The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-11-28
THANKSGIVING
IN EVERY LAND
AMERICAS FESTIVAL is IN MANY
RESPECTS UNIQUE.
The Jewish Nations Festival Of
Thanks II the Oldest Known In
History-JQuaint Vintage Festivals
I'm Sunny Italy.

peculiar TO our people; probably they
imbibod II from English customs or
those, as old as history, which pre-
vail in one form or another on the
continent. Gratitude for plentiful
harvests II the keynote of these Gus
toms although among us the day
wolld probably be celebrated even
II Governor Bradford had not start.
ed the Observance in 1923 by that
memorable Thanksgiving Day when
long drought was broken by
heavy rain during the prayers OF
the assembled colonists
Different peoples have different
times. but always some time for har-
vest Thanksgiving. when the Jews
Inhabited Palestine the festival OF
PcntccCst embraced a Thanksgiving
for n plentiful harvest but as tho
wh,at Is not gathered In Europe re
the time OF the Pcntecost flowers
take the place of the first-fruits Ia
tho synagos ues there. The drui!s
had their harvest festival on Nov
ember I; the Chinese and japanese
have theirs at their years close.
The second of the three great fcs-
tlvals of the Jewish ecclesiastical
year occurs on the sixth and seventh
days OF the third month (siyam
which includes part of May and June
1t is called In Hebrew Shovnos bat
more generally the Feast Of tho
Pentecost, the fifteenth day, since
It commentaries the giving of the
day to Moses on Mount Sinai nifty
days after the deliverance of the Is
raelites out of Egypt. II Is also
called the Feast of the Weeks, be-
cause It marks the completion OF
seven weeks, counted from the sec
ond dny OF Peasch or Passover.
In the old simple days of England
the Harvest Home was such a scene
rs Horace's friends might have eX-
pected to see at his Sabine farm.
The grain last cut was brought home
in It's wagon called the hook cart
surmounted by Il figure formed o.
sheaf with gay dressings-suggestin
representation OF the goddess
Ceres-while u pipe and tabor went
merrily sounding in front and the
renpers tripped around In a hand
finland ring. singing:
Harvest home. harvest home.
We have plowed, we have sowei.
We have reaped, we have moved,
We have brought home every load,
Hip. hip. hip. harvest home!
In the evening of Harvest Homo
the supper takes place in the barn
or some other suitable place. the
master anil mistress generally pre-
siding. This feast is always com
posed of substantial food with plenty
Of good ale.
There Is q growing tendency at tho
present time to abolish these old har-
vest festivals and TO substitute
festival for the whole parish, with
services In the parish church in the
forenoon. and dinner afterwards.
followed by sports and games for
the men and tea-drinking for the
women.
Harvest festivals are. as far as
the Angellcan Church is concerned,
a later-day institution. This Ia
strange. for in pre- Reformation times
Dammas Day. SO called from the An
glo-Saxon half a loaf and maesse,
a feast, ana which fell on August
]. was marked by the presentation OF
loaf made of new wheat in tho
churches by every member OF tho
congregation. Previous to Reforma-
ton of the calendar In 1852 Dam
mas-tide utnered IN the second quar-
ter Of the year, Since then the
term has fallen into disuse.
An Italian vingate festival is about
the nearest thing the people have to
a Thanksgiving Day. but the two
things are the same In spirit If very
different In detail.
AT these festivals a primitive In
terchange OF labor takes place:
everybody helps everybody, no wage
is given. This mans vines facing
full south are forward. another mans
vines are backward. From all tho
hillsides round the peasants fock
to each vineyard as needed. Occas-
ionally an Italian will do u To-. os
work in a day. but he Will not hurry:
he Ia making love. meanwhile. to the
girl who works with him. Tho
grapes. stems and all, are put into
high wooden tubs and beaten with
heavy cudgels until the Juice rises
foaming to the top. Then the tubs
are emptied into the great vats and
there churned thoroughly.
After the vintage comes the feast.
1t begins at dark and lasts through
the night. The peasants dance In
the padrone's kitchen. mon dancing
with both men and women. The
music 10 continuous; partners. a pair
at time. take two or three turns
and sit down, giving place to another
pair, Not until daybreak do the
revelers, singing and laughing. go to
IN cir homea