Turkey Day Traditions from Around the World!

When you think of “Turkey Day,” what comes to mind? For many, it’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, football, family, and delicious food – roasted turkey, pumpkin pie, and stuffing. But guess what? Turkey Day—or harvest and gratitude festivals—happen around the world in many unique ways! From Asia to Europe, different countries have beautiful traditions celebrating gratitude, family, and good food.

Thanksgiving Feast with Family and Friends

Thanksgiving is all about family, food, and gratitude in the United States. It’s celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year. The meal’s centerpiece is a big roasted turkey surrounded by mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Families and friends gather to share a meal and reflect on everything they’re thankful for. In my family, we do a giant gratitude turkey and write what we are thankful for on the feathers. The tradition goes back to 1621 when the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast. This is one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. Thanksgiving has grown to include parades, football games, and, of course, the famous pumpkin pie!

Canada: Thanksgiving in October

Thanksgiving in Canada is like the Turkey Day tradition in the U.S., but they celebrate it on the second Monday in October. The holiday began with English settlers celebrating a safe journey across the Atlantic. Canadians gather with family, enjoy a feast, and share what they’re thankful for. Turkey and stuffing are popular dishes, but Canadian Thanksgiving menus often include regional favorites, like maple syrup desserts and butter tarts. Thanksgiving in Canada is quieter than in the U.S., but it’s a time for connection and gratitude!

Japan: Labor Thanksgiving Day

Japan’s Thanksgiving tradition is Labor Thanksgiving Day, or “Kinrō Kansha no Hi,” celebrated on November 23. Instead of focusing on food, this holiday appreciates hard work and thanks workers for contributing to society. In ancient times, it was a harvest festival to honor the rice harvest. Today, Japanese families spend the day together, children make thank-you cards for community workers, and there are parades to celebrate peace and labor. It’s a lovely way to show gratitude to everyone who helps the community thrive!

Germany: Erntedank

Germany celebrates Erntedankfest, or “Harvest Thanksgiving Festival,” in early October. Austria and Switzerland also celebrate Erntedank but in mid-September. Unlike Thanksgiving in the U.S., it’s more focused on religious gratitude and community. Churches decorate with wheat sheaves, fruits, and vegetables to thank God for the harvest. After services, there are parades with colorful costumes, music, and dancing. Some places even have a giant loaf of bread to symbolize abundance! Although turkey isn’t as popular, Germans enjoy roasted chicken, potatoes, and cabbage. Erntedankfest is a beautiful time to connect with the community and nature. Much like Thanksgiving, following the Erntedankfest celebration, unused food is distributed to those in need.

South Korea: Chuseok

Chuseok, or “Korean Thanksgiving,” is one of South Korea’s most important festive holidays and lasts three days. Held in the fall, it celebrates the year’s harvest and honors ancestors. During Chuseok, families gather to share a meal and remember family members who have passed away. Special dishes like songpyeon (sweet rice cakes) and jeon (savory pancakes) are part of the festivities. Families also visit ancestral graves to clean and pay respects. Traditional games, folk dances, and a strong sense of family unity exist. Chuseok is a unique Thanksgiving holiday with deep roots in family and tradition. Another Chuseok tradition in modern-day Korea is gift-giving. Koreans will give gifts to relatives and friends to show appreciation.

United Kingdom: Harvest Festival

The United Kingdom celebrates a harvest festival similar to Thanksgiving, called the Harvest Festival of Thanksgiving. It is not a national holiday, but the tradition falls on or near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon, in late September or early October. Harvest Festival is about sharing with those less fortunate. After the Harvest Festival Service, the food collected is given to those in need. The celebration dates back to medieval times when communities gathered to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Today, it’s more about giving back and helping others, a beautiful reminder of gratitude and kindness.

Jews Around the World

The Jewish harvest festival, known as Sukkot—or the “Feast of Ingathering” or “Feast of Tabernacles”—is celebrated soon after Yom Kippur. It’s the third of the major annual festivals in Jewish tradition.

China: Mid-Autumn Festival

China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, known as the Moon Festival, takes place in September or October. It’s a time to celebrate the harvest and family unity. Families gather to eat mooncakes and sweet pastries filled with various fillings. The holiday is tied to Chinese mythology, particularly the fascinating tale of Chang’e, the moon goddess. In fact, part of the country’s space program was named in honor of the moon goddess. Families celebrate by watching the full moon, which symbolizes reunion and prosperity. People and the moon reunite to form a full circle. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a warm celebration of family, food, and the season’s beauty.

India: Pongal

In southern India, Pongal is a Thanksgiving-like festival celebrated in January. Named after a rice dish, “Pongal,” made from freshly harvested and boiled sweet rice. Families cook this dish and offer it to the Sun God, thanking him for a successful harvest. The festival lasts four days and includes traditional dances, decorations, and games. Families also clean and decorate their homes, and even their cows get special treatment—they’re bathed, decorated, and fed a delicious feast! Pongal is a colorful and joyful celebration of agriculture, family, and gratitude.