Thanksgiving Around the World

 THANKSGIVING AROUND THE WORLD

By Hayley Lane 

When leaves are almost done falling, the morning air gets crisp and cold, and the last of everyone’s Halloween candy is eaten up, that can only mean one thing: Thanksgiving is coming! Thanksgiving may be treated as a less-significant holiday compared to Christmas, however, when it rolls around, the world is thankful to be around each other practicing different traditions and indulging in some tasty food! 

Today we will be taking you around the world to discover Thanksgiving traditions from five different countries!

The United States:

This one is probably the one you’re most familiar with! Most American families gather around the TV in the morning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Foods like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are commonly served. It is also typical to go around the table and have each family member share something they are thankful for, and don’t forget Black Friday Shopping the following day! 

Germany:

Germany’s equivalent of Thanksgiving is called Erntedankfest, translating to “harvest festival of thanks.” It is a religious holiday that takes place on the first Sunday of October, where people get together to celebrate the good fortune their congregation received that year. Celebrants carry an Erntekrone, or a “harvest crown”, made of grains and flowers and eat chicken and roosters. 

Japan:

Japan’s version of Thanksgiving, Kinro Kasha no Hi, or “Labor Thanksgiving Day,” evolved from an ancient rice festival. It began in 1948 after the end of WWII to celebrate the rights of Japanese workers. It’s considered a national holiday, but none of the typical feasting takes place. Instead, citizens celebrate hard workers of the community, and children typically write cards to firefighters or policemen. 

Puerto Rico:

After Puerto Rico became a territory of the U.S., it adopted many of the typical American traditions such as Black Friday Shopping. However, Puerto Rico put their own twist on their feast. Their turkey is stuffed with mofongo, a plantain dish. Aside from turkey, they also serve pork, rice, and beans. 

Liberia:

Due to the spread of Christianity in Africa during the 1820s, Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving as a religious holiday. Churches auction baskets of local fruit after their services. Families feast on roast chicken and mashed cassavas. Live music and dance is also a large part of their thanksgiving tradition. 

Pruitt, Sarah. “8 Thanksgiving Celebrations around the World.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 22 Nov. 2016, https://www.history.com/news/8-thanksgiving-celebrations-around-the-world.