Posted by 
Why Thanksgiving Is Not Just an American Holiday. When most people think about Thanksgiving, images of turkey, cranberry sauce, and football probably come to mind. But what if I told you that gratitude celebrations happen all around the world, each with their own unique thanksgiving traditions that would make your American feast look almost ordinary?
I came across this fascinating discovery during a conversation with my Canadian neighbor last year. She casually mentioned how different her October Thanksgiving was from ours, and it got me wondering: how do other countries celebrate thanksgiving, and what can we learn from their approaches to gratitude?
Canadian Thanksgiving: Our Northern Neighbors Do It First
Canada actually beats us to the punch every year with their thanksgiving celebration in October. Their Canadian thanksgiving traditions stem from early harvest festivals, much like ours, but they have managed to keep the focus more on the harvest itself rather than the historical narrative we Americans tend to emphasize.
What strikes me most about Canadian thanksgiving is how it feels less commercialized. My friend Sarah from Toronto always talks about how their family gatherings are smaller, more intimate affairs. They still do the turkey thing, but pumpkin pie often gets replaced with butter tarts, and hockey might be on the television instead of football. The thanksgiving traditions in Canada seem to maintain that cozy, family-centered feeling that sometimes gets lost in our American version.
German Erntedankfest: Where Thanksgiving Meets Oktoberfest Vibes
Germany celebrates Erntedankfest, which literally translates to “harvest thanksgiving festival.” Having visited Bavaria during this time a few years back, I can tell you that German thanksgiving traditions are something else entirely. Churches play a central role, with elaborate decorations made from grains, fruits, and vegetables adorning altars and community spaces.
The Germans approach thanksgiving with typical efficiency and thoroughness. Instead of one big family meal, many communities organize festivals that last several days. I remember wandering through a small village celebration where thanksgiving around the world suddenly made perfect sense to me. Everyone contributed something to a massive community feast, and the sense of collective gratitude was palpable.
Japanese Labor Thanksgiving Day: When Gratitude Meets Work Ethic
One interesting thing about Japan is Japan celebrates Kinro Kansha no Hi, or Labor Thanksgiving Day, on November 23rd. This thanksgiving celebration focuses on being grateful for work, production, and the people who make society function. How different is that from our approach?
Japanese thanksgiving traditions include children making gifts for police officers, firefighters, and other community workers. Instead of focusing on family and food, they express gratitude for the services that keep their communities running smoothly. This perspective on thanksgiving completely shifted how I think about gratitude in daily life.
Korean Chuseok: The Thanksgiving That Lasts Three Days
Korean thanksgiving, called Chuseok, might be the most elaborate thanksgiving celebration I have ever encountered. This three-day festival centers around honoring ancestors and celebrating the autumn harvest. Korean families travel across the country to be together, creating traffic jams that make American Thanksgiving travel look like a leisurely Sunday drive.
The thanksgiving traditions in Korea include preparing special foods like songpyeon (rice cakes) and performing ancestral rituals. What fascinates me about Chuseok is how it blends thanksgiving with deep respect for family history. They literally set places at the table for deceased family members. Imagine explaining that tradition at your next American Thanksgiving dinner.
What These Global Thanksgiving Traditions Teach Us
Exploring how different countries celebrate thanksgiving has made me reconsider what gratitude really means. While we Americans focus heavily on historical narratives and family gatherings, other cultures approach thanksgiving through community service, ancestral honor, or religious celebration.
Maybe the beauty of thanksgiving traditions around the world lies not in their similarities, but in their differences. Each culture has found its own way to pause, reflect, and express gratitude for the good things in life. Whether that happens in October or November, with turkey or rice cakes, in churches or community centers, the underlying human need to acknowledge our blessings remains universal.
The next time you sit down for your American Thanksgiving meal, remember that millions of people around the world are finding their own ways to celebrate gratitude. And honestly, that thought makes me even more thankful for the incredible diversity of human traditions that make our world so wonderfully complex.
Reference
The Canadian Encyclopedia. “Thanksgiving Day.” Historica Canada. Available at: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/thanksgiving-day
Canada’s History Magazine. (n.d.). The history of Thanksgiving in Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2025, from https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culture-society/the-history-of-thanksgiving-in-canada
King’s University College (University of Western Ontario). (n.d.). Canadian Thanksgiving history. Educational Diversity & Inclusion Department. Retrieved May 29, 2025, from https://www.kings.uwo.ca/about-kings/edid/news-and-events/edid-news-room/canadian-thanksgiving-history/