Beautiful Vietnam
Giving thanks from far away
  • | dtinews.vn | November 25, 2010 10:58 AM

Expats often soak in the holidays they grew up celebrating by gathering together and recreating it with a twist from the place they now call home.

They crave for a taste of home, a reminder of traditions, a little slice of something that brings back memories of life in the past.

Today is Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) a holiday not really celebrated anywhere else but Canada (who celebrate it on a different day). It has been years since I\'ve been home for my favorite holiday of the year, Thanksgiving. Its historical significance has long since faded and it has turned into a family oriented occasion filled with wining and dining until the belly can bear no more, followed by hours of American football on television.

Turkey is the main course, followed by stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and a plethora of other dishes. It is truly a lavish feast and for many, the best day of the year.

In the modern world, people will skype home or tweet away about the holiday and wherever they may be soaking it in. As the world comes closer together, so do the things we share. Thanksgiving may mean little to a Briton back home, yet out here, many will be joining to celebrate the holiday. It seems Christmas would mean very little to a country such as Thailand where well over 90% of the population is Buddhist but like Vietnam, the countries both put on lavish lights and celebrate it in their own way. Lunar New Year (Tet) would be an unknown event should I still be living in the U.S. but here, I celebrate and look forward to it just as much as my local friends.

The world is coming closer together and now, they are sharing more, and celebrating more together. This is a time of year, people will come together and give thanks. Hopefully, it doesn\'t always take a holiday to make us thankful or to come together in appreciation of our culture, our traditions and those of all around us.

Happy turkey day Vietnam.

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