Long before Thanksgiving became synonymous with turkey, parades, and football in the United States, many cultures across the world were already honoring the same idea: gratitude for the harvest. In almost every region, mid-autumn festivals mark the moment when crops are gathered, families reunite, and communities pause to give thanks for the season’s bounty.
Because climate, agriculture, and local beliefs vary widely, these celebrations don’t happen on the same day—or look the same on the table. But everywhere, the heart of the tradition remains unchanged: to share food, honor nature, and express gratitude.
1. Thanksgiving in Canada
When: Second Monday in October
Canada’s Thanksgiving shares many similarities with the American holiday, but with a distinctly Canadian twist. Celebrated earlier due to the country’s shorter growing season, the day brings families together for a Canada’s Thanksgiving shares the same spirit as the American holiday—family, gratitude, and a fall feast—but its earlier date reflects the country’s shorter harvest season. While roast turkey remains the star of the table from coast to coast, what really sets Canadian Thanksgiving apart is the supporting cast: the side dishes and desserts.
To discover what Canadians truly crave on Thanksgiving, Chef’s Pencil analyzed Google Trends data from the 5-day period around last year’s holiday. During that window, hundreds of thousands of Canadians searched for recipes—everything from “best gravy” to “pumpkin pie” and “Brussels sprouts with ham”—giving us a real-time snapshot of the country’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes.
1. 🇨🇦 Canada’s Most Popular Side Dishes
While stuffing is nearly universal, it was excluded from the analysis since it’s so closely tied to turkey. Among the stand-alone sides, Canadians showed strong—and very regional—preferences:
Mashed potatoes topped the charts in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nunavut.
Brussels sprouts—roasted or paired with ham—were the top choice in British Columbia, Alberta, and Yukon.
Butternut squash (soup or roasted) led in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.
Scalloped potatoes were the favorite in Newfoundland and Labrador.
🥫 Gravy vs. Cranberry Sauce: A National Showdown
Both sauces are Thanksgiving essentials, but Canadians clearly lean one way:
Gravy dominates as the most popular sauce in almost every province.
The lone exception: Newfoundland and Labrador, where cranberry sauce takes the crown.
🥧 Canada’s Favorite Thanksgiving Dessert
Pumpkin pie may be iconic, but the data reveals a sweet East–West divide:
Most provinces favor pumpkin pie.
Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador break tradition with apple pie as their top pick.
In New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, apple crisp is the dessert of choice.
🍁 Classic Canadian Thanksgiving Staples
Turkey still anchors the meal, but Canadians add their own twists:
Stuffing made with bread or rice instead of corn
Wheat-based dinner rolls
Spice-forward pumpkin pie flavored with cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon
And the holiday often features a nod to European harvest lore: the cornucopia, a horn-shaped basket—or pastry—filled with fruits and grains, symbolizing abundance.
2. 🇰🇷 Chuseok – Korea’s “Autumn Eve”
When: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
Chuseok, often called Korean Thanksgiving, is one of Korea’s most important holidays—rooted in family, ancestry, and gratitude. The celebration includes homecomings, ancestral rites, and an abundant feast.
Key Traditions
A ceremonial table is meticulously arranged in rows of fruits, vegetables, pancakes, meats, rice, soup, and alcohol for ancestors.
Families gather to make Songpyeon, half-moon rice cakes steamed over pine needles and filled with chestnuts, sesame, beans, or honey.
Colorful rice cakes like Chaltteok, savory pancakes known as jeon, and hearty dishes like japchae (glass noodles with beef and vegetables) complete the feast.
Toran guk, a taro soup, symbolizes earthiness and nourishment for the season.
Chuseok is as much about honoring the past as enjoying the present—a blend of ritual, food, and family laughter.
3. 🇩🇪 Erntedankfest – Germany
When: First Sunday in October
Meaning “Thanks for the harvest,” Erntedankfest blends church services, parades, music, and community meals. While each region has its own customs, the spirit is unmistakably festive.
On the Table
Schnitzel remains a beloved favorite.
Turkey, once rare, has grown popular—though goose still holds nostalgic value.
In rural areas, specialty roasts like Kapaun (fattened rooster) sometimes take center stage.
Other popular dishes are the following:
Rouladen (meat rolls with bacon and pickles)
Potato dumplings (Thüringer Klösse)
Spätzle (soft egg noodles)
Sauerbraten (slow-marinated roast beef)
Desserts like Blitz Torte or Biskuitrolle cap off the celebration on a sweet, cozy note. Note that German cuisine is highly regional and popular dishes can be wildly differ from one region to the other.
4. 🇨🇳 Zhōng Qiū Jié – China’s Mid-Autumn Festival
When: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
One of Asia’s most iconic celebrations, the Mid-Autumn Festival honors the moon as a symbol of reunion. Families gather to admire the full moon, exchange gifts, and share special foods.
Signature Foods
Mooncakes, often filled with lotus paste or red bean and sometimes salted egg yolk, symbolize unity. Modern versions now include chocolate, tiramisu, coffee, and even ice cream.
Duck dishes vary by region—from Beijing roast duck to sweet Osmanthus duck in Jiangsu.
Seasonal foods and fruits like taro, pumpkin, pomelo, and prized hairy crabs reflect abundance and good fortune. Hairy crabs are a highly sough-after seasonal delicacy, especially for the Shanghainese, where autumn without steamed hairy crab is inconceivable.
Osmanthus desserts and wine perfume the holiday with floral sweetness.
5. 🇯🇵 Japan: Kinrō Kansha no Hi & Tsukimi
When: November 23 (Labor Thanksgiving Day)
and 15th day of the 8th lunar month (Moon Viewing)
Labor Thanksgiving Day has shifted from a harvest festival to a modern holiday celebrating workers—often with small gatherings and simple meals.
Tsukimi, however, preserves the autumn moon tradition.
Tsukimi Essentials
Tsukimi Dango (plain rice dumplings) offered to the moon, served with sweet toppings.
Seasonal foods like taro, edamame, chestnuts, and noodles topped with egg.
Modern twists include Tsukimi burgers—a fast-food favorite featuring a fried egg “moon.”
6. Moon Festival – Across East Asia
Countries including Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia all celebrate with mooncakes—each with its own flavors and fillings, from lotus and mung bean to durian, truffle, and snow-skin custards.
Round fruits like pomelo symbolize luck and happiness, especially for children.
7. 🇱🇷 Liberia – West Africa
When: First Thursday in November
Liberia’s Thanksgiving honors the country’s founding and freedom. The meal reflects both African flavors and American influence:
Fried chicken
Green bean casserole
Mashed cassava, a starchy root replacing potatoes
Plenty of chilies and spices, true to local cuisine
For more information about the local cuisine, check out our story on the most popular foods in West Africa.
8. 🇮🇳 Thai Pongal – India
When: January 14–17
A four-day harvest celebration devoted to the Sun God, Pongal features outdoor cooking and shared meals.
Festival Foods
Pongal, a sweet or savory rice dish cooked with lentils, milk, nuts, and spices
Vegetable curries like Avarakkai Kootu and pumpkin stews
Vadas (savory fritters)
Payasam, a creamy rice pudding
It’s a colorful, joyous celebration of the year’s first harvest.
9. 🇦🇺 Norfolk Island – Australia
When: Last Wednesday in November
Blending American tradition with local island flavors, Norfolk Island’s Thanksgiving features:
Roast pork and chicken
Banana dishes (pilaf, baked, dried, or creamed)
Cornbread and pumpkin pie, nodding to U.S. influence
A reminder that gratitude travels—and evolves—across oceans.
While the menus, rituals, and dates differ, every one of these celebrations shares the same heartbeat: thankfulness, togetherness, and the joy of sharing food. Across cultures, Thanksgiving—whatever its name—reminds us that abundance is not only what’s on the table, but who gathers around it.
