Thank you Harvest Queens for your long country walks and odes of workers’ rights, as well as more varied food options
Different people may take Thanksgiving to mean different things. We mean it on a global scale.
A dozen or more countries, outside of the United States, celebrate Thanksgiving. However, in these areas, the day does not necessarily involve dry turkey, Pilgrims, or fighting with Uncle Bob over vaccines (or any holiday’s problematic element which we’ll leave aside for now).
However, there are some countries, such as Brazil and Grenada, that tie in with the American traditions. We should also point out that these traditions are not universal. Different regions have different food and celebrations. Some people find a day full of argumentative relatives and whiny kids and heavy food to be very sexy.
There’s plenty of room to be tolerant of how others celebrate the same holiday. Maybe we can all learn from each other to make new Thanksgiving traditions. You might even find a healthier option to green bean casserole.
Below are five Thanksgiving ideas that come from other countries.
Canada
This celebration of harvest is held in October. However, it seems a little less intense than you might expect. It often includes hikes or long walks through rural areas, according to Bustle.
Liberia
This nation in western Africa was founded by freed American slaves in 1922. However, there was also an Indiginous population, which made it difficult for some to celebrate Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of November. The New York Times states that Thanksgiving food is rich and multi-faceted. This means that West African staples such as rice and yams can be mixed with American South foods (collard greens and cornbread), European exports such as dried fish, cassava and even ginger beer from Barbados.
Germany
Erntedankfest (harvest thanksgiving festival), is held in October in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It features church services and a lantern/torch parade. There’s also music and dancing. A country fair atmosphere with a crown Harvest Queen.
Korea
This mid-September holiday, also known as Chuseok Day is historically harvest-related. It involves family gatherings. The holiday offers many food choices, including songpyeon rice cakes. One of the main elements is gift-giving to not only family, but also to “friends” and business associates to express their appreciation.
Japan
Kinro Kansha to Hi is harvest-based, like many Thanksgivings, but it dates back more than 2,000 years (though it was not officially recognized until 1948). This day is similar to Labor Day in that it celebrates workers’ rights as well as other worthy causes. Yahoo News reports that Nagano holds an annual labor festival, which “draws attention” to issues relating to the environment and human rights.
