Fall Harvest around the World

It is not just America that celebrates autumn around a Thanksgiving dinner table. Many cultures and civilizations also plan their entire year around the harvest season, and the blessing of a plentiful crop. Many today still depend upon their fall harvest to sustain their families, communities, and for the next harvest.

Chusoek (Korean culture) is a major holiday and lasts three days. It is celebrated around the Autumn Equinox, in the 8th lunar month on the 15th day. This festival dates back to several hundred years (as far back as 57 B.C.). Koreans are known to celebrate fall harvest by visiting their ancestral home and enjoying traditional Korean food, as well as playing folk games.

Similar festivals are recognized in many cultures all over the globe. They celebrate food, prosperity, and culture.

The American Autumnal Harvest

America’s harvest festivals are usually celebrated in late September or October. Contrary some belief, harvest is celebrated sooner than Thanksgiving. All over America fall festivals are held when the cool, crisp air of Fall is felt and the leafs begin to change in deciduous tree. These pleasant days make for great outdoor activities.

To celebrate the arrival of autumn, pumpkin festivals are a popular event. These festivals are typically held in rural locations and feature entertainment such bluegrass music as well as pie eating contests and rodeos. These traditional country festivals usually last for several days or weeks. Many fall festival participants often display and sell unique, collectible crafts.

Fall festivals are an important theme in Christian worship. In the fall season, country churches often host revivals, homecomings dinners, and gospel music outdoors under picnic shelters and tents. For children, there will usually be games and other fun activities like face painting or cake walks. Because of their religious beliefs, many Christian churches have held an autumn harvest celebration since the death of Halloween.

All across America, there are many themes to be found: arts and craft shows, parades; music; chili; and even road kill cooking offs. The autumn harvest’s vibrant, colorful display from rural fields and trees is a highlight. Many festivals celebrate the autumn foliage displays in the countryside and forests.

Thanksgiving is celebrated later in the season (forth in November), since pilgrims, when Indians as well as settlers gathered to express gratitude for the harvest. In those days, harvest was vital to the survival for colonies of settlers that had to endure cold winters with very little food. Thanksgiving is viewed as a time to gather with family (where harvest celebrations involve friends and relatives) and when people travel across the country in order to see their family and thank them for their love and support. Thanksgiving dinner traditionally includes a turkey and/or large ham along with sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. There are many traditional dishes, which vary from one family to the next.

The harvest festivals precede the Christmas season. The day after Thanksgiving has been deemed the busiest day for shopping in America. This day is used to evaluate the country’s consumer spending economics.

The harvest festival is an integral part of every society. There have been many changes in the way that harvest festivals are celebrated for different societies. From a time where people express gratitude for the harvest, to a celebration of family and good fortune,