European Thanksgiving?

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@ Aldeth - I'll agree with you on that - I suppose it all comes down to how you want to define "successful."

As for mythology - by this, I mean the important stories that form our national consciousness, and not necessarily a supernatural "myth" like Greek/Roman mythologies and other like them.

Other parts of the "American Mythology" would be (besides the Pilgrims) historically romanticized figures like John Smith, Ben Franklin, cowboys and indians, gold miners, things of that nature.

When talking about cowboys and indians, there's a difference between the cowboy in general (as a mythic figure) and the specific criminal group that called themselves "The Cowboys." Both existed (technically, cowboys still do), and both have become part of the American mythology - in different ways, of course.

Of course, there are also folk tales that are part of the whole mythology - like Paul Bunyan and Buffalo Bill, for example.

But we're getting WAY off topic!

 

In Germany the equivalent would be 'Erntedankfest'. One of the few old germanic festivals still being honored here. Of course nowadays God is praised :/ - not the ancient gods Thor, Sif, Frey, who were connected to all things of import for fertility and the harvest.

Held on the last day of September, called "Scheiding" by the old ones. Scheiding is still a common word in modern German, used as 'scheiden' (parting). The month of parting, because Baldr, god of light descends into Hel's realm -> the days are growing shorter.

 

I give thanks for every day I can have beer.

why can't there be a Januaryfest...
and Februaryfest...
and....

 

@aldeth

you're thinking of Roanoke. Although it was thought that the colony was integrated with a local indian tribe due to the rare yellow hair and blue eyes found amongst some of the younger children when the colony was found to be deserted. Personally I beleive this thought since the waters around Roanoke tend to cause weird weather that affects the crops.

 

I like Thanksgiving myself. It is a time of year when I get together with my extended family without all the hype of Christmas. We never say thanks or anything so cliché, but we are all happy to sit around the table with those we love, but don't normaly get much time to spend with. I think that Thankgiving in Canada is a time where people can come together and enjoy eachother's company.

Whereas in the states, Thankgiving has such fun as the president pardoning a turkey.

And I myself have always wondered about Columbus Day. Why is there a day to celebrate a guy who took a wrong turn and wiped out an indigenous culture? WTF America? WTF?

 

Jamestown was the first successful settlement in America. The town is still there and has been constantly occupied. Arahar is right that Roanoke is the settlement that was mysteriously abondoned. I did hear this morning on the radio though that Plymouth is likely talked about as the first "American" town because people want to ignore the fact that slavery was a part of early American history and Jamestown was most likely the first town in what is now America to have African slaves.

 

The President's Day? Now that's something I never heard of. I understand King's day but President's day is just silly.

Well in Finland we have of course our independece day 6.12. I think we have a veteran's day too but I can't even remember when it is so it's not really a big deal here. We have a few other own hollidays too but those are basically just excuses for getting drunk and not much else.

We bilingual folks here in Finland have a day called "Svenska dagen" or in English the Swedish day which is in honor of Gustaf II Adolf of Sweden. We celebrate a day for a long dead Swedish king who isn't even celebrated in his motherland? Figures...

Seriously though, we do not celebrate the king anymore but it has become more of a day for those who speak Swedish as their mothertongue in here.

 

Fascinating stuff. What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day? In Auckland, New Zealand, we have:

1 Jan - New Year's Day
2 Jan - Day after New Year's Day
Last Mon in Jan - Auckland Day (only a holiday in Auckland, other cities have their own days)
6 Feb - Waitangi Day (the day England took possession of NZ from the Maori)
25 April -ANZAC Day (remember war veterans)
Good Friday
Easter Monday
2nd Mon in June - Queen's Birthday
2nd Mon in Oct - Labour Day
25 Dec - Christmas Day
26 Dec - Boxing Day

 

There's been a petition circulated to put a holiday weekend in June here in Canada, but I don't know if anything ever became of it. My luck is so bad I deserve a break like a National Holiday around my birthday...

 

Well, I used to like the whole idea of Boxing Day...but now that I am about to become a manager, I don't think I like it as much!

I'm not sure about this one, but isn't Veterans day a tribute to all those men and women who served in any war, whereas Memorial Day is in memory of those who died in war...right?

 

Veterans' Day was originally based on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, when fighting in World War I ended. It now serves to honor all who have served in wartime.

 

HB,

That's most amusing, you get a day's holiday for the Queens Birthday and we don't.

 

@ Jaguar - Columbus Day is (I must admit) stupid. A.) He died thinking he was in India, and never knew he discovered a new continent, even though he made several trips and B.) It has now been conclusively proven that he wasn't even the first European to make the trans-Atlantic journey.

@ Morgoth - Presidents' Day has a bit of history to it. First, it was celebrated as Washington's Birthday, which was in February right around when we celebrate it. Then we added Lincoln's Birthday as a holiday as well, which is also in February. Eventually it evolved into all presidents, which is what we have today.

@ Harbourboy - Basically, one is for the dead the other is for the living. Memorial Day is a day of rememberance for those who died during the war, whereas Veterans' Day are for those who came home from the war (even if they have died in the time since).

 

Here we have:

Jan 1 - New Years Day
Feb 25 - EDSA Revolution (this was related to the ouster of dictator President Ferdinand E. Marcos and am not sure if it's a national holiday)
Maundy Thursday
Holy Friday
May 1 - Labor Day
Jun 12 - Independece Day
Jul 4 - Filipino-American Friendship Day (used to be a holiday but not anymore... don't ask me why)
Nov 1 - All Saints Day (or was it All Souls Day)
Nov 15 - Ramadan Feast (recently declared holiday)
Nov 30 - Bonifacio Day (Andres Bonifacio, a Filipino hero during the Spanish occupation)
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Dec 30 - Rizal Day (Dr. Jose Rizal is our national hero)