Thanksgiving Day in the USA and Nine Other Countries #BWLPublishing #Thanksgiving

Arranging a Dream: A Memoir by J. Q. Rose

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Thanksgiving Day in the USA and Nine Other Countries

Happy Turkey Day!

Looking forward to that turkey meal on November 25, 2021? Or in the case of my vegan friend, a tofu meal. Turkey is the traditional dish to serve in most American households to remind us of the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving. Although, they probably ate other birds and lots of fish at their celebration.

According to  Yahoo Finance, other countries observe days of thanksgiving. Canada, Liberia, and a small island east of Australia, Norfolk Island, have customs similar to the USA with traditions that include celebrating the autumn harvest and giving thanks. 

Germany's celebration is known as Erntedankfest to celebrate the harvest. Not exactly the same as Thanksgiving Day in the US, Germans know how to party with parades, dancing, music and fireworks.

In Grenada, formal celebrations for giving thanks are held in mostly urban areas. 

China's Thanksgiving day began about 2500 years ago. No pumpkin pie for dessert, but rather baked Moon Pie made of sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds, and duck eggs.

Japan centers its day, known as Labor Thanksgiving Day, around giving thanks for workers' rights.

South Koreans spend their day similarly feasting as we do in the US while honoring their ancestors. 

Vietnamese celebrations, much like China, include giving thanks and celebrating the harvest. According to Vietnamese folklore, the day was spent making amends to their children for being neglected during the busy harvest time.

No matter where we are in the world, giving thanks is uplifting for folks who take time to express gratitude. The thanks need not be for anything huge. Appreciating the warm sun on your face, someone who opens the door for you or helps you carry your grocery bags to the car, and even a spouse or partner getting the coffee ready at night for an early morning cup--all are worthy of a thank you.

What three things are you grateful for today?

Wishing you a fabulous day of Thanksgiving 

for the big things as well as the small!

🦃🦃🦃🦃

Click here to connect online with J.Q. Rose.

Author of mysteries and memoir, J. Q. Rose

The first National Thanksgiving, York, PA, by Diane Scott Lewis

Although Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1621 at Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, I was surprised to find that the first "Official" celebration was held in York, Pennsylvania in 1777.  The British had captured Philadelphia, pushing the Continental Congress out of that city. The Patriots fled west to York, a sleepy farm town populated mostly by Germans.

When the rebel General Gates defeated the British at Saratoga, the tide turned, and the exiles held a celebration, passing a resolution for a feast to be held, to honor the victory, on Dec. 18th. Hardly the date we use today. It's doubtful they had turkey or stuffing, and with limited resources, even enjoyed a hearty meal. But it showed the new government's growing strength in this establishment of the holiday.

The gathering was somber, with prayers of thanks, and might have included German (Pennsylvania Dutch) dishes. If they were fortunate, they ate Schnitz un Knepp: apple dumplings. Spaetzle: noodles and dumplings. Or Gumbis: a casserole of meat, onions, and dried fruit.

My novel, Her Vanquished Land, is set in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution, told from a different perspective. Rowena has little time to celebrate Thanksgiving as the rebels close in to plunder her home and life. Her family are Loyalists, the people who thought it was insane to fight for independence; the people who stayed loyal to England and the King. They believed they were on the right side. Tarred and Feathered, even hanged, they kept their loyalty and as a result were chased from the new United States. Many settled in Canada.

I threw in a thwarted love story as well, a Welshman who spies for the British, who captures Rowena's hoydenish heart. However, he harbors his own secrets and may have no need for her confused (to her) affection. Will they survive the war and find love?

The Loyalist side of our American history is seldom told, but it is an interesting part of the development of North America.

 

To purchase from Amazon

 

For more information on me and my books, visit my website: Diane Scott Lewis

 

Diane Scott Lewis grew up in California, traveled the world with the navy, edited for an on-line publisher, and wrote book reviews for the Historical Novel Society. She lives with her husband and one naughty puppy in Western Pennsylvania.

 

Tips for Finding Your Bliss in a Turbulent world by Sandy Semerad

            While mourning the senseless killings in Paris  and elsewhere at the hands of terrorists, I've been thinking about peace and these words, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” I heard that song again recently and would like to share some lessons I've learned about achieving blissful peace in my own life.

The most important lesson is, don’t judge others or yourself. There are a myriad of opinions, just as there are many different religions. I try to communicate affably and listen respectfully.

I've also found it’s essential to express gratitude and make a list of blessings and say, “Thank you.”

I enjoy expressing appreciation and looking for ways to compliment and encourage. Encouraging others make me feel good. Thinking positive and expressing gratitude attracts more blessings, I think. Gratitude is a powerful multiplier.

Whenever negative thoughts infect my brain, I recite positive affirmations to negate them. I once heard Oprah suggest this affirmation: “Every time I turn around there’s a check in the mail.”

Louise Hay has several good affirmations on her website. She suggests looking in the mirror and saying, “I love you. I really love you.”  Another one is: “Abundance flows freely through me.”

(I say all of the above and also these: “Millions of readers love my books," "Everyday I become more enlightened and find a way to help others," "I appreciate every moment," "I am confidant and make good choices," "I am loving and forgiving."

Social media is a powerful source and I appreciate the opportunity to interact with friends and promote my books on places like Facebook, but these sites can be addictive. So I try to limit my time there and write more. Television can be another time zapper, although my dog P-Nut likes to watch TV. Dog shows are her favorite. So I sometimes run the picture and turn down the volume.

I like to set aside a few minutes each day to meditate. If done correctly, meditating can bring tranquility. I wrote about meditation in last month’s blog post, how I attempt to erase the negative brain static through meditation and become more trusting, peaceful, loving, giving, kind, respectful of others and confident. I also meditate on my professional goals. Right now I’m working on a sequel to A MESSAGE IN THE ROSES. With my day job, it’s often challenging to find time to write, but I tell myself, as I complete each page, I’m getting closer and closer to the end.

One of the hardest lessons I've had to learn is to avoid negative, judgmental people. I prefer being around positive, happy folks. They’re uplifting.

Exercise can also be uplifting. I realize not everyone enjoys exercise, but I've learned I feel better when I make it a habit. Exercise releases endorphins, our body's natural pain relievers. The latest studies claim we need some form of exercise every day. Forty-five minutes is optimal. I have a Jane Fonda Prime Time, Fit and Strong DVD that’s about 25 minutes. Then I try to walk for twenty minutes, which isn't difficult because I walk P-Nut. She lives in the moment and never fails to lift my mood.

Speaking of mood-lifting events, I like to spend as much time as possible in activities I’m passionate about. I’m passionate about writing, reading, enjoying my loved ones, etc., and I've learned to say, “No” more often. This one word has given me additional time for the activities and people I love.  

I also enjoy day dreaming and visualizing success. Some experts on visualization recommend creating a dream board with pictures and goals. One of my visualizations is picturing my books on the best seller list and seeing them become movies.

But getting back to reality and the need to hunker down, I think it’s important to work hard and do my best. Some days are better than others, of course, but I've discovered if I do my best and don’t complain, I have fewer regrets about what I've accomplished. There’s a famous Zen saying: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” This rings true for me.

I hope you've found these ideas helpful. May they bring you more bliss in your life, and as we approach Thanksgiving, I want to thank you for allowing me to share my writing with you. Please know, I'm very grateful.

I wish you love and peace. Peace begins with us.

Please visit my website for more information: www.sandysemerad.com

Here's my latest book: A Message In the Roses

Click to purchase 

You can also check out my other books on the Book We Love site:

 http://www.bookswelove.net/authors/semerad-sandy/