Family Celebrations, Holiday Season Shopping, Vacationing & Travel Tips
American Thanksgiving is chalked full of festive tropes that we just can’t wait to indulge in every year: turkey, stuffing, football, and of course, giving thanks. It’s a day that’s filled with family, well-wishes and ill-fitting pants because of all the good food.
Thanksgiving often feels as American as its desert menu: apple pie. And even though it remains one of our most prized holidays, different countries around the world have their own way of celebrating. While some of these festivals are celebrated quite differently, at its core, they’re all about the same thing: giving thanks.
So, if you’re looking for a new way to spice up the holidays this season, look no further than the other side of the world for ideas:
Holiday name: Chuseok
Chuseok, often referred to as the “Korean Thanksgiving,” falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. During the three-day holiday, crowds of people fill up the country’s most popular airports for the chance to visit their hometowns and the streets of Seoul become nearly bankrupt.
In celebration of a good harvest, people visit their ancestral hometowns and pay respect to the ones that came before them. The day usually begins with early morning ancestral worship, and is followed by a visit to their tombs. Once there, family members clean up the site and offer their descendants food and drinks.
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Families make and eat songpyeon, a traditional Korean rice cake made from glutinous rice and stuffed with fillings such as red bean paste or sesame seeds with honey. The chewy, crescent shaped treat is a staple of the holiday, and is usually homemade. The easy-to-make food is often given to neighbors and co-workers as a sign of respect, and are at every Chuseok dinner.
Surprise your guests with your take on the classic bite-size treat. Incorporate its traditional significance into your celebration while teaching your family something they may have not known. Find all of the necessary cooking ware at PriceReel, and prepare to wow!
Holiday name: Kinro Kansha No Hi
Kinro Kansha No Hi, translated roughly to “Labor Thanksgiving Day,” is a Japanese national holiday celebrated on November 23rd each year. As the name suggests, the holiday is centered around celebrating, and giving thanks, to its nations hard workers.
The holiday was born from the celebration of a good harvest year. In a ceremony rejoicing the year’s hard work, the Emperor would dedicate the year’s harvest to kami spirits, and taste the harvested rice for the first time.
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Today, Kinro Kansha No Hi is celebrated with many labor organization-led festivities and with elementary school children giving local police officers drawings as gifts.
If you happen to have small children at home who love to express their creativity through art, encourage them to make something for the local community! Nothing puts a smile on someone’s face more than knowing that they’re appreciated. For a for a selection of arts and craft essentials, make sure to check out PriceReel’s selection.
Holiday name: Erntedankfest
Erntedankfest is a popular German Christian holiday held in early October. Unlike American Thanksgiving, large dinners and family get-togethers aren’t a trope of the holidays, and instead, many city churches will throw various festivities.
The holiday gives thanks to a good year and good fortune, and is mostly considered a religious holiday. Churches will often be decorated with autumn crops that have been stunningly arranged in front of the altar.
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Instead of turkey, chicken is commonly eaten on Erndanfest. And while that may seem uninspired because it’s such a common dish, unlike turkey, there are so many different ways it can be prepared! Unless you’re deep-frying a turkey, you’re probably going to be spending hours cooking it just right. Cooking something simple and easy like chicken can also afford you more time to spend with your family!
Thanksgiving is a holiday that’s usually celebrated within the confines of a tradition, but that doesn’t mean that we’re unable to try something new. There are many ways to give thanks, as long as we’re thankful, it’ll be a successful holiday!
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