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General discussion (archive)A question for people from outside the USA.(57 posts)(57 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted November 20, 2012
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Zookie: Here in the US Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I was talking to a Korean friend of mine who told me they have a similar holiday and I know Canadians have their own Thanksgiving Holiday.

I was wondering what other countries have holidays that are centered around a big family meal or a feast? and what is the holiday like? what is it about? and what do you traditional eat on that day?
You will find that virtually every culture has a holiday where, when the land needs to lie fallow, they hold a feast. Many of them have their roots in ceremonies that were essentially "Thank the gods, we've reached the middle of winter. Let's all try to not die."
Posted November 20, 2012
Canada has its Thanksgiving in October. So all we get this weak is whatever Black Friday sales leak up from the states. :)
Posted November 20, 2012
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Zookie: I was wondering what other countries have holidays that are centered around a big family meal or a feast? and what is the holiday like? what is it about? and what do you traditional eat on that day?
Just christmas here really...
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jamyskis: I'm surprised that the UK (or at least England) doesn't do more with Georgia in that regard actually. In my experience the English have always only spent St. George's Day getting pissed out of their heads.
Even the people getting pissed out of their heads are in the minority, I don't think most people here do anything for St George's Day. St Patrick's day is celebrated by more people here than St George's Day in terms of getting pissed. :P
Post edited November 20, 2012 by SirPrimalform
Posted November 20, 2012
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TheEnigmaticT: You will find that virtually every culture has a holiday where, when the land needs to lie fallow, they hold a feast. Many of them have their roots in ceremonies that were essentially "Thank the gods, we've reached the middle of winter. Let's all try to not die."
And let's not forget that the lowly peasants were not entirely merry on feast days and other holidays, for they had to pay a string of taxes, levies and duties to their liege lord, the Church and the Crown. They were fortunate if they had a piece of meat left over from all that.
Posted November 20, 2012
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Charon121: They were fortunate if they had a piece of meat left over from all that.
"...And there was much rejoicing."
Posted November 20, 2012
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TheEnigmaticT: You will find that virtually every culture has a holiday where, when the land needs to lie fallow, they hold a feast. Many of them have their roots in ceremonies that were essentially "Thank the gods, we've reached the middle of winter. Let's all try to not die."
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Charon121: And let's not forget that the lowly peasants were not entirely merry on feast days and other holidays, for they had to pay a string of taxes, levies and duties to their liege lord, the Church and the Crown. They were fortunate if they had a piece of meat left over from all that.
Well, that was unique to feudalism in Europe. Many other parts of the world didn't get into that particular requirement at that time. :)
Posted November 20, 2012
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Zookie: Here in the US Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I was talking to a Korean friend of mine who told me they have a similar holiday and I know Canadians have their own Thanksgiving Holiday.

I was wondering what other countries have holidays that are centered around a big family meal or a feast? and what is the holiday like? what is it about? and what do you traditional eat on that day?
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TheEnigmaticT: You will find that virtually every culture has a holiday where, when the land needs to lie fallow, they hold a feast. Many of them have their roots in ceremonies that were essentially "Thank the gods, we've reached the middle of winter. Let's all try to not die."
True.
I've also wondered about how many have a feast in the middle and/or end of the growing season. Say during summer when there is food everywhere (Berries, fruits, wild game and so on.) and/or right after harvest.
We in Sweden have sort of both. Midsummer is right in the middle of summer and Kräftskiva (Crayfish party.) during late summer or fall, where we eat some crayfish and consume alcohol until we collapse. There are usually silly party things like small pointy hats and that sort of things too.
Posted November 20, 2012
May 1st

We set fire to a human and a bunch of livestock in a three-story-tall wicker effigy.
Posted November 20, 2012
Here the Christmas eve (24th Dec) and maybe Easter are for getting together with the family to eat and such.

These are mostly for drinking yourself silly:

New Year's Eve

Vappuaatto (the day before Labor's Day, of whatever it is called: the last day of April anyway). The actual "vappu" day, ie. first of May, is only for drinking a sip of champagne (higher social classes; blue collar people are having a hangover at home) and going out with kids to buy them balloons and funny masks.

Midsummer festival ("juhannus", drinking, drowning and bonfires)

Independence day (the anarchists who apparently oppose the Finnish independence will also have their demonstrations outside President's Hall where the president is having a party with invited quests; demonstrations include calling the policemen "oppressor pigs" and kicking the taxis that are trying to bring guests to the party)

There are many other either holy or otherwise remarkable days here and there, but we treat them mostly as day-offs from work and school.
Post edited November 20, 2012 by timppu
Posted November 20, 2012
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Zookie: Here in the US Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I was talking to a Korean friend of mine who told me they have a similar holiday and I know Canadians have their own Thanksgiving Holiday.

I was wondering what other countries have holidays that are centered around a big family meal or a feast? and what is the holiday like? what is it about? and what do you traditional eat on that day?
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TheEnigmaticT: You will find that virtually every culture has a holiday where, when the land needs to lie fallow, they hold a feast. Many of them have their roots in ceremonies that were essentially "Thank the gods, we've reached the middle of winter. Let's all try to not die."
Indeed. And a nice and smart point put. In fact, most catholic holidays are biased in old pagan cults andparties. That was a "tactic" to improve the catholic religion in its begining.

So, in Brazil, christmas and maybe easter.
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timppu: Here the Christmas eve (24th Dec) and maybe Easter are for getting together with the family to eat and such.

These are mostly for drinking yourself silly:

New Year's Eve

Vappuaatto (the day before Labor's Day, of whatever it is called: the last day of April anyway). The actual "vappu" day, ie. first of May, is only for drinking a sip of champagne (higher social classes; blue collar people are having a hangover at home) and going out with kids to buy them balloons and funny masks.

Midsummer festival ("juhannus", drinking, drowning and bonfires)

Independence day (the anarchists who apparently oppose the Finnish independence will also have their demonstrations outside President's Hall where the president is having a party with invited quests; demonstrations include calling the policemen "oppressor pigs" and kicking the taxis that are trying to bring guests to the party)

There are many other either holy or otherwise remarkable days here and there, but we treat them mostly as day-offs from work and school.
I´m surprised to see there are still anarchs in your country. That put a smile in my face!
Post edited November 20, 2012 by tokisto
Posted November 20, 2012
In addition to what Export said, we also have Harvest Festival, which is definitely a lot closer to Thanksgiving than any other UK holiday I can think of. In fact it's pretty much the same thing with a different name.

But as you can probably guess from Export not even mentioning it, it's not really widely celebrated anymore. I think it's more of a rural / Christian thing now. Which, this being the UK, means that there aren't a lot of people that fussed about it.
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carnival73: May 1st

We set fire to a human and a bunch of livestock in a three-story-tall wicker effigy.
I always wondered where that film was set.
Post edited November 20, 2012 by Navagon
Posted November 20, 2012
Christmas Eve is pretty big in France. Sadly people don't seem to do much on Christmas Eve in the US.
Posted November 20, 2012
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tokisto: I´m surprised to see there are still anarchs in your country. That put a smile in my face!
"Still"? We have more and more of them, they are procreating like hippies! This is where they hang around:

http://takku.net/index.php?topic=In_English

Fortunately the Finnish independence day is in December (6th of Dec), which tends to be rather cold and uncomfortable to stay outside for longer periods of time. Maybe the anarchists need to rage a bit to keep themselves warm out there?
Post edited November 20, 2012 by timppu
Posted November 20, 2012
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Cambrey: Sadly people don't seem to do much on Christmas Eve in the US.
Nor do we here. Not unless last minute shopping counts.
Posted November 20, 2012
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tokisto: I´m surprised to see there are still anarchs in your country. That put a smile in my face!
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timppu: "Still"? We have more and more of them, they are procreating like hippies! This is where they hang around:

http://takku.net/index.php?topic=In_English

RAWR! I´ll contact these guys... thanks!
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)A question for people from outside the USA.(57 posts)(57 posts)
(57 posts)