Thanksgiving around the World
Interactive Self-Study & Digital Presentation Lesson Package
Thanksgiving Across the Continents
Click on any harvest emblem below to instantly explore how different cultures offer appreciation, preserve ancestral heritage, and gather over abundant meals!
Thanksgiving in the USA
Historically commemorating the harvest feast between Native Americans and the Pilgrims in 1621. Today, Americans gather with families, consume massive amounts of Roast Turkey, and marvel at the world's largest Macy's Thanksgiving Parade featuring cartoon character balloons!
💬 Warm-up Discussion Questions
a. What are the main festivals celebrated in your community?
(तपाईंको समुदायमा मनाइने मुख्य चाडपर्वहरू के-के हुन्?)
b. Why are they celebrated? Discuss.
(ती चाडपर्वहरू किन मनाइन्छन्? छलफल गर्नुहोस्।)
Thanksgiving around the World
Festivals are not just the means of entertainment or rejoice. They also reflect our heritage, culture and traditions. Thanksgiving is celebrated around the world to extend thanks for the harvest, enjoying abundant food, and spending time with family and friends. Even though Thanksgiving seems to be uniquely American, the tradition is followed in different countries in various forms.
Thanksgiving, USA
Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving in the USA is a national holiday that commemorates the feast the Pilgrims held after the first harvest in 1621. The first celebration was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 pilgrims. Thanksgiving has been celebrated intermittently ever since.
Thanksgiving dinner with family plays a central role in the celebrations, with Americans eating more food on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, including Christmas. Roast turkey is essential – approximately 45 million of them are consumed every year – as well as mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn and assorted fall vegetables, all food that is native to the Americans.
Parades are a big part of the celebrations too. They range from small town affairs featuring the local marching band to Macy’s Thanksgiving parade through the streets of New York. Billed as the world’s largest parade, it features parade floats and huge balloons, usually based on cartoon characters, current Broadway shows and other topical themes.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
नोभेम्बरको चौथो बिहीबार मनाइने, संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकामा थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ एक राष्ट्रिय विदा हो जसले १६२१ मा पहिलो फसल भित्र्याएपछि तीर्थयात्रीहरूले आयोजना गरेको भोजको स्मरण गराउँदछ। पहिलो उत्सवमा ९० जना रैथाने अमेरिकीहरू र ५३ जना तीर्थयात्रीहरू सहभागी थिए। त्यसयता थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ समय-समयमा मनाइँदै आएको छ।
परिवारसँगको थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ भोजले उत्सवमा केन्द्रीय भूमिका खेल्छ, अमेरिकीहरूले वर्षका अन्य दिनहरू (क्रिसमस सहित) भन्दा थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङको दिन बढी खाना खान्छन्। रोस्ट टर्की (टर्की चराको मासु पोलेको) यस पर्वको मुख्य परिकार हो - हरेक वर्ष लगभग ४ करोड ५० लाख टर्कीहरू खाइन्छ - साथै मिचेको आलु, सखरखण्ड, स्विट कर्न (मकै) र विभिन्न शरद ऋतुका तरकारीहरू खाइन्छ, जुन सबै अमेरिकाका रैथाने खाना हुन्।
परेडहरू (झाँकी) पनि यस उत्सवका ठूला भाग हुन्। यी परेडहरू स्थानीय मार्चिङ ब्यान्ड प्रस्तुत गर्ने साना सहरका कार्यक्रमदेखि न्यूयोर्कका सडकहरूमा हुने मेसीज थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ परेडसम्मका हुन्छन्। विश्वकै सबैभन्दा ठूलो परेडको रूपमा प्रचार गरिएको यसमा परेडका फ्लोटहरू र सामान्यतया कार्टुन पात्रहरू, हालका ब्रोडवे शोहरू र अन्य सामयिक विषयवस्तुहरूमा आधारित विशाल बेलुनहरू प्रदर्शन गरिन्छन्।
Chuseok, South Korea
Chuseok, also called Hangawi, is a Korean festive holiday celebrated on the 15th day of August, according to the lunar calendar. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the fall harvest and to honour one’s ancestors. Similar to Thanksgiving Day in the USA, the Harvest Moon Festival, as it is also known, is one of the most popular holidays in Korea. Traditionally, Koreans return to their ancestral hometowns to celebrate with their families.
The festival day begins with a ceremony in which food and wine are offered to ancestors. This is followed by a meal that typically consists of fish and newly harvested vegetables and grains. The food most associated with the holiday is songpyeon, a crescent-shaped rice cake that is cooked on a bed of pine needles. Later in the day, celebrants visit the graves of relatives, where more ceremonies are performed. Chuseok is also marked by gift giving and athletic events, including tug-of-war competitions, archery contests, and ssireum, Korean wrestling matches. Other activities include dancing and music playing. On this day, many Koreans wear hanbok, the traditional clothing.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
चुसोक, जसलाई हान्गावी पनि भनिन्छ, चन्द्र पात्रो अनुसार अगस्टको १५ औं दिनमा मनाइने कोरियाली उत्सवको बिदा हो। यो पर्व शरद ऋतुको फसल भित्र्याएको खुसीयाली मनाउन र आफ्ना पूर्वजहरूको सम्मान गर्न मनाइन्छ। संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाको थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ जस्तै, "हार्भेस्ट मून फेस्टिभल" को नामले पनि चिनिने यो पर्व कोरियामा सबैभन्दा लोकप्रिय बिदाहरू मध्ये एक हो। परम्परागत रूपमा, कोरियालीहरू आफ्का परिवारसँग मनाउन आफ्का पुर्खाको गृहनगर फर्कन्छन्।
उत्सवको दिन पूर्वजहरूलाई खाना र रक्सी चढाउने परम्पराबाट सुरु हुन्छ। यसपछि माछा र नयाँ भित्र्याइएको तरकारी र अन्नहरू समावेश भएको खाना खाइन्छ। यो पर्वसँग सबैभन्दा बढी जोडिएको परिकार "सङप्योङ" हो, जुन सल्लाको सुइरोको ओछ्यानमा पकाइने अर्धचन्द्राकार चामलको केक हो। दिनको उत्तरार्धमा, उत्सव मनाउनेहरूले आफन्तहरूको चिहानमा गएर थप संस्कारहरू पूरा गर्छन्। चुसोकमा उपहार दिने र डोरी तान्ने (टग-अफ-वार) प्रतियोगिता, धनुविद्या प्रतियोगिता, र "सिरुम" भनिने कोरियाली कुस्ती खेलहरू जस्ता एथलेटिक कार्यक्रमहरू पनि हुन्छन्। अन्य गतिविधिहरूमा नृत्य र संगीत बजाउने समावेश छ। यस दिन धेरै कोरियालीहरू "हान्बोक" भनिने परम्परागत कपडा लगाउँछन्।
Dia de Ação de Graças, Brazil
In Brazil, Thanksgiving is a relatively new festival – but it's celebrated with great gusto. It is said that when the former Brazilian President, Gaspar Dutra visited the USA, he was fascinated with the holiday and established the festival in his home country in 1949.
Dia de Ação de Graças begins with the mass to offer thanks for an abundant harvest – then there is a vibrant carnival and revellers head to the beach, Peru. Roasted turkey is still the centrepiece of the Brazilian Thanksgiving feast, but there are a few exotic twists. Cranberries do not grow in Brazil, so a sauce made of Jaboticaba, known as the 'Brazilian grape', is whipped up to spread on the bird.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
ब्राजिलमा थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ तुलनात्मक रूपमा नयाँ चाड हो - तर यो ठूलो उत्साहका साथ मनाइन्छ। भनिन्छ कि ब्राजिलका पूर्व राष्ट्रपति ग्यास्पर डुट्राले संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाको भ्रमण गर्दा यस बिदाबाट मोहित भएर सन् १९४९ मा आफ्नो देशमा यो उत्सव स्थापना गरेका थिए।
"दिया दे आसाओ दे ग्रासास" प्रचुर मात्रामा भएको बालीको लागि धन्यवाद दिन विशेष चर्च प्रार्थना (मास) बाट सुरु हुन्छ - त्यसपछि त्यहाँ जीवन्त कार्निवल (मेला) हुन्छ र रमाउनेहरू समुद्र तटमा जान्छन्। पोलेको टर्की अझै पनि ब्राजिलियाली थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ भोजको मुख्य आकर्षण हो, तर यसमा केही अनौठा ट्वीस्टहरू (परिवर्तन) छन्। ब्राजिलमा क्रेनबेरी उत्पादन हुँदैन, त्यसैले टर्कीमा लगाउनको लागि 'ब्राजिलियन अंगूर' भनिने जाबोटिकाबाबाट बनेको चटनी तयार गरिन्छ।
Thanksgiving, Liberia
Liberian Thanksgiving is a vibrant and spicy affair. Founded in the 19th century by liberated American slaves, the festival gives thanks for freedom. Liberians celebrate the good things in life, while also marking their troubled past.
After a church service, families gather for a spread of roasted chicken, traditional green bean casserole and mashed cassava – all liberally doused with spices, of course. The Thanksgiving feast is topped off with an evening of dancing, singing and celebration.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
लाइबेरियाली थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ एक जीवन्त र मसालेदार पर्व हो। १९ औं शताब्दीमा मुक्त गरिएका अमेरिकी दासहरूद्वारा स्थापना गरिएको यो उत्सवले स्वतन्त्रताको लागि धन्यवाद दिन्छ। लाइबेरियालीहरू आफ्नो समस्याग्रस्त विगतलाई पनि सम्झँदै जीवनका राम्रा चीजहरूको उत्सव मनाउँछन्।
चर्चको सेवा पछि, परिवारहरू रोस्ट गरिएको कुखुराको मासु, परम्परागत हरियो सिमीको क्यासरोल र मिचेको कसाभा (तरुल जस्तै कन्दमूल) खानको लागि जम्मा हुन्छन् - जुन पक्कै पनि प्रशस्त मसलाले स्वादिष्ट बनाइएको हुन्छ। थ्याङ्क्सगिभिङ भोजको समापन साँझको नृत्य, गायन र उत्सवसँगै गरिन्छ।
Crop Over, Barbados
The celebration of Crop Over is Barbados's biggest party. The festival spreads over a length of 12 weeks, from May until August, when it culminates in the massive finale: the Grand Kadooment.
Originally a celebration of the sugar cane harvest, Crop Over has been celebrated since the 1780s when Barbados was the world's largest producer of the sweet-stuff. Carnivals pervade the lengthy celebrations, and calypso bands and dancers compete in ever grander and more flamboyant displays.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
क्रप ओभरको उत्सव बार्बाडोसको सबैभन्दा ठूलो पार्टी हो। यो पर्व मे महिनादेखि अगस्टसम्म १२ हप्ता लामो समयसम्म फैलिन्छ, जुन विशाल समापन कार्यक्रम "द ग्रान्ड काडुमेन्ट" मा टुङ्गिन्छ।
मूल रूपमा उखु फसलको उत्सवको रूपमा सुरु भएको क्रप ओभर १७८० को दशकदेखि मनाउन थालिएको हो, जब बार्बाडोस विश्वकै सबैभन्दा ठूलो चिनी उत्पादक देश थियो। यो लामो उत्सवभर कार्निवल (मेलाहरू) व्याप्त हुन्छन्, र क्यालिप्सो ब्यान्डहरू तथा नृत्य टोलीहरू झन् भव्य र आकर्षक प्रदर्शनमा प्रतिस्पर्धा गर्छन्।
Homowo, Ghana
The Homowo festival, meaning to jeer or hoot at hunger in Ghana historically celebrates the ending of a long famine suffered by the Ghanaians. What could be better to celebrate the end of shortage than a feast? Palm nut soup with fish is served alongside traditional Kpokpoi, a kind of grits made from unleavened corn dough and palm oil.
Starting in May with the sowing of millet, the festival takes place through August and September after a ban on drumming and singing that is meant to encourage proper care of the crops. The festival culminates in a night of singing and dancing and frantic beating of drums in loud defiance of hunger and famine.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
घानामा "भोकलाई गिज्याउनु वा हूटिङ गर्नु" भन्ने अर्थ लाग्ने होमोवो उत्सवले ऐतिहासिक रूपमा घानावासीहरूले भोगेको लामो अनिकालको अन्त्य भएको स्मरण गराउँछ। खाद्यान्न संकटको अन्त्य मनाउन भोजभन्दा उत्तम के हुन सक्छ र? माछा सहितको पाम नट (ताडको फल) को सुप र परम्परागत "क्पोकपोई" (खमिर नहालेको मकैको पिठो र पाम तेलबाट बनाइएको एक प्रकारको दलिया) सँगै पस्किइन्छ।
मे महिनामा कोदो रोपेर सुरु हुने यो पर्व बालीनालीको उचित हेरचाह गर्न प्रोत्साहन गर्ने उद्देश्यले ढोल बजाउन र गीत गाउन लगाइएको प्रतिबन्ध फुकुवा भएपछि अगस्ट र सेप्टेम्बर महिनाभर चल्छ। यो उत्सव भोक र अनिकाल विरुद्ध चर्को आवाजमा गाउने, नाच्ने र हतारहतार ढोल बजाउने रातमा उत्कर्षमा पुग्छ।
Mehregan, Iran
A festival that dates back at least to the 4th century BC, Mehregan in Iran is held on the 196th day of the Iranian year. The festival celebrates a successful harvest and the goddess Mehr.
The celebration calls for new clothes, community blessings and a feast on a table decorated with marjoram. The spread includes sherbert drinks and lavish dinners; in some villages, a sheep is sacrificed and slow-roasted throughout the day.
Revellers rub kohl around their eyes as a good omen, and throw handfuls of marjoram, lotus and sugar plum seeds over each other.
नेपाली अनुवाद:
कम्तिमा ईसा पूर्व चौथो शताब्दी पुरानो इतिहास भएको इरानको मेहरेगान पर्व इरानी वर्षको १९६ औं दिनमा मनाइन्छ। यो पर्वले सफल फसल भित्र्याएको खुसीयाली र देवी "मेहर" को सम्मान गर्दछ।
यो उत्सवमा नयाँ कपडाहरू लगाइन्छ, सामुदायिक आशिर्वाद लिइन्छ र मरजोराम (एक सुगन्धित जडीबुटी) ले सजाइएको टेबलमा भोज खाइन्छ। भोजमा सर्बत पेय र भव्य रात्रिभोजहरू समावेश हुन्छन्; कतिपय गाउँहरूमा, भेडाको बलि दिइन्छ र दिनभरि बिस्तारै रोस्ट (पोलिन्छ) गरिन्छ।
उत्सव मनाउनेहरूले शुभ शकुनको रूप रूपमा आँखाको वरिपरि गाजल लगाउँछन् र एकअर्कामाथि मुठ्ठीभर मरजोराम, कमलको फूल र सुगर प्लमका बीउहरू छर्किन्छन्।
Bilingual Vocabulary Study Hub
Listen to the correct female pronunciation (TTS), study definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and read the Nepali translation for all 34 highlighted words.
Quick-Revision Summary Hub
Excellent for quick examinations and reviews before lessons. Click the speaker icon to listen to each card.
🦃 United States (USA)
Celebrated on fourth Thursday of November. Commemorates the 1621 Pilgrim harvest feast. Highlighted by large parades (e.g. Macy's), family roasted turkey dinners, mashed potatoes, and sweet corn.
🌙 South Korea (Chuseok)
Held on August 15 (Lunar calendar). Honoring ancestors and fall harvest. Includes offering food/wine to forefathers, eating songpyeon (crescent-shaped rice cakes), and physical contests like Ssireum (Korean wrestling).
🦜 Brazil (Dia de Ação de Graças)
Established in 1949 by President Gaspar Dutra who loved the US holiday. Begins with church mass, followed by beach carnivals. Traditional turkey served with local Jaboticaba grape sauce instead of cranberries.
🌶️ Liberia
Founded by freed 19th-century American slaves to celebrate freedom. Church service followed by a highly spiced feast of roast chicken, green bean casserole, and mashed cassava, with evening music and dancing.
🌾 Barbados (Crop Over)
Barbados' largest party spanning 12 weeks (May to August). Originating from 1780s sugarcane harvest glory. Culminates in 'Grand Kadooment' with flamboyant calypso band dance competitions.
🥁 Ghana (Homowo)
Meaning "hooting at hunger". Historically commemorates the end of a catastrophic famine. Features palm nut soup, fish, and Kpokpoi (unleavened corn grits). Marked by quiet crop-tending bans followed by loud, frantic drumming and dancing.
🏺 Iran (Mehregan)
Dates back to 4th century BC. Celebrates harvest and goddess Mehr on 196th day of Iranian year. Involves wearing new clothes, decorating feasts with aromatic marjoram, wearing kohl eye-makeup for good fortune, and throwing seeds.
Check Your Understanding
Includes Vocabulary Matching, Event Identification, and Text Comprehension
Section A Vocabulary Matching Exercise (10 Marks)
Read the definitions from Exercise A and match them with the correct word from the dropdown selection.
Section B Traditions & Country Identification (7 Marks)
From the given cultural statements in Exercise B, select the correct country of origin.
a. Families gather for a feast in the evening accompanied by dancing and singing.
b. People wear new clothes and get community blessings.
c. Palm nut soup, fish and traditional Kpokpoi are served.
d. People return to their hometowns to celebrate the festival.
e. Celebrants go to the beach in a noisy way.
f. Parades are taken out in the streets.
g. Food and wine are offered to the forefathers (ancestors).
Section C Comprehension Q&A (7 Marks)
Choose the best option to answer the following direct textual questions from Exercise C.
1. What is the main feature of American Thanksgiving?
2. What do parades include in Thanksgiving in America?
3. When and why is Chuseok celebrated in Korea?
4. How did Thanksgiving begin in Brazil?
5. Who started Thanksgiving in Liberia? Why was it started?
6. What is Crop Over celebrated in Barbados for?
7. What is Homowo marked in Ghana?
Comprehensive Evaluation Answer Key
Review below to see the correct translations, mappings, and vocabulary associations.
Section A: Vocabulary Matching Keys
Section B: Activity Mapping Keys
Section C: Direct Textual Comprehension Keys
Instructional Plan for Teachers
Perfect reference module during smartboard presentations or lesson preparation.
🎯 Lesson Objectives
- Reading Comprehension: Students identify core ideas of harvest rituals worldwide.
- Vocabulary Enrichment: Learn 34 target words with synonyms, antonyms, and correct pronunciations.
- Multicultural Awareness: Contrast gratitude expressions globally and link with Local Nepali traditions.
🛠️ Suggested Digital Activities
- Active Warm-up: Tap "Poster" countries as brainstorming hooks.
- Audio Reading: Activate TTS on target words to train student phonics.
- Bilingual Scaffolding: Reveal Nepali paragraph translations for reading comprehension support.
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan Structure
| Stage & Time | Teacher's Procedure | Students' Response |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up & Hook (5 mins) |
Display the Poster Tab on screen. Direct student focus to the central questions of community festivals. | Predict countries' harvest symbols, discuss local equivalents (e.g. Nwagi, Maghe Sankranti) in groups. |
| Bilingual Guided Reading (15 mins) |
Navigate to Reading & Translation Tab. Read paragraphs aloud. Prompt student translation by clicking "नेपालीमा अनुवाद". | Listen carefully, compare sentence structures in English & Nepali, highlight key cultural facts. |
| Target Vocabulary Drill (10 mins) |
Go to Vocabulary Card System. Highlight important words like *intermittently*, *culminates*, *defiance*. Use TTS speaker button for female audio drills. | Practice pronouncing together, note synonyms and antonyms, check the Nepali equivalents on each card. |
| Digital Assessment (10 mins) |
Direct students to open Practice Quiz on mobile devices or use the smartboard. Check individual options together. | Select dropdown options for Match tasks, vote on MCQ options, evaluate final grades instantly. |
English Definition:
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