Thanksgiving Day Around the World

Thanksgiving is essentially a harvest related festival. It celebrates communal harmony. Though it is said to have been originated in America, a number of other countries celebrate harvest related festivals. They are observed with different names and in different seasons.

Harvest related festivals, all the over the world are characterized with lot of fun and merrymaking. Each region has its unique customs and traditions to celebrate the occasion.

Canada celebrates thanksgiving on the second Monday in the month of October. India also has a number of harvest related festivals in different regions. Popular regional festivals are Pongal, Baisakhi, Lohri, Onam etc. Though the underlying principle behind each of them is same, every festival is exclusive and different from the other.

Other Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, Korea celebrate the festival on different dates. Each festival has a folklore attached to it. Harmony, peace, feeling gratitude is the underlying theme of the celebration all over.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in United Kingdom

'Harvest Festival' as is popularly known, is one of the oldest festivals in United Kingdom. It began in churches in the year 1843, when Robert Hawker invited local parishioners to a special thanksgiving service at a church in Cornwall. This resulted in the custom of decorating churches with home-grown products. In the old times, the success of crops determined the success or failure of the people. The natives of UK, pleased the God of fertility by offering him the first sheaf of corn. This was done to ensure a good harvest in the coming season. The ritual of offering an animal sacrifice, generally a hare, is accompanied with the cutting of last sheaf of corn. It is said that the last sheaf of corn contains its spirit. "corn dolls" are made to symbolize Goddess of grain. The entire community is invited for a celebratory dinner as part of the festivity. It is held every year in the month of September, on a Sunday nearing the harvest moon. This festival is however not declared a national holiday.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in India

Thanksgiving is celebrated world over with equal fervor and euphoria. It conveys the universal feeling of being thankful to Lord Almighty for his continuous grace. India is a multi-lingual, multi-cultural and a secular country; also popular for its spirituality, God loving and God fearing people. It is known for its 'Unity in Diversity'. With the spread of western culture, Thanksgiving is celebrated in quite a few parts of India, the major festivity is however, observed by Christians in the state of Goa.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Canada

People of Canada celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in the month of October every year. It is celebrated to thank the Lord Almighty for a bountiful harvest. America however celebrates thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. The reason behind the difference is geographical; autumn season starts earlier in Canada than in America.

The thanksgiving celebrations include parades, customary 'family feast' and 'turkey'. It is a time for sharing, loving and family reunions. The central idea behind the celebration is to be thankful for the past harvest and praying for the coming year.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Malaysia

Malaysia is situated in the central south-east Asia. The Kadazan harvest festival of Malaysia is celebrated by sabah every year in the month of May to thank their favourite Rice God. The festival is locally known as "Tadau ka'amatan". Tapai, the homemade rice wine is distributed generously among localities who wear their traditional costumes to mark the festival. Carnivals are an important feature during the festival.

Locals believe 'Without Rice' there is no life. Malaysians revere Bambaazon-the overall creator and thus revere his spirit in the rice plant and cooked rice. It is a time for lots of activities, cultural programs and agricultural shows, buffalo races and traditional games.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Korea

Chu Suk is a popular Korean Festival during the harvest season. The festival is also celebrated as a mark of respect to elders. Families visit their ancestral properties in home towns. It is a time for feasting and happiness for Koreans. Offerings are made of newly harvested foods. Songp'yon, crescent-shaped rice cakes stuffed with sesame seeds, chestnut paste or beans, are a Chu Suk favorite.

Koreans hold memorial services at the grave sites of the elderly. Kang Kang Sue Wol Lae, a traditional ceremony is observed a night before Chu Suk. Womenfolk gather in circles and sing songs to mark the festival. It is a time to be thankful to God and each other.

Activities like archery, wrestling, singing competitions are a common feature of this Korean harvest festival.