Why Is Thanksgiving always the 2nd Monday of October in Canada?
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| Mums in my garden |
Long before Europeans settled in North American, & Canada was primarily settled by the British & French, festivals of thanks & celebrations of harvest take place as a liturgical festival in October. Churches decorate with cornucopias, pumpkins, corn, wheat sheaves & other harvest bounty. English & European harvest hymns are sung on the Sunday of Thanksgiving. The very first Thanksgiving celebrations in North America took place when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England arrived in what is now know as Newfoundland (Canada) in 1578.
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| My harvest of Beef Steak & Cherry Tomatoes |
What is a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner?
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| Neighbours's Thanksgiving Decoration |
The featured item is a turkey, along with sage & onion stuffing/dressing , mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce & several root vegetables such as turnip, parsnips & carrots. Dessert is pumpkin pie. And remember turkey is the only food you can gobble.
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| My Thanksgiving table |
In Canada, while we do have several (North American style) football teams, there isn't a big game played on this weekend, nor do we have specific shopping sales. There is probably a hockey game Monday night some where. Also on this weekend in Kitchener, Ontario (a city with German roots), Octoberfest begins & there is a huge celebration with parade & the tapping of the beer keg. Most of the Thanksgiving weekend activities would be Harvest Fairs, going for walks in the woods to admire the turning leaves or for some, families gathering for dinner or working together at the "soup" kitchens. For some it's scrapping the start of their 31 days of gratitude.
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| Cut Leaf Staghorn Fern (neighbour's) |
Thanksgiving is a word of action ...we need not only say words of gratitude, but live by them ... Mary-Lou
I'd quite like us Brits to have a formal type of annual Thanksgiving ... wise words from you at the end of your post.
ReplyDeleteRuth are the churches still doing a Harvest service? If they do, you could be a trend setter & follow up with the Thanksgiving dinner - it's a very addictive holiday/celebration, dare I say maybe edging out Christmas. There's decorating, there's food, there's celebrating, there's gatherings of friend & if you must, family (col) but there's no presents to buy!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving x
ReplyDeleteThanks Eileen, it was a gorgeous day today, we walked (waddled) in the colourful woods & fields to help burn off the big dinner!
DeleteWell done on those tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteLady Ella I know you don't eat tomatoes so thanks for admiring mine. We had toasted tomato sandwiches for breakfast & oh so tasty. I think we lost about 40% to raccoons, squirrels & chipmunks - they take 1-2 bites & leave the rest - brats!
DeleteI like them, they just don't like me. 😐
DeleteI love Thanksgiving, don't you? On a radio station I was listening to, a D.J. was saying how it was the best holiday because it is still nice weather (and it really was, wasn't it!), you don't have to run around looking for presents beforehand, the colours are gorgeous, and the meal is huge! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn: I do like Thanksgiving a lot! I 100% agree with the DJ, especially about the part that you don't have to find Thanksgiving gifts! We had a drive around today to look at the leaves & a walk in the woods, weather was warm & lovely, no boots,coat,mittens,hat scarf were needed. Yeah 10 points for Thanksgiving! ... Mary-Lou =^..^=
DeleteWe're often in Canada for your Thanksgiving since the same weekend is a holiday for us as well. Your traditional dinner doesn't vary much from ours.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, so many similarities between our two countries, like sisters in a family, each with unique qualities but same roots but also wanting to be recognized for those differences. :)
DeleteI so enjoyed this post & the reminder that gratitude is an action!
ReplyDeleteThanks - in my quest of noting 31 days of gratitude I'm trying to take an action with each one.
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