Oktoberfest, Saint Leopold's Day and Thanksgiving in Germany are all traditional harvest celebrations in Western Europe.
Well, it’s that time of year again. Harvest season. The air is crisp and cool with the scent of dried leaves and wood smoke. My mailbox begins to fill with the autumn editions of Country Living and Better Homes and Gardens, both of which feature ideas for harvest decorating, dining and entertaining. I make special dishes such as apple pie and squash soup, which only grace our dinner table in the fall. Along with Halloween and Thanksgiving, there are a number of local harvest themed festivals throughout the area. All this end of season celebrating made me wonder about its historical roots. This weeks column explores the tradition of harvest celebrations throughout Western Europe, including popular celebrations, such as Oktoberfest in Bavaria, as well as lesser known holidays like Saint Leopold’s Day in Austria. While many harvest celebrations are tied directly to the Catholic Church, others are related to end of the grape harvest, an important export of many rural areas of Western Europe.
