Harvest Festivals Around the World: How Cultures Celebrate Food and Family
As autumn arrives, communities around the globe celebrate the harvest season — a time to give thanks for food, family, and abundance. From Asia to Europe to the Americas, harvest festivals highlight the universal importance of gratitude and togetherness.
What are harvest festivals?
Rooted in ancient agricultural traditions, harvest festivals mark the end of the growing season. They’re an opportunity to share meals, honor ancestors, and celebrate community.
A brief history of harvest celebrations
Across cultures, harvest festivals have always combined food, faith, and family:
- China & Vietnam: The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the full moon with mooncakes, lanterns, and family reunions.
- South Korea: Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving, honors ancestors with feasts and rituals.
- India: Navratri and Durga Puja combine worship, dance, and communal feasts.
- Germany: Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration and grew into the world’s biggest folk festival.
- Canada & U.S.: Thanksgiving focuses on gratitude, food, and family gatherings.
How global communities celebrate abroad
Diaspora communities recreate harvest traditions wherever they live — from hosting feasts and dances to sharing foods like mooncakes, tamales, or pumpkin pie. Many also send money back home to help families prepare for celebrations.
Staying connected: Send money worldwide, simply and securely
Wherever your family calls home, Paysend makes it easy to send money directly to bank accounts, cards, or wallets across 100+ countries. With low fees and fast delivery, you can be part of harvest celebrations anywhere in the world.
Celebrating gratitude across borders
Harvest festivals remind us that no matter where we are, food and family connect us all. This season, if you’re sharing support across borders, do it the easy way — with Paysend.
Latest Posts
When it comes to sending money across the world, trust and security come first. At Paysend, we’re proud to make global transfers quick and easy – but we also take your safety seriously. That’s why we have a few verification steps in place to make sure your money always gets where it needs to go, securely and without worry.
If you’ve ever wondered why we ask for a few extra details, this guide will explain what verification is, why it matters, and how it actually benefits you.
Starting January 1, 2026, a new U.S. federal rule introduced a 1% tax on certain international money transfers. If you send money abroad, you may have seen headlines or social posts raising questions — or concerns — about what this means for you.
Here’s the good news upfront:
Paysend customers won’t pay this tax.
In this blog, we explain what’s changing, who it affects, and why sending money with Paysend remains simple, transparent, and tax-free.
