This year marked my very first Thanksgiving in the United States. I was very lucky to be invited to some potluck parties during the week of the holiday.
I tasted three turkeys even before the actual Thanksgiving holiday.
It was a wonderful time to meet new people and have a nice meal.
I found that many of my friends seem to be very proud of their lovely tradition. They also asked me if I have a Thanksgiving in Korea.
Surprisingly, the answer is yes.
The similar holiday has existed for several thousand years on the opposite side of the Earth. It is Chuseok.
It is the time when family members from near and far get together and have a big feast. People thank their ancestors for the year’s harvest.
Most Korean people still hold a memorial service for their ancestors.
Thanksgiving has the same history except that the pilgrims who first landed in Massachusetts gave their thanks to God. However, there is one thing that Korean culture does not have – a potluck party.
During my first American Thanksgiving, I was introduced to potluck parties.
Everyone brings their own dish and we all share the big meal. It is more than tasting food, it is sampling culture and being exposed to others’ traditions.
In a facebook invitation, a friend informed me that traditionally girls bring sides and boys bring dessert.
The concept of bringing one’s own food was very new to me. Hosts normally have the responsibility of a whole party in Korea.
In a collectivistic Korean society, people love to come over to the host’s home and make the food together.
This is still a lot of work for one or two hosts and young people these days are less willing to throw a party.
Even in Chuseok, the party is getting smaller and some people would rather go on vacation than spend time with their families.
It is truly sad that people care less about Chuseok these days. However, these potluck parties taught me that my American peers still value their tradition.
We were all excited to bring our own dishes and have a big dinner together.
I think a potluck party is one of the ways that busy people appreciate the holiday with their close friends.
Although this way of celebration may differ from some older customs, the important meaning of Thanksgiving as a family holiday still remains on it.
This could be a new direction that Chuseok should follow to enhance its key value of sharing and enjoying the time with family and close friends.
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