Thanksgiving, an American holiday associated with turkey, and a pumpkin pie, is a holiday which memorizes an event from 1621 when Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians feasted together for three days to celebrate the autumn harvest. Proclaimed as a national holiday just over 200 years later by the President of USA Abraham Lincoln until this day is held each fourth Thursday of November.
But did you know that not only US celebrates Thanksgiving Day?
Here are some other countries that do:
Germany (on first Sunday of October)
Canadian Thanksgiving Day has its origin from an English explorer Martin Frobisher. In 1578 Frobisher expressed gratitude for his nautical fleet's safe travels through Nunavut. The Canadian Parliament confirmed Thanksgiving as an official holiday in 1879. Nowadays celebrated on second Monday in October. The Canadian Thanksgiving is akin to its U.S counterpart including feasting on Turkey and parades.
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| Octoberfest celebration (Source) |
In Germany, the so-called Oktoberfest is held to celebrate the harvest. Celebrated both in cities and cottages is one of the best known German holidays.
Nowadays it is associated with a beer festival. It is a great time to visit Germany and see traditional clothes and colorful festivities.
Canada (second Monday of October)
Canadian Thanksgiving Day has its origin from an English explorer Martin Frobisher. In 1578 Frobisher expressed gratitude for his nautical fleet's safe travels through Nunavut. The Canadian Parliament confirmed Thanksgiving as an official holiday in 1879. Nowadays celebrated on second Monday in October. The Canadian Thanksgiving is akin to its U.S counterpart including feasting on Turkey and parades.
Japan (23 of November)
Japan’s Kinrō Kansha no Hi, derived from ancient harvest festivals and rituals, is nowadays focused on celebrating hard work and community involvement. Kinrō Kansha no Hi, which means Labor Thanksgiving Day, was made an official holiday in 1948. Celebrated in Japan with labor organization-led festivities in mind, as well as being thankful for workers who do their job well. Sometimes that means handing out gifts and thanking those hardworking people like police, firefighters and hospital workers.
Netherlands (fourth Thursday of November)
Brought to Netherlands by the Mayflower ship’s crew, Thanksgiving is celebrated by the people of Leiden. Commemorating Leid’s pilgrims who had played a big role in the colonization of North America, it’s a holiday of great importance for both Americans and Dutch living in Leiden. Although without turkey or a pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving is celebrated with cookies and coffee during family gatherings.
Liberia (first Thursday of November)
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| 2 Liberian cornucopias at the church (Source) |
Liberians’ Thanksgiving, declared a National Holiday in 1880’s, is mainly celebrated by Christians. During the celebration, Liberians use cornucopia's symbols of nourishment as their offerings to god, which they bring to the churches. People gather with their family, and feast the whole holiday surrounded by various festivities such as dancing and singing.
Questions:
Do you know any other countries that celebrate Thanksgiving?
Would you like a Thanksgiving holiday in Poland? If so why?
What do you think about Thanksgiving?
Sources used:
Comments
2. I think no. Because I from another country, and we have never had Thanksgiving and I don't know how.
3. I think Thanksgiving everyone celebrates with family.
I wouldn't like Thanksgiving in Poland, because in the end it would be such a holiday that all old ladies would spend all day in church and that's it. Basically in Poland almost every holiday we 'should' spend in church.
I think that Thanksgiving in Poland would be nice - one more day off in a year (corpo), another occasion to celebrate
I spent a couple of Thanksgivings in Canada. It was fun.
I spent it with a farmer family on the prairies. A large family sat around a huge table and we ate the whole day.
There was a giant stuffed turkey (but of course :)), blueberry and pumpkin pies, as well as delicious gravy and mashed potatoes. They also served baked squash grown on their own fields. Delicious, I wouldn't mind to celebrate Thanksgiving in Poland if it included a blue berry pie serving :)
Actully, I don't know any other countries.
This festival origins from Anglo-Saxon culture and it seems to me that Poles have another great festivals concerning their own culture. However, it can be adopted as well like Haloween
I reckon this holiday is great because people can thank everybody for all the best what they do. no doubt, it binds people
It would be another day off, so sure yes. We should celebrate it in Poland!
It is very old tradition. I think it should be respected, because this day developed as a sign of our weakness and humble against the strength of nature.
I like every kind of holidays, because I can spend time with my family from other city.
One more day off? Of course, thats why I want Thanksgiving holiday in Poland! :)
The Chinese celebrate an annual holiday around the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.The celebration, known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, typically falls in late September or early October, when the moon is fullest and brightest.The festival originated as a holiday to express gratitude for the changing of the seasons and to celebrate the fall harvest, pretty the same as American Thanksgiving.
There are some notable differences between Mid-Autumn Festival and American Thanksgiving. For example, rather than Thanksgiving staple pumpkin pie, the favorite Chinese dessert is moon cake, a baked concoction filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds, and duck eggs.
I'm not a native Polish, but im pretty sure that Thanksgiving its a pretty nice day for the family meeting.
What about Poland? I didn't try or feel the atmosphere on that day, but i think it might have delicious food and great mood.
A day to celebrate with family definitely.
Some time ago I watched a funny movie - Free Birds (2013) - about this holiday.
Of course I would like to have such a day in Poland. It's always one more day off from duty! It seems that everyone would be happy with it. Thanksgiving Day we could spend with family or friends.
In my opinion Thanksgiving Day is great idea based on feelings rather than gifts.
btw.
I do not know when but I will definitely go to Germany to drink beer on Oktoberfest.
I think that Thanksgiving in the USA is more than just celebrating harvest but it’s their kind of way to celebrate colonization of the America, and beginning of the USA.
I don’t mind having a Thanksgiving holiday in Poland, but I wouldn’t be super excited either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do%C5%BCynki
I don't have any special thoughts about the Thanksgiving. I don't think it's more special than any other holiday.
It's a good occasion to get together with family, eat some delicious food and just hang out together. I think it's great for people who have a good relationship with family and also live nearby (or at least in one town).
I think that any family holiday as a national one is a great idea. For every country. We need to have a day to stop by and say thank you for everybody.
I wouldn't like a Thanksgiving holiday in Poland, because I find it absurdly and wrong to adopt foreign holidays. Poland has a lot of great holidays which are directly connected with polish culture and history.
Thanksgiving has special roots in USA history, generally, l it's important day for USA citizens, whan everyone spents time with family and close friends.
I knew Vietnam also had something like this, personally I don't see anything against - one more holiday, and a good reason to drink something extra :).
I think Poland needs something similar to Thanksgiving day. Maybe it would make Poles more open and friendly to each other if we would meet with our friends on dinner or party. Personally, I think that our national holidays are really dull. They only force us to remember about important things in Polish history like Constitution of May 3, but we can't really celebrate it. There is no tradition to meet with friends and do a great party. And I've never heard from anyone "Happy 3rd of May!". Shame!
About the holiday itself - it seems cool. Everyone can celebrate it, doesn’t matter if you’re christian, muslim, black, white. It’s like pure emotions, you know?
There is an additional time to spend with your loved ones, so why not? It could be a interesting experience to have Thanksgiving in Poland.
And oh, I almost forgot - I love roasted turkey ;).
I like this idea! It remind me that if we want we can even stop the war to spend time with eachothers :)
Frankly, I wouldn't like our own version of Thanksgiving, assuming it would be "copied" like many other things from "the west". Just look at our clone of "black friday"- greedy shops doing "SALE -50%" just by lowering the price to the one they have raised 2 or 3 weeks before this day...
Personally, I think we have enough holidays, and because November is just so close to December, its better to just wait for Christmas and eat even more :3
Thought only people in the us are celebrating that. Good to know.
Would you like a Thanksgiving holiday in Poland? If so why?
No. I hate Valentines and Halloween because they are all imported holidays and that is bad. We have our own culture and traditions - let's stick to it.
What do you think about Thanksgiving?
Every time that we can stop a for a minute and thank for what we have is great. I was once working in as a volunteer in the child hospital - believe after few our of working there most of you would say that you don't have any serious problems in your life.
That would be a great time to spend with family!
Our culture is based on traditional, strong values passed down from generation to generation. An adoption of new cultural habits may induce the fading our tradition and identity.