Thanksgiving is typically associated with turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie, but did you know that countries around the world celebrate this holiday in their own unique ways? From the Philippines to Germany, there are plenty of different traditions to explore. Here are 10 unique Thanksgiving traditions from around the world.
Canada: Celebrating the Second Monday in October
While the US celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November, Canada celebrates on the second Monday in October. Canadians enjoy similar foods, such as turkey and stuffing, but they also add their own twist with dishes like tourtière, a meat pie commonly eaten in Quebec.
Germany: Honoring St. Martin
In Germany, Thanksgiving is celebrated in November on the same day as St. Martin's Day, which honors the patron saint of wine. Traditional foods include goose, dumplings, and red cabbage, and children often carry lanterns in parades.
Japan: Eating KFC
While Thanksgiving is not widely celebrated in Japan, the country has adopted a unique tradition of eating KFC on Christmas Eve. This tradition dates back to the 1970s, when KFC launched a successful marketing campaign in the country.
Philippines: Eating Bibingka
In the Philippines, the day before Thanksgiving is known as 'Pagtatanim ng Palay', which translates to 'Planting of Rice'. On Thanksgiving Day, families gather to feast on foods like bibingka, a rice cake made with coconut milk and served with salted eggs or cheese.
Liberia: Celebrating National Thanksgiving Day
In Liberia, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Thursday of November as National Thanksgiving Day. This holiday was established in 1883 by Liberia's president, who was a former slave from the United States. Traditional foods include mashed cassava, roasted meat, and palm butter soup.
India: Giving Thanks with Gratitude Trees
While Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in India, some people participate in the tradition of Gratitude Trees. People write what they are thankful for on leaves and tie them to trees, which helps to encourage gratefulness and mindfulness.
Grenada: Celebrating Thanksgiving with Nutmeg
In Grenada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on October 25th as part of the country's 'Spice Mas' festival. The holiday celebrates the country's history of nutmeg production, and families gather to feast on foods like nutmeg ice cream and nutmeg-spiced ham.
Australia: Celebrating Harvest Festival
In Australia, Thanksgiving is not a widely recognized holiday, but many churches hold Harvest Festival services in late March or early April. These services give thanks for the harvest and encourage people to donate food and supplies to those in need.
Korea: Celebrating Chuseok
In Korea, the autumn harvest festival of Chuseok is celebrated in September or October. This three-day holiday involves making and sharing traditional foods like songpyeon, a rice cake filled with sweet filling and steamed on pine needles. Families also visit ancestral graves and offer food as a way to honor their ancestors.
Netherlands: Honoring the Pilgrims
In the Netherlands, Thanksgiving is not widely celebrated, but the country does have a connection to the holiday. The Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in North America were originally from the Dutch city of Leiden. Some people in the city celebrate Thanksgiving as a way to honor this history.
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