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.
Eng soʻnggi xabarlar
Bayram mavsumi saxiylik, aloqalar va qaytarish haqida – va bu yil Paysend butun Yevropa va Buyuk Britaniya bo‘ylab hamjamiyatimiz uchun 24 kun davomida ortib boruvchi sovg‘alar bilan quvonch ulashmoqda.
1-dekabrdan 24-dekabrgacha har bir muvaffaqiyatli tavsiya — do‘stingiz ro‘yxatdan o‘tganda — sizga kundalik o‘yinimizga bitta ishtirok imkonini beradi.
Har kuni bir baxtli mijoz naqd pul mukofotini yutadi, 100 $ dan boshlanib, har kuni oshib, Rojdestvo arafasida 1,000 $ ga yetadi.
For new customers in the EEA, UK and Canada. 11 December – 9 January
The holiday season is a time for giving, connecting, and spreading joy, especially to those we love, near and far. At Paysend, we know that sometimes the most meaningful gifts don’t come wrapped in paper or ribbons…they’re the support, care and financial help you send to family and friends abroad.
This holiday, from 11 December to 9 January, we’re welcoming new customers in the EEA, UK and Canada with something special:
2x transfers with zero fees and special FX — our way of helping you share the joy more easily than ever.
With over 11 million customers worldwide, Paysend is here to make cross-border giving simple, fast, and stress-free during the moments that matter most.
