Culture Corner: Giving Thanks Around the World

Every November, millions of Americans take time to give thanks for all that is good in their lives. But Americans aren’t the only people with holidays focused on gratitude. Read on to learn how people around the world give thanks. 

Germany

Erntedankfest, celebrated in Germany, is mainly a religious celebration that takes place on the first Sunday of October and centers on giving thanks for the year’s harvest. During services held throughout the day, giant baskets filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains are carried to churches, blessed, and then distributed throughout the community. Afterwards, many feasts are held by families, churches, or civic groups. One highlight of the meal is mohnstriezel, a sweet bread sprinkled with poppy seeds.

Canada  

Canadian Thanksgiving, or Action de Grâce in French Canada, is celebrated on the second Monday of October and stems from a combination of events dating back to 1578, when explorer Martin Frobisher and his crew held a feast to express gratitude after their safe return from an Arctic journey. Not long after, French settlers arrived and held feasts with their indigenous neighbors, who had been holding harvest feasts for many years. Today, Canadian and American Thanksgiving share a set of traditions: a long weekend, time with family, football, and feasting.

India

Pongal is a four-day celebration that takes place every January in southern India that marks the end of winter and the harvest of rice, sugarcane, and turmeric. The second day is considered the most important part of the festival and is dedicated to worshipping the sun god. Locals burn their old clothes, give each other massages, and sport new clothes to celebrate. Food plays a key role in the celebrations with sakkarai pongal, a sweet rice dish, taking center stage. Other festivities include singing, dancing, painting, and decorating cattle.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s Têt-Trung-Thu festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar cycle, between the end of September and early October, and always during the full moon. It’s a time to celebrate the end of harvest, but it’s also known as The Children’s Festival. In Vietnamese culture, children are symbols of innocence and purity, but, according to folklore, parents used to be so busy working in the fields in the months leading up to harvest that they worried their children felt neglected. Then and now, the festival is a way to show children they are loved and appreciated and includes a candlelit procession at dawn in their honor.

China

During China’s August Moon Festival, millions of mooncakes, which are flaky, round, semi-sweet pastries, are made and given as gifts. The 1,000-year-old festival is centered around themes of gratitude and abundant food. Celebrants also give thanks for a bountiful summer harvest and pay respects to the myth of the immortal goddess, Chang'e, who lives on the moon.

Class Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think so many celebrations are centered around harvests and/or food? Why is eating such an important part of giving thanks? 
2. Many of these celebrations have been around for centuries. What makes a holiday popular, and what gives it staying power in a culture? 
3. Why do you think so many cultures around the world take time to give thanks and show gratitude? Why is this a worthwhile activity for individuals, families, and communities? 
    

Class Activities

1. Have students express thanks to a friend, classmate, teacher, or family member in a way appropriate to their level in the target language:
   • Novice students can write a short and simple thank you note.
   • Intermediate students can write an email or a letter or record a video message.
   • Advanced students can write a poem or a song.
2. Do a round robin where students talk about what they are thankful for in the target language. Keep the students moving!
3. Have students talk in pairs or small groups in the target language about whether or not they celebrate Thanksgiving. They can talk about what they do, who they spend the day with, what they eat, etc. If they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, they can talk about what they do instead or about another day that is important to them. 
4. Throw tradition out the window and task your students with planning their own Thanksgiving feast with all of their favorite foods. Students can create a menu and invitation to their dinner in the target language. If students wish, have them bring a dish to share with the class.
5. Have students share things they are grateful for by writing in the target language on a sticky note or piece of paper and putting it in a jar. Keep adding to it as you read a few together regularly throughout the rest of the year.