Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is a celebration

of harvest, thankfulness for peace, and

the attempt of Native Americans. It is celebrated

in late autumn. In the past, Thanksgiving was

celebrated for their rich harvest in New England.

In North America, however, it was originally held to

thank God for their survival in the new land which

was not easy for them. However, in Canada, it had

been celebrated as in New England. Thanksgiving

now is celebrated in United States of America and

in Canada. Thanksgiving festivals are held every

fourth Thursday of November in the U.S and on the second Monday of October in Canada. It is

usually celebrated in four to fi ve days in the North America and for three days in Canada.

It is celebrated through families and friends gathering to eat and give good luck. Turkey is the

main dish in the thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving parades are also usually held.

In Thanksgiving homes are decorated with wreaths, fresh and dried fl owers. Lamps are lighted

to brighten the environment. Tables are decorated with best china and antique silver dishes to

mark the occasion.

                                                                Taken from: Interlanguage: English for Senior High School Students XI

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Labour Thanksgiving Day

There is a holiday called Labour Thanksgiving Day (Kinrô kansha no hi) in Japan. It is a national holiday in Japan and it takes place annually on November 23. It is held as an occasion for commemorating labour and production and giving one another thanks.

Events are held throughout Japan in this holiday, such as Nagano Labour Festival. The event encourages thinking about the environment, peace and human rights. It is not unusual for early grade elementary students to create drawings for the holiday and give them as gifts to local kobans, or police stations.

Labor Thanksgiving Day is actually the modern version for an ancient rice harvest festival known as Niiname-sai , believed to have been held as long ago as November of 678. Traditionally, it celebrated the year’s hard work; during the Niiname-sai ceremony, the Emperor would dedicate the year’s harvest to kami (spirits), and taste the rice for the fi rst time.

The modern holiday was established after World War II in 1948 as a day to mark some of the changes of the postwar constitution of Japan, including fundamental human rights and the expansion of workers rights. Currently Niiname-sai is held privately by the Imperial Family while Labour Thanksgiving Day has become a national holiday.

Taken from: Interlanguage: English for Senior High School Students XI

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