Children at a kindergarten in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province make heart-shaped Thanksgiving cards to express gratitude to their teachers. (Photo: VCG)

Chinese people expressed their gratitude on social media during Thanksgiving Day on Thursday under the relevant hashtag that has been viewed 2.4 billion times.

Although Thanksgiving Day is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation, it offers an opportunity to Chinese people to thank someone important to them. 

Some Chinese netizens thank family members and friends for helping them, and others express gratitude to those who contribute to society.

"Thanks everyone who helped me or is staying with me. I am fortunate to have you in my life," one Sina Weibo user commented.

"Teachers, doctors and police officers as well as firefighters… all of them deserve thanks from us as they allow us to live more safely and happily," another wrote.

Netizens also said that they joined some celebration activities held by their companies to thank them for their hard work.

The participation of netizens took Thanksgiving Day's topic to the top of the hashtag chart on Sina Weibo.