Thanksgiving Around the World
November 11th, 2009 by Marina Kosmatos
While Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, countries all over the world celebrate similar harvest festivals in countries such as Canada, Ghana and Southern India.
Canada:
In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October every year and Canadians give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Thanksgiving in Canada will occur on October 12 in 2009 and is a paid holiday in all Canadian provinces and territories.
Croatia:
“Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day” in Croatia is, unlike the U.S. Thanksgiving celebration, not a harvest festival but a commemoration of the seizure of the city of Knin by the Croatian Army during Operation Storm in the War of Independence. A public holiday in Croatia, “Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day” is celebrated on August 5.
Ancient Greece:
An autumn festival held for three days known as Thesmosphoria was celebrated by the Greeks to honor Goddess Demeter, the deity of food grains. This festival was related with fertility and thus, fertile married women used to build a home for the Goddess to stay on the first day and equipped it with all the comforts. They purified their souls and body on the second day by keeping a fast in her honor and then prepared a grand feast on the third day. As the festival was around the harvest season, the specialties of the table included fruits, pigs, and corn.
Ghana and Nigeria:
Ghana and Nigeria celebrate the harvest in August. They celebrate the Yam Festival because yams are the most common food in many African countries and are the first crop to be harvested.
Southern India:
Southern India celebrates the harvest at a festival called Pongal in January. Named after a sweet rice dish, Pongal features a communal feast during which neighbors get together to share their crops and give thanks to everyone who contributed to a successful harvest.
Image credit- Ancient Greece harvest festival
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