in Need, a charity dedicated to changing the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. Together, they have provided families with access to a specialized hub of resources aimed at encouraging candid conversations about emotional well-being with children. The hub has been available via QR code on the boxes, as well as on McDonald's website and social media channels.