Thanksgiving on the Net - Thanksgiving Day in Canada: The History and Origin of Northern Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day in Canada:
The History and Origin of
a Northern Thanksgiving

While Americans begin gearing up for Thanksgiving in the days following Halloween, Thanksgiving celebrations in Canada are long since over by October 31st. That's because in Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Unlike Americans, whose holiday recalls the Pilgrims landing in America, Canadians spend their Thanksgiving giving thanks for a successful harvest, which typically culminates by early October in the northern country of Canada.

Canadian Thanksgiving traces its roots to an old European farming custom of banding together to toast a plentiful harvest. After hundreds of years of unofficial celebration, the Canadian Parliament officially recognized the folk practice in 1957.

The traditional Canadian Thanksgiving meal is similar to the feast served at the American counterpart: turkey (although ham or other roasts may be substituted), gravy, stuffing, autumn vegetables and fruit desserts. Canadians also place a cornucopia at the center of the table; the cornucopia is a curved ram's horn filled with fruits and grains.

Thanksgiving in Canada 2012: October 08

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Comments

Donnel Burns from Louisiana, US

09:48 11/16/2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! TO EVERYONE

Frank Manuel from Canada

21:48 10/09/2010

After hundreds of years of unofficial celebration dating back to 1578, the Canadian ......etc

B Wilkes from Canada

23:07 09/27/2010

Umm, I'm not exactly sure where or who came up with their definition/version of the origin of Canadian Thanksgiving for this page but it is not entirely correct. In fact, the Canadian Thanksgiving was the first Thanksgiving to be celebrated in North America. The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been futilely attempting to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did, however, establish a settlement in Canada. In the year 1578, Frobisher held a formal ceremony in what is now the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This event is widely considered to be the first Canadian Thanksgiving, and the first official Thanksgiving to occur in North America. The tradition was continued after many similar journeys and was passed to also celebrate feasting, friends and food after a successful harvest.

lanni from New York, US

20:45 12/06/2009

it's okay it doesnt tell me what canadain do though A-

crystal rogers from New York, US

12:26 11/23/2009

this is like the best like the best so i can finsh like a stuff my computer teacher gave us to doooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

litte girl from Minnesota, US

16:48 11/16/2009

hey thank thisis very goodand it helped me get a A+ in S.S!!!!!!!

plankthoen from China

09:14 09/10/2009

wenax............ PAngan'an"e Turkey........ BAgi" Tow......... Jow Di Mum Dewe, Ndak LOro WetHenk MengKUh

michelle wilson from Missouri, US

13:54 11/25/2008

Hey thanks

Brian Stephansen from Australia

16:59 11/21/2008

Thank you for a most informative history of Thanksgiving in the US and Canada.Wonderful reading and so interesting.

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Thanksgiving Day in Canada:The History and Origin ofa Northern Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day in Canada:
The History and Origin of
a Northern Thanksgiving