5 Top Thanksgiving Celebrations Outside America In 2022

While most people would immediately link Thanksgiving to the US, there are really many different “giving thanks” traditions celebrated all over the world. Most occur in the fall as a means to give thanks to God or to just rejoice over a good harvest. Continue reading to learn about lesser-known Thanksgiving traditions from around the world.

Harvest Festival – United Kingdom

Although there is no set date for the UK’s Harvest Festival each year, it is an October celebration of thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest. In actuality, the Anglo-Saxon term “haerfest,” which implies autumn, is where the word “harvest” originates. In the past, customs included singing traditional harvest songs as farmers celebrated harvesting their crops and attending a special church service at the start of the season. Today, festivities can include a Harvest Supper in churches or small towns, or nationwide giving campaigns sponsored by schools. Since the UK now imports a large portion of its food, charitable giving and gratitude for the country’s relative riches are frequently in the spotlight.

Moon Festival – China

China’s Moon Festival, which is observed in the middle of the autumnal season, is a long-standing tradition that originated during the Shang Dynasty as a festival honoring Chang’e, the moon goddess. The event still occurs on the evening of the brightest full moon between September and October, but its focus these days is mainly on giving thanks for the harvest and spending time with family. Mooncakes, a packed flaky pastry, lanterns, and incense burning are examples of customs. Since the moon is traditionally regarded as a sign of fertility, unmarried people frequently look for love during this festival, or men will propose to their partners.

Liberia

Since Liberia was founded by recently liberated African-American slaves roughly 200 years ago, the event known as “Thanksgiving” there shares many characteristics with the more well-known American version. The event, which is observed on the first Thursday in November, honors liberty and opportunity. Liberians typically attend a church ceremony on Thanksgiving Day and bring along fruits that are later auctioned off. Then they go back home to eat a family lunch that has some minor variations from the American-style meal but otherwise follows the same fundamental formula: chicken in place of the turkey and cassava in place of the potato.

Canada

Thanksgiving in Canada is believed to have originated in the late 1500s, making it older than the American version. This custom is considered to have been established by French settlers who came on the eastern coast and celebrated a prosperous harvest in late October. As time went on, customs from other colonists, such as Scotland or Germany, were integrated. Later, Americans who fled to Canada during the American Revolution added more well-known American customs. As a result, turkey is frequently consumed, while a tourtière, a pie filled with potatoes and game meat, is a more traditional choice.

Canadian Thanksgiving: What is the national holiday and how is it different to American version? | The Independent

Erntedankfest – Germany

While family is at the heart of most Thanksgiving celebrations, this holiday is more of a religious feast in Germany. It is observed in late September or early October and focuses on church-related activities including giving to the church, attending Mass, and assisting the less fortunate. With street parades and customary live music, celebrations are typically held in communities rather than simply among families. It is still a harvest holiday, though, and the biggest celebrations are held in rural regions when food is also given to the church to feed the needy. Erntedankfest is celebrated at the same time as the well-known Oktoberfest occasion.