What is the difference between Thanksgiving in the United States and Mid-Autumn Festival in China?

1. The festival dates are different.

Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October every year; Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

2. Different origins.

(1) Thanksgiving

In 1620, the famous Mayflower arrived in the United States with 102 pilgrims who could not endure religious persecution in England. In the winter of 1620 and 1621, refugees were encountered and brought necessities of life. People were also sent to teach immigrants how to hunt, fish and grow corn and pumpkins. With the help of the Indians, the immigrants finally got a good harvest.

On the day of celebrating the harvest, according to religious traditions and customs, the immigrants set up a day to thank God and decided to invite the Indians to celebrate the festival together to thank the Indians for their sincere help. On Thursday in late November 1621, the Pilgrims and 90 Indians brought by Massassoad gathered together to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in American history.

(2) Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the sacrificial activities of ancient emperors. The "Book of Rites" records: "The emperor faces the sun in spring and the moon in autumn." The eclipse moon is a sacrifice to the moon, which shows that as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, emperors had begun to worship and worship the moon. Later, noble officials and literati also followed suit, and gradually spread to the people.

3. Different customs.

(1) Thanksgiving

In terms of customs and habits, the United States and Canada are basically the same. Food customs include: eating roast turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberry jam, sweet potato, Corn; activities include: cranberry competition, corn games, pumpkin races; group activities such as costume parades, dramatic performances or sports competitions, and corresponding 2-day holidays. People in distant places will go home to reunite with their relatives.

(2) Mid-Autumn Festival

①Lighting lanterns

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is a custom of lighting lanterns. Today, there is still a festival in Huguang area where people pile tiles on the tower to light lamps. In Jiangnan, there is the Lantern Boat Festival. The lighting customs of the modern Mid-Autumn Festival are more prosperous. From ancient times to the present, the custom of lighting lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival seems to be second only to the Lantern Festival.

②Riddles

Many lanterns are hung in public places on the moonlit night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. People gather together to guess the riddles written on the lanterns. Because they are popular activities for most young men and women, and love stories are also spread in these activities, the Mid-Autumn Moon Mysteries also originate from the form of love between men and women.

③Eating moon cakes

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a must-have custom for admiring the moon and eating moon cakes across China. As the saying goes, "August and fifteenth are full, and Mid-Autumn moon cakes are fragrant and sweet." The word "moon cake" comes from "Meng Liang Lu" written by Wu Zimu in the Southern Song Dynasty. It was just a snack at that time. Later, people gradually combined moon appreciation with moon cakes, which meant family reunion and longing.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Thanksgiving

Baidu Encyclopedia-Mid-Autumn Festival