New Delhi, Nov. 26 -- Thanksgiving shows up differently around the world, but the concept remains the same. It is a day set aside to acknowledge a harvest, a blessing, or a moment in history that people felt was worth remembering. The holiday is best known in North America. However, a handful of nations observe it in their own way, shaped by local events and traditional customs.

The United States observes Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, a national holiday tied to the 1621 gathering between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.

Today, it is one of the country's biggest annual events. Families travel, kitchens run all day, and parades and football broadcasts take over the morning hours. Turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie a...