Thanksgiving is traditionally the start of Americas holiday season but thanksgiving is celebrated in other countries as well. An American Thanksgiving typically means lots of food, family and friends, staying inside to keep warm, and entertaining them selves by watching football.

Plentiful crops are represented by a cornucopia table centerpiece that spills over with the fruits of the harvest, and people decorate their homes with colorful pumpkins and squashes. In Israel they celebrate Sukkoth and instead of staying indoors they build a shelter and head outside for the holiday, while commemorating the 40 years that the Israelites’ spent wandering the desert.

Some think this is because they have an earlier harvest since they are further north, while others believe that having it in November might interfere with Remembrance Day, which is the day set aside to remember those who gave up their lives to fight in wars, especially the First World War. Traditionally, Canadians celebrate by enjoying a sumptuous turkey dinner with family and friends.

Everyone and every country has a different way of celebrating Thanksgiving. For example, the people in Greece dedicate a harvest festival to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and it lasts for nine days. Americans usually spend the day indoors preparing the Thanksgiving Day feast and decorating with the bounty of autumn. Colorful squashes and pumpkins, and a cornucopia overflowing with the samples of a wonderful harvest as the centerpiece for the table is common.

Naturally, there are many different ways of celebrating Thanksgiving and that becomes more apparent when you look at how other countries celebrate the holiday. In America, Thanksgiving usually involves being inside with friends and family, preparing a feast and perhaps watching football. Americans also celebrate by decorating their homes with colorful pumpkins and squashes, along with possibly using the cornucopia with its bounty overflowing as the centerpiece on the Thanksgiving table. In India they celebrate with a four day festival called Pongal, during which time they worship the Sun God and pray to him for bountiful gifts. They clean a particular area, usually a courtyard or open terrace, and Kolams, which are patterns made out of rice flour, are drawn as they are considered special to the occasion.

Of course it is not only countries that have different Thanksgiving Day celebrations; many people celebrate in any number of ways. One group that foregoes much of the traditional meal is vegans. Thanksgiving and Christmas, both related heavily to food can be tough for them and their families. Most often if only one member of the family is vegan, then that person may have to suffer through dinner with “Tom Turkey” on the table, but will often have prepared several vegetarian side dishes; a compromise that seems to work with most.

Many times people take the spirit of sharing as a way of celebrating Thanksgiving, and take the time to make sure that the less fortunate are able to celebrate the holiday as well. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year for soup kitchens, which makes volunteering in a kitchen one of the best Thanksgiving activities in which to become involved. Americans who are truly grateful for their blessings often give their time to those in need.

Of course there are other ways of celebrating Thanksgiving and expressing the true holiday spirit of sharing as well, and that is by donating time at a soup kitchen. Thanksgiving is understandably one of the busiest times at a soup kitchen and it can be one of the perfect Thanksgiving activities in which the whole family can participate.

Another great way of celebrating Thanksgiving is by spending the day volunteering at a soup kitchen; take the whole family and use it as a time to share that holiday spirit with those who are less fortunate. Who, knows it may even become a wonderful new family tradition.

Upholding Thanksgiving traditions is one way that many people choose to celebrate. Whether it is by cooking specific side dishes that appear every year on their table or enjoying a game of football between Thanksgiving dinner and those delicious desserts, traditions play an important part.

Other ways of celebrating thanksgiving along those same lines would be to invite people into your home who are without family to celebrate during this special holiday. Or perhaps you could make up a plate or two of goodies and take them to a local retirement home, Consider making up a few extra plates and distributing them at area hospitals or other community service organizations where people have to work on Thanksgiving, as way to let them know that they are thought of and appreciated.

You may want to consider celebrating Thanksgiving in a similar fashion by making up plates of treats and setting them up at your local hospital or fire station, anywhere in your community where men and women must work on Thanksgiving Day. Or, make up a tray or two and take them to a retirement home or orphanage that may be in your area; somewhere where people are without family and may be alone. You may be surprised just how much it would mean to most of them.

Why not make up a few trays of snacks and goodies and distribute them to the police stations, fire stations or hospitals in your area as a way of celebrating Thanksgiving and sharing with your community. Or you can make a few plates and take them to a retirement home, or perhaps an orphanage or a shelter for abused woman, anywhere where there are people who may be alone, without their family members to celebrate with. It would be greatly appreciated.