Part One
Even though the celebration may not have been called Thanksgiving Day, mankind has been celebrating bountiful harvests throughout history. Before Christianity became established many farmers believed their crops were filled with spirits which could cause their crops to grow and die. Farmers contended these spirits were released during harvesting and they had to be destroyed before the spirits took revenge on the farmers responsible for harvesting. Many of these festivals of thanks were in celebration for defeating and destroying these spirits.
The ancient Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, Chinese and Egyptians all held harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations.
The ancient Greeks worshipped a variety of gods and goddesses with Demeter being their goddess of corn. Each autumn after the harvesting a festival of Thesmosphoria was held in her honour. During the first day of the festival married women built leafy shelters, furnished with sofas made from plants. The second day was a day for fasting. On the third day a feast was held with offering to their goddess Demeter. Gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit and pigs were offered to Demeter's in hopes that the goddess would grant them a bountiful harvest.
The ancient Chinese harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, was celebrated during the full moon which fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. Special "moon cakes", stamped with a rabbit were baked for this special occasion. These cakes were round and yellow like the moon and the reason for rabbits was because this is what the Chinese saw on the face of the moon. This day was also considered to be the birthday of the moon. Families ate a thanksgiving meal from food, which they harvested during this time along with the moon cakes. They also believed on the 3rd day of the festival, flowers fell from the moon and if you saw them you would receive good fortune. Another reason for the moon cakes is the role they played in freeing China from enemy armies, which had over taken their country. A surprise attack was planned against the enemy and instructions for the attack were contained in special moon cakes, which were distributed to every family. Now, every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.
Each autumn Jews celebrate a harvest festival known as Sukkoth. This celebration has taken place for over 3000 years now. Other names associated with Sukkoth are "Hag ha Succot - Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Youm Kippar. Sukkoth is named after the huts which Mosses and the Israleties lived in during their 40 years spent in the desert, prior to reaching the Promised Land. Sukkoth lasts for 8 days during which time Jewish people build small huts of branches, which recollect the tabernacles of their ancestors. Fruits and vegetables are hung inside these huts and the families partake of their meals there on the first 2 nights of Sukkoth.
During the harvest festival, Egyptians honoured their god Min, who was the god of vegetation and fertility. This festival was held during the springtime, which was their harvest season. There was always a parade in which the Pharaoh played a role. After the parade a feast was held which featured music, dancing and sports. Egyptian farmers wept and appeared grief stricken during harvest to deceive spirits they believed lived in their crops. They feared the anger of the spirits if they acted otherwise.
Ancient Romans also had a harvest festival in honour of the goddess Ceres who was also thought of as the goddess of corn. This festival took place on October 4th of each year with offerings to Ceres for a bountiful harvest. Music, parades, games and sports were all an important part of this thanksgiving feast.
Christianity eventually became well established in England and it appeared that Christians were the ones to establish new rules and customs. Although the Roman custom of harvest festival had been observed long after the Roman Empire had disappeared, the Christians changed it from a pagan celebration to one of Christian nature. Even though the harvest festival was taken over by the Christians, some of the Roman customs and rituals were incorporated into the Christian festival, which was called harvest home. Each year a harvest queen was chosen and decorated with grain from the fields and fruit from the trees. She was placed in a carriage drawn by white horses and paraded through the streets. Everyone attended Church on this day and sang songs, which are of similar nature worldwide.
We plough the fields
and scatter
the good seed through
the land,
But it is fed and
watered by God's almighty hand…
All good gifts
around us are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the
Lord,
O thank the Lord
for all His love!
We can date back
original harvest festivities 2,000 years to Celtic priests and the druids.
As soon as the summer's harvest was completed and stored in safety, the
Celts prayed for their sun god. They prayed for success of their sun god
to succeed in battle with the darkness and cold of winter. During this
period of time, harvest season was of great importance and marked the end
of the Celtic calendar year. Once Christianity became established the pagan
and Christian celebrations became entwined.
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