### Harvest Festival Games Across Different Cultures

Harvest festivals are celebrated globally to mark the season of reaping and gathering agricultural products. These festivals not only signify gratitude for the bounty but also involve community engagement through various activities and games. Different cultures incorporate unique games and activities during their harvest festivals, highlighting local traditions and customs. Below, we explore some of the games associated particularly with harvest festivals in American and Korean cultures, which exemplify how cultural contexts influence the selection of such activities.

#### American Harvest Festivals and NFL Games

In the United States, the concept of a harvest festival is often blended with other fall celebrations, including Thanksgiving. This relation influences the types of activities that are popular during the American harvest period. One notable feature of American harvest time activities is the watching of NFL games, predominantly because the NFL season coincides with the fall harvest months.

**National Football League (NFL) and Harvest-Time**
- *Historical Context:* The NFL season begins in early September and intensifies with high-stakes games as it progresses into November and December. The fact that this aligns with harvest festivals like Thanksgiving makes NFL games an integral part of the celebration.
- *Cultural Significance:* Watching NFL games during Thanksgiving—a key harvest festival in the U.S.—has become a cultural tradition. It involves family gatherings around television sets, following games as a communal activity which complements the festive atmosphere.
- *Social Aspect:* NFL games during harvest festivals serve not only as entertainment but also as a bonding activity that brings together people of all ages and backgrounds, reinforcing community and familial ties.

#### Korean Harvest Festival Games

In contrast to the spectator-centered activity popular in the U.S., Korean harvest festivals, particularly Chuseok (also known as Korean Thanksgiving), involve more participatory games. Chuseok is a major harvest festival in Korea, celebrated with various traditional games and dances meant to promote community interaction and celebrate the harvest.

**Traditional Games During Chuseok**
- **Ssireum (Korean Wrestling):** This traditional form of wrestling is a popular game during Chuseok. It is played on a sand pit and involves competitors who attempt to overpower each other by getting their opponent to touch the ground with any part of their body above the knee.
- **Ganggangsullae:** A traditional Korean dance and game, this involves women dressing in Hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and dancing in a circle under the full moon. The dance involves singing and hand movements, and it's a performance that celebrates community and a bountiful harvest.
- **Juldarigi (Tug-of-War):** A massive rope made from rice straw symbolizes unity and strength. This game has historical significance and is said to ensure a prosperous and abundant coming year. Teams from opposing sides of a village pull on either end of the rope in a test of strength and communal effort.
- **Dak Sa Um:** This game is similar to a balancing act where participants try to unbalance their opponent. Each participant stands on one foot while trying to make their opponent lose their balance and touch both feet to the ground.

### Conclusion

The variety of games associated with harvest festivals in different cultures—ranging from watching NFL games in the United States to engaging in Ssireum or Ganggangsullae in Korea—illustrates how these celebrations are deeply entwined with cultural practices. While American activities tend to focus on shared communal spectatorship of popular sports, Korean games emphasize direct participation, reflecting the historical and cultural significance of these activities in fostering community spirit and gratitude for the harvest.