United States
This holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The must-have meal at Thanksgiving is turkey. The house is filled with the smell of celery, onion, and herbs; it makes everyone hungry. The turkey is mainly served with two traditional side dishes: mashed potatoes and sweet potato casseroles. After the meal, people would separate to either watch the football games or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The parade was held in New York City ever since 1924. After the parade is over, dinner and more food are served!
Germany
Erntedankfest is essentially a harvest festival that gives thanks for a good year and good fortune. This religious holiday often takes place during the first Sunday of October. In some areas, the festival is celebrated more literally, but churches in cities hold festivals. This literal tradition might include wearing Erntekrone, a harvest crown made of grain, flowers, and fruit. Unlike USA’s Thanksgiving that is served with a turkey, chickens, hens, roosters, and geese are favorites for the German feast.
Japan
Its version of Thanksgiving is called kinrōkanshahi, or Labor Thanksgiving Day and it’s been a national holiday ever since 1948. It is celebrated on November 23rd, so around the time of the American Thanksgiving. The day is a national holiday to give thanks for everyone’s hard work. Some student might make thank you cards and gifts for workers like teachers, police, firefighters. Unlike the American Thanksgiving, no turkeys are served.
Korea
Their Thanksgiving is known as Chuseok. According to popular belief, Chuseok marks
the day that Silla won a great victory over their rival, Baekje. On this day, a full harvest moon appears in the sky, families gather to enjoy time together, and give thanks to their ancestors for the plentiful harvest. The women of the family also prepared an ancestral memorial ceremony called charye by filling a table with food including the newly-harvested rice and fruit.
China
Thanksgiving takes place on August 15th according to the lunar calendar. People usually mark this festival by having a delicious feast and giving out mooncakes to one another. People enjoy performances while eating mooncakes. Another tradition for this holiday is to light and carry colorful lanterns around the street, which now has become an important symbol of the holiday.
This festival is also recognized as the Women’s festival. The moon symbolizes the beauty of women and the many ancient folk tales were written about the Moon Maiden. On the 15th night of the eighth lunar moon, children on earth can see the lady of the moon. Those who make wishes to the Lady of the Moon will find that their dreams have come true.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of those that celebrate the holiday!
Ben Wu
THANKSGIVING IN OTHER COUNTRIES