The American holiday of Thanksgiving is wildly problematic, let’s be real. First of all, the feel-good story of fellowship between Native Americans and the settlers of Plymouth Rock belies the darker, more real history of exploitation, treachery, and genocide between the newly-formed government of the United States and the Native American tribes. Secondly, it never even happened the way it’s taught to children in elementary school. There was no feast at Plymouth Rock. The pilgrims merely fell to their knees and gave thanks for having survived the arduous two-and-a-half month journey to the New World. The actual Thanksgiving Day feast was actually to celebrate the slaughter of 700 Wampanoag tribe members in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637. It was a celebration of colonialism and conquest.



That doesn’t mean there’s no merit to the Autumnal feast of giving thanks. Gratitude is always a fruitful emotion, helping us to appreciate the good things in our lives as well as have a vision of a more fair and just world.



One of the advantages of studying folklore is the ability to pick apart various threads in the psychic tapestry that is our modern world. There are worthwhile currents in the Thanksgiving tradition interwoven with the horrors. Let’s pick through a few to help you create your own customs, your own meaning.

The Mythology and Folklore of Thanksgiving

Like nearly every American tradition, Thanksgiving is actually a patchwork quilt of borrowed and stolen themes.

Like nearly every American tradition, Thanksgiving is actually a patchwork quilt of borrowed and stolen themes. One of the enduring symbols of Thanksgiving is the cornucopia, a symbol of abundance, that actually dates back to Ancient Greece.

Zeus and the Cornucopia

When Zeus was born, he had to be hidden from his all-devouring father Kronus. Baby Zeus was hidden in a cave on Mount Ida on the island of Crete. He was tended by the goat Amaltheia, meaning “nourishing goddess.” When Zeus was playing with Ameltheia he broke off one of her horns, which gained the power to produce endless nourishment. This is the Cornucopia.

Demeter, the goddess of grains, was honored with a celebration of harvest and fertility each Autumn, known as Thesmophoria.

Demeter and Thesmophoria

The Cornucopia is not the only symbol of abundance and fertility in Ancient Greek culture. Demeter, the goddess of grains, was honored with a celebration of harvest and fertility each Autumn, known as Thesmophoria.

On the first day of Thesmophoria, married women would build leafy shelters. These shelters would be furnished with couches made from plants. Thesmophoria would last for three days. The second day was acknowledged by fasting. On the third and final day, a feast was held and offerings were made to Demeter, including seed corn, fruit, cakes, and pigs. These offerings would help ensure a fruitful harvest.

The Romans and Cerelia

The Roman feast of harvest and abundance was called Cerelia, dedicated to the goddess Ceres, the Roman goddess of grains. On October 4, the first harvest fruits and pigs were offered to Ceres, followed by music, parades, games, and sports.

Chung Ch’ui is considered the birthday of the Moon, which would be celebrated by baking “moon cakes,” round and yellow cakes that looked like the moon.

Chinese and Chung Ch’ui

The Chinese harvest festival of abundance fell on the full moon on the 15th day of the 8th month. Chung Ch’ui is considered the birthday of the Moon, which would be celebrated by baking “moon cakes,” round and yellow cakes that looked like the moon. The moon cakes would be stamped with a picture of a rabbit, in honour of the Rabbit on the Moon.

Families would celebrate Chung Ch’ui by feasting on roast pig, harvested fruits, and the moon cakes. It was believed that flower petals would fall from the moon during the 3-day festival, blessing all those who saw them.

The moon cakes also celebrate another stroke of abundance and good fortune. According to the stories, China had been invaded by a conquering army, who had occupied their homes and commandeered their food. Many Chinese were starving, forcing them to act.

The Chinese were left with no choice but to attack. Moon cakes were distributed to every household which contained details of the surprise attack. The invading army was caught off guard and was easily defeated.

Sukkoth is named after the huts that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert.

The Hebrews and Sukkoth

The Hebrews have been celebrating their harvest festival of Sukkoth for over 3000 years. Sukkoth is also known by two different names, Hag ha Succot or The Feast of the Tabernacles, or Hag ha Asif, the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth would take place on the 15th day of the month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Sukkoth is named after the huts that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert. To commemorate the Israelites’ pilgrimage, Jewish families constructed shelters of branches and foliage, with grapes, apples, corn, and pomegranates hanging from the ceiling.

Jewish families would eat dinner in the temporary shelters for the first 2 nights of Sukkoth.

The Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honour of Min, god of fertility and harvest.

The Egyptians and Min

The Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honour of Min, god of fertility and harvest. The festival would be held in the springtime, when the Egyptian harvest would occur.

A parade would kick off the harvest festival, featuring the Pharaoh himself. A feast would follow the parade, followed by music, dancing, and sports.

During the harvest itself, farmers would weep as they harvested the corn, pretending to be grief-stricken. This was intended to deceive the spirits believed to live in the corn, which were believed to be angry that their homes had been destroyed.

Thanksgiving can be whatever you make of it. There are always things to be grateful for. You’re more than able to make your own customs, your own memories. Here at the Emerald Tablet Collective, we’re baking pumpkin pie, listening to jazz and classical music, talking about Marvel movies and what we’re going to wear tomorrow.

There is much to be grateful for. Give thanks.

What are you doing to celebrate Thanksgiving? What are some of yr favourite Thanksgiving customs? What about harvest festivals and folklore?







Emerald Tablet Collective Are:

Nathan Dorsett:

ig: @nathandorsett

Adam S. Lichi

J Simpson:

@for3stpunk

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Forestpunk

Mastering Modernity

Annalise Sullivan:

@boggartqueen

ig: @boggartqueenart

Annalise J. Sullivan homepage

Melissa Sullivan:

@TheMysticWood

ig: @The_Mystic_Wood

TheMysticWood Etsy

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