Celebrating Thanksgiving in Nepal

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Nepal is quite an uncommon practice, considering the country doesn’t exactly follow the English calendar to function. However, Nepali people do celebrate Thanksgiving in their own unique way.

Thanksgiving is a special national day celebrated in various countries, most prominently in the United States and Canada. As the name says, the festival is meant to give thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year. It has deep historical and cultural roots and is often associated with gratitude to family, community, and Mother Earth.

Tourism is a prime business in Nepal, and the country also has a unique way of celebrating the festival. Before digging into celebrating Thanksgiving in Nepal, let’s learn what the festival actually is about!

When is Thanksgiving celebrated?

In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In Canada, it falls on the second Monday of October. In other parts of the world, Thanksgiving is celebrated on different dates and with different names and purposes.

Story Behind Celebrating Thanksgiving: The First Thanksgiving

The “First Thanksgiving” story is a mix of historical facts and myths of the peaceful celebration and the shared meal between the red Indians of Wampanoag and Pilgrims from Europe in the autumn of 1621.

A group of English Puritans was on a voyage when they reached the Mayflower in December 1620. They then resided in Plymouth, Massachusetts, but many struggled with disease and starvation. This region was the home of aboriginal Wampanoag people for thousands of years. However, they were weakened by an epidemic introduced by European traders in their earlier visits. By the spring of 1621, nearly half of the settlers had died and were weak due to the epidemics.

The visitors were then helped by the people of Wampanoag and were taught vital survival skills like how to grow corn, fish, and deer hunt in the new environment. Being thankful for their first bountiful harvest, the Puritan pilgrims invited the Wampanoag leader Squanto and his people to a three-day feast. This feast likely consisted of local foods such as roast goose, venison, corn, fish, and lobster.

This first shared meal as a symbol of sharing thanks is taken as a symbol of harmony and friendship between Native Americans and European settlers. The Pilgrims also viewed the occasion as a thanksgiving to God for their survival and prosperity and gratitude to the Wampanoag. Over time, this event became a milestone for the present Thanksgiving tradition. It was officially declared a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Later in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed a national holiday on the last Thursday of November during the Civil War.

Thanksgiving in Modern World

In modern days, Thanksgiving is prominently celebrated in the United States and Canada, but various countries and cultures around the world have their own unique way of celebrating to offer thanks to God and nature for providing them the crops.

Thanksgiving in USA

The last Thursday of November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day with a national holiday. The family gathers together and devours the turkey roast, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, and delicious desserts like apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. The traditions also include Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, spending the day playing football and indoor games, and sharing expressions of gratitude. Thanksgiving is also referred to as “Turkey Day” since it is believed that about 85% to 91% of Americans consume turkey on this special day.

Thanksgiving in CANADA

In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October. The national holiday has a root in a mix of the indigenous harvest festival and the traditions brought by the Europeans to the island. Similar to the practice in the U.S., the Canadians also gather for a family feast, share a gratitude of blessings, and enjoy the locally available foods. The holiday has origins in Indigenous harvest festivals and European traditions brought by settlers.

Thanksgiving around the world

Thanksgiving is a major event for the people of the USA and Canada but is widely popular in the rest of the world too. The people from the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island celebrate the Thanksgiving festival on the last Wednesday of November. The West Indian Island of Grenada in the Caribbean region celebrates Thanksgiving on October 25th with a national holiday.

The orthodox Protestant churches in the Netherlands perceive Thanksgiving on the first Wednesday in November. It’s not a holiday but people visit the churches in the morning or evening.

Thanksgiving in Poland

Although Thanksgiving is not typically celebrated in Poland, the holiday is gaining popularity recently. Similar to America and Canada, Thanksgiving in Poland is celebrated by spending time with loved ones and gathering in family for a feast, sharing blessings, and enjoying the turkey, mashed potato, and pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving in Japan

The Japanese take this day as Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23. The Thanksgiving holiday is the continuation of the ancient Shinto harvest festivals; they call it Niinamesai. It’s a day to express gratitude for labor and production rather than a harvest. This celebration includes school celebrations, school activities, and giving thanks to workers and farmers who are contributing for the production of crops.

Thanksgiving in Nepal

Nepal is a country rich in culture, tradition, and festivals that express gratitude to the harvest and honor the community and farmers. Different ethnic groups in Nepal have their ways of expressing gratitude to the earth. In Nepal, there is no specific holiday called “Thanksgiving” as celebrated in North America or Canada but these practices and festivals of Nepal resonate with the themes of Thanksgiving in Eastern society. These festivals are celebrated based on geography and the natural resources available in the area. The devour also differs as per the location, seasonality, and availability.

The typical Thanksgiving we are talking about in this blog is not a native festival of Nepal. So, we do not have any holidays in Nepal. With the increasing influence of Western culture and the growing number of expatriates and tourists from America, Canada, and European countries, Thanksgiving is becoming popular among the new generation.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Tourist Hubs:

Hotels, restaurants, pubs, and resorts organize special menus for this day in the tourist hubs in Nepal like Pokhara, Chitwan, and Kathmandu. These menus are designed as a fusion of Western and Nepali food to cater to the diverse preferences of guests. Expat communities and travelers come together for potluck-style meals or organized events, creating a home-away-from-home experience. Nepali people invite foreigners to their homes for meal sharing, with a blend of traditional Western Thanksgiving dishes with local Nepali cuisine. The teahouses and lodges on the trekking trails like Annapurna, Everest, and Langtang often offer themed dinners or celebrations, especially when they have American or European guests during the trekking season.

Wrapping Up

Thanksgiving is a holiday dedicated to expressing gratitude for the blessings and possessions in our lives. It is a celebration of recognizing our achievements, appreciating how far we have come, and acknowledging the role of our efforts and divine grace in our journey.

Thanksgiving in Nepal is a growing trend, celebrated mostly by tourists, expats, and Nepali living in urban areas influenced by Western culture. Though it doesn’t have the same significance as in the U.S. or Canada, it provides an opportunity for cultural exchange and reflects the country’s openness to embracing global traditions.

The celebrations often serve as a heartwarming fusion of Western and Nepali foundations, showcasing the beauty of cross-cultural connections. If you are in the country next holiday season, don’t miss out on this hearty celebration.