What are the equivalents of the Thanksgiving holiday around the world?

Can there be a more iconic American holiday meal than a family gathered around a turkey with creamy potatoes, steaming vegetables, buttered rolls, and delicate pie? Americans aren’t the only ones who use good food and good company to celebrate important parts of their history. Countries around the world have their own version of Thanksgiving, and while we think any holiday worth celebrating should include a cookie or two, these celebrations have fun traditions of their own. We reached out to learn more about how other countries celebrate Thanksgiving or something similar. Keep reading to learn more about the different celebrations.

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Table of Contents

Thanksgiving From Nine Different Countries

Thanksgiving is immensely popular in the United States. However, it is not exclusive to the USA. Several other countries worldwide have an equivalent holiday, albeit under a different name and with different traditions.

Grenada celebrates Thanksgiving in commemoration of a 1983 military intervention after a coup was staged against their democratic government in 1979.
South Korea celebrates the harvest season.
Japan hosts a labor Thanksgiving Day that was initially a day to celebrate the commencement of the harvest season but evolved to a day to celebrate all workers.
The American celebration influences Thanksgiving in Liberia since it was founded by freed American slaves, with the difference being the date and the meals.
Nigeria and Ghana celebrate the yam festival when the rain season is over and the yam harvest has ripened.
Rice farmers in Thailand host the water buffalo race.
India paints cows for a four-day harvest.
Germans have their form of Thanksgiving that entails a duck race and use the event for charity fundraising.

Like Thanksgiving Day in America, all these holidays have an aspect of sharing meals with family or friends.

Kinrō Kansha no Hi – Japanese Thanksgiving Day

One very similar celebration to the American Thanksgiving is the Japanese national holiday called Kinrō Kansha no Hi. They’re very similar in dates since Kinrō Kansha no Hi is celebrated every November 23rd (unless it’s Sunday, then it would pass on to Monday). Families get together for a highly prepared dinner and share quality time.

However, Kinrō Kansha no Hi actually translates to Labor Thanksgiving Day, and it’s the holiday where all Japanese people pay respect to labor and celebrate field production, especially when it comes to rice production since this is the time of the year when it’s harvested. Everybody knows how important rice is for the Japanese culture.

During Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan, a very common practice involves school children writing cards or sending meaningful gifts to public service professionals such as police officers, health care workers, teachers, firefighters, and more.

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Erntedankfest; German Thanksgiving Day

Erntedankfest is the corresponding Thanksgiving festival of Germany. I was able to celebrate there once with my cousin who is now living there with her family.

It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the 29th of September. What I love about it is that the celebration lasted four days. They have quite a lively celebration out there having parties with live bands, a concert at lunch, a tractor parade, and other activities like a wheelbarrow race.

The food is somehow similar to American Thanksgiving meals, but they have added a poppy seed sweet bread as dessert. It was such a fun experience.

Japan’s Labor Thanksgiving Day

The Japanese celebrate Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23. According to my Japanese friends, it was originally meant to celebrate the efforts of farmers to feed the nation and a way of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest. However, as Japan entered industrialization and less and less farming was done, the holiday also evolved into thanking other workers aside from farmers.

Nowadays, they celebrate it by preparing food and cards that are given to Japan’s labor force like teachers, police officers, office workers, and the likes. Not everyone recognizes the holiday, as some companies still require some employees to go to the office on that day.

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Canada, Korea, and Germany Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is an important federal holiday that is celebrated in the United States. This is a time to reminisce and be grateful for the blessings received throughout the past year and an occasion best celebrated with friends and family. Although the celebration is anchored in historical events, the US is not the only country celebrating thanksgiving. Other countries celebrate the same, anchored in their respective histories:

• One example is Canada’s Jour de l’Action de Grâce. It shares similarities as it is also celebrated to give thanks for the previous year’s blessings, but it is commemorated on a different day for distinction.

• Chuseok of Korea is their version of thanksgiving. This three-day holiday is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar Calendar. For them, this is a time to remember their ancestors. Traditional prayers and rituals are also conducted during the period. Popular Korean dishes are prepared and served during this event.

• Germany celebrates Erntedankfest on the first Sunday of October. The term translates to “the Harvest of Thanks.” It is currently not recognized as an official holiday yet, but almost everyone participates in the parade and the aesthetic display of harvests.

Croatian Thanksgiving

In Croatia, we call this day Victory Day, and it is celebrated on August 5th. On this day in 1995, the Croatian army defeated the Serbian army, and it marks the end of the Croatian War of Independence. We celebrate it by having big military parades in the biggest cities, and there is a special commemoration in the town of Knin, where the final battle took place.

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Rocío Haro from Alandis Travel. She is also a director of operations in Cuba.

Thanksgiving Day in Cuba

Despite the proximity and influences of U.S. culture in Cuba, Thanksgiving is not celebrated as such.

After the Revolution, any celebrations related to the times of colonization or dominions were eliminated. However, many families maintain traditions that they celebrate in the privacy of their homes, as is the case of the Day of Kings or Christmas (Catholic celebrations established by the Spaniards), without them being nationally recognized holidays.

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or the end of the year celebrations are similar to Thanksgiving because it is the day that families get together to eat and drink as an important festivity. Although it is not an act where they give thanks for the harvest, it is an excuse to gather family and friends and make a special meal. In this case, it is usually pork. A typical menu is roast pork, beans, boiled sweet potatoes, and rice. Dessert is usually flan, the favorite of Cubans.

Celebrations are announced in the Cuban media. Stores prepare for the sale of products, and for a great demand. Cubans bless and congratulate each other in the streets. It is an important festivity in the country.

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