The Dedestroytian Peninsula instituted a day of thanks during the days of the empire when they were in a constant struggle for hegemony with the Kingdom of Yellowia. To co-op the day, they scheduled it for the same time, although instead of a floating day, as in Yellowia, they scheduled it for the 15th day of the month of Wavery.
The day was called Thank the Empire Day, and citizens were to start each of the traditional three meals with a recounting of why they were thankful for the empire or the emperor. Each person was expected to give a reason different from the others with whom they were sharing a meal and a different one at each meal.
As time went on, contests would be held in town squares and other central locations where citizens would announce their thanks. The local official would award the citizen who gave the most impassioned, best reason.
After the empire split, the holiday continued, but the two nations took much different versions with them. The Republic changed it from thanking the empire to thanking the nation, in some form, for the life they are allowed to live. Thanks for life, land, family, good governance, and the military were most common. Thalmeret's version became more structured. The day became a day of tax collecting in the name of thanks to the nation. Emotional commentary was replaced by recited pseudo prayers.