For thousands of years, humans spent most of their lives just barely surviving.  They shared every day with the specter of starvation.  Millions of people still live like this today.  The privileged few who have plenty and can live a worry-free life,  take food for granted.  But many of the traditions of thanksgiving are all about recognizing the gifts of  a good harvest, of survival in a harsh world, and of the importance of having a community of friends and family who work together to keep life going.  Today, even those who have plenty reflect on their privilege during the various thanksgiving holidays around the world.

Chuseok in Korea

This is a harvest celebration that takes place each year toward the middle of September.  Central to this holiday is remembering ancestors.  Families have memorials to honor their deceased relatives.  They visit family members’ graves to pay their respects.  Families might also visit the hometowns of their ancestors and spend time at old family grave sites.  Following these events of remembrance, there is feasting, along with games and music.

Asogli Te Za (Asogli Yam Festival) in Ghana

This festival also celebrates the harvest and takes place in early September each year.  People give thanks for the abundance of food provided by the crops.  They express gratitude to the gods and to their ancestors for blessing them with a bountiful harvest and a long and happy life.  There is singing and dancing and of course a lot of eating.  The focus is on the yam, which is a staple crop in this region.  Funerals are not allowed during this time of thanksgiving.

Erntedankfest in Germany

Meaning literally, “harvest thanks festival,” this old tradition is followed mostly in rural areas.  It takes place on a Sunday in late September or early October.  The church is central to the festivities.  In some places, baskets overflowing with fruits, vegetables, and bread made with locally grown grain are blessed by the church and then shared with the less fortunate.  Other towns have a “Harvest Queen.”  She is crowned with a wreath made of wheat, and walks in a “Harvest Parade.”  In the evenings, children enjoy glittering lantern parades.  Erntedankfest is not celebrated as colorfully in German urban centers as it is in the countryside, but big city churches do often recognize the day, and congregations take time to give thanks for the blessings of the past year.

Mehregan in Iran

This Persian autumn festival has existed for thousands of years and is still celebrated today.  Families gather to enjoy a sumptuous meal.  They decorate their table with dried marjoram, rosewater, pistachios, flowers, and fruit.  Everyone gets dressed up.  At midday, people stand in front of a special mirror to pray.  Then they put a black eyeliner called kohl around their eyes.  This is believed to bring good luck.  In the evenings, they celebrate with bonfires and dancing.  The holiday is supposed to celebrate love and life, as crops and fruit ripen and promise a happy year ahead.