Quick, what’s a uniquely American holiday? For most people, Thanksgiving is near the top of the list of traditions that are as American as, well, pumpkin pie. Still, it may surprise you to realize that the concept of a harvest festival or feast paired with “giving thanks” exists around the world. It makes sense if you think about it for a moment—a good harvest that carries your community through the winter is certainly something worth celebrating! So, before you tuck into your turkey, here are a few harvest celebrations and traditions from around the world, courtesy of FACES Magazine!
Giving Thanks in Africa
Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving each year on the first Thursday of November, earlier than us! Why Thanksgiving? Liberia holds a unique distinction among African countries: it was settled by formerly enslaved people from the USA. They brought Thanksgiving along with them! In Liberia, Thanksgiving is more of a religious holiday than a day for feasting, but many families do share a special meal.
Sweet potatoes, or yams, are one of our favorite dishes at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, so we were excited to hear about Iluyanwa Yam Festival, held in a Nigerian town called Emure Ekiti each August. The harvest of the yam crop marks a new year, and the town turns out to celebrate it in a major way. If you attend the Yam Festival, you’ll see locals parading through the streets, singing, and preparing and eating the yam together. Ghana also holds a similar celebration!
The Oromo people in Ethiopia celebrate their own Thanksgiving festival called “Irreecha,” marking the end of the winter. Though originally part of the Waaqefanaa religion, many Oromo people who are Christian or Muslim still celebrate, chanting and dancing in the streets.
Giving Thanks in Asia
.The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the biggest holidays celebrated in China, not to mention Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, and all around the world! It takes place every year in mid-September when the moon is brightest and fullest. Because of this association with the harvest moon, people who celebrate make and share “mooncakes” and light up the skies with bright lanterns! Families gathering, sharing food, and being thankful for what they have is a big hallmark of fall harvest celebrations. Some similar celebrations include Chuseok in Korea, Tsukimi in Japan, and Tết Trung Thu in Vietnam (which is also known as the Children’s Festival)!
In Japan, Kinrō Kansha no Hi is known as Labor Thanksgiving Day. Typically celebrated in November, it grew out of an ancient traditional rice harvest holiday where the emperor offered the first rice of the season to the gods. Today, it’s a labor celebration commemorating the year’s hard work! Children write letters thanking workers who serve the community like teachers and firefighters, employers celebrate their employees, and families get to spend time together!
The Jewish holiday of Sukkot celebrates the harvest season with a unique tradition: for seven days, all meals must be eaten in a temporary booth or shelter called a sukkah. Families often decorate the sukkah with anything from fruit to paper garlands to fairy lights! The booths represent the time that that the Israelites spent wandering in the desert without permanent shelter.
Giving Thanks in Europe
Did you know that Germany has its own Thanksgiving celebration? It’s called Erntedankfest, which literally means “harvest thanks festival.” This is more of a community celebration than the family feasts we typically see at American Thanksgivings. Typical celebrations include church services, parades, and even a fair where a “harvest queen” might be crowned! While Germany typically celebrates in October, you might see some celebrations in September (especially Switzerland) or even November.
Do you eat apple pie at your family’s Thanksgiving dinner? You might also get to eat some at the Savior of the Apple Feast Day celebrations in Russia, Ukraine, and Orthodox Christian communities around the world! A version of this “first fruits” celebration existed before Christianity and is now linked to the Feast of the Transfiguration each August. Revelers enjoy lots and lots of apples, including delicious apple pastry and pie! Some people even think it’s bad luck to eat apples earlier in the season than this day.
Giving Thanks in the Americas
The USA isn’t the only North American country that celebrates Thanksgiving. Canada has Thanksgiving, too! Their celebrations, however, fall earlier, in mid-October. It became a national holiday in 1879, only 16 years after the USA. Canadian Thanksgiving menus look pretty similar to ours, but they sometimes add a few regional touches like no-bake Nanaimo bars for dessert in British Columbia or a “Jiggs Dinner” (salt beef and cabbage with potatoes and other veggies) in Newfoundland.
The Cherokee people, among many other Native Americans, celebrate the early corn harvest each year with a celebration called the Green Corn Festival or Busk. These festivals take place all over the country and typically include all kinds of feasting (following a fast), dancing, a ceremonial fire, and other activities for the community. The ceremony is also traditionally a time for forgiveness of any ill will.
The end of the sugar cane harvest in Barbados and other Caribbean communities is accompanied by a huge festival called Crop Over. Expect street fairs, dance parties, parades, and lots of calypso music and good food! It’s Barbados’s biggest celebration of the year and festivities can last up to two months, closing with a bang on what’s called Grand Kadooment Day!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and think about everything we’re grateful for, it’s nice to think about others around the world celebrating the same things: food, family, togetherness, and a much-needed break from hard work! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
