Thanksgiving Worldwide

Thanksgiving is a big holiday in the United States, families come together to give thanks to each other and stuff their faces with food. Thanksgiving first became a national tradition in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that November 26th would be a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwellth in the Heavens.” The idea for Thanksgiving came from the “First Thanksgiving”, celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrims that came to the New World. If you don't already know that story, it's pretty much the Pilgrims celebrating not starving anymore.  But we all know that Thanksgiving is strictly an American holiday, but the idea for celebrating a bountiful  harvest is not original to America. Many countries and cultures also celebrate the harvest, many who's traditions started long before the settlers of the "New World" landed on a rock (Plymoth Rock).

China
China's harvest is actually the August Moon Festival which takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese calendar. The August Moon Festival which has been celebrated since the Shang Dynasty is a day where families come together to celebrate the end of the harvest, and take part in the worshiping of the moon. Another interesting part of the August Moon Festival is that instead of pumpkin pies like we have in America, the Chinese exchange Mooncake's with each other.

This is a traditional mooncake. The center is usually a red bean or lotus seed paste, while the crust usually contains egg yolks and salted duck eggs. Is anybody else curious to try one?

http://binged.it/T5fVLl

Italy
Who would have guessed that in Italy they also celebrate the harvest! The harvest festival in Italy is called Cerelia in honor of the Goddess of agriculture, grain and fertility, Ceres. During the festival people make offerings of the first fruits of the harvest to the Goddess Ceres. The offering is followed by music, games, parades and of course a feast! If you are an American celebrating Thanksgiving in Italy, I suggest forming a new Thanksgiving tradition due to the fact that you may have trouble finding the same ingredients a traditional American Thanksgiving requires. An Italian "Thanksgiving" feast may include pumpkin ravioli, roast turkey basted with pomegranate sauce, sweet potatos with lime and ginger. 

The Goddess Ceres waiting to be thanked for giving her people their harvest. 

Brazil
Thanksgiving in Brazil is the same as in the United States. Surprised? I was too when I first read it. The reason that the Thanksgiving tradition was first started in Brazil was due to Joaquim Nabuco the Brazil ambassador of the United States. When Nabuco was invited to the United States to celebrate an American Thanksgiving he decided to bring the tradition over to Brazil and actually proposed it in into law. So if you happen to be in Brazil for Thanksgiving, go to the local market where they will be selling turkeys and other American Thanksgiving treats. You may have trouble finding cranberries though which can be difficult to find in Brazil.

Many of late great civilizations celebrated the harvest in their own way. So when you’re sitting down to eat Thanksgiving this year think about what other people are doing and how they are giving thanks.

Check out these websites listed below for more information:

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/thanks-giving/thanksgiving-countries.html
http://thanksgiving.fundootimes.com/thanksgiving-around-world.html