Countries Give Thanks In Similar Celebrations

Thanksgiving in the United States is a way to celebrate our gratitude to each other and giving thanks for all that we have. It’s a holiday that is special to the birth of the United States and it’s a day to really show how grateful we are for how far we’ve gotten. So special that other countries also have celebrations every year around the same time.

The concept of Thanksgiving in Japan began in the 1800s. As its name, Labour Thanksgiving Day, the holiday celebrates the fall harvest and honors the hard work of laborers. The holiday is not a religious holiday but instead is a public national holiday that celebrates hard workers. Japanese Thanksgiving always lands on November 23rd which is unlike Thanksgiving in the U.S. which is celebrated on the 3rd week of November. Thanksgiving dinner in Japan is not as hyped up as in the United States but they also have a traditional meal which is made up of fish, rice, and tea. Foods that Japanese people may eat during Thanksgiving could be Shogayaki, Soba, Nikujaga, and Karaage.  

Brazil also celebrates Thanksgiving in its own special way. Thanksgiving in Brazil falls on the fourth Thursday of November. Like other countries, Brazil celebrates Thanksgiving to express gratitude and appreciation to God for the harvest throughout the year. On Dia da Acao de Gracas (Day of Grace), Brazilians attend church to give prayers and thanks to God. The great feast for Brazilians is also accompanied with turkey, mashed potatoes, corn stuffing, pumpkin pie, sweet potato dishes, pork crackling, and more. 

Like other countries, Liberia uses Thanksgiving as a day to thank God, appreciate the people, and to pray for their well-being. Thanksgiving in Liberia started when it was a colony under the American Colonization Society. As the people took influence from Americans, they adopted Thanksgiving as a holiday and still celebrate it to this day. On the first Thursday of November, Liberians go to church where they bring fruits from the harvest to sell after the service is over. Then comes the feast. Instead of the usual American Thanksgiving food, Liberians eat mashed cassava, chicken, jollof rice, and other foods from West Africa. Liberia is the only African country that officially celebrates Thanksgiving.