Thanksgiving In Canada

Written By Brandon Douglas

– B2-C1 (intermediate to advanced) –

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Every second Monday of October is a statutory holiday in Canada called, “Thanksgiving.” This Canadian holiday dates back to 1578, when British explorer Sir Martin Frobisher voyaged to what is now Nunavut, Canada from England in search of gold and a pathway to Asia. After a tumultuous trip, Frobisher and his team held a traditional Elizabethan feast of thanks, a celebratory and symbolic meal that English persons of the time hosted after extreme difficulties in order to give thanks to God for having provided them safety. As this was common practice, multiple feasts of this type took place in the land over the years after long trips, disease epidemics, battles and wars, and various other challenges in life.

Interestingly, this act of thanksgiving by Europeans was not that different from an activity Indigenous peoples had already been doing in the land for centuries. Instead of thanking God for safety after a difficult experience, the Indigenous peoples of North America had similar feasts to thank the land, Mother Nature, the Creator, and/or their ancestors (depending on the culture) for the year’s harvest. Foods of choice often included pumpkin and squash, as well as turkey–a contrast to the English’s mushy peas, biscuits, and salt beef. As the 1750s approached, these Indigenous agricultural items started to be introduced to English thanksgiving. By 1763, in order to thank God after the Seven Years’ War, these foods were already a part of settler tradition in what is now Nova Scotia, Canada.

It was not until 1879, however, that Thanksgiving became an annual event in Canada, taking place sometime between the initial weeks of November and December. Since 1957, it has been the official statutory holiday that we know today in October, which blends both English and Indigenous traditions.

Nowadays, Thanksgiving in Canada is a humble holiday, where people gather with their friends and/or family to share in an evening meal together. Common foods include: turkey with cranberry sauce or gravy, ham, mashed or scalloped potatoes with butter or gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes topped with roasted marshmallows, peas, beans, carrots, turnip, rutabaga, parsnips, squash, salads of various types, breads like buns, biscuits and bannock, and desserts like pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, rhubarb crisp, and many others.

Traditional Thanksgiving activities apart from dinner often include: discussing what everyone is thankful for in their lives; catching up with family and friends; watching Canadian and American football and/or hockey; spending time outdoors, playing sports, jumping in piles of leaves, and/or going for walks or hikes in the park or forest; volunteering at fowl suppers put on by community halls/centres/shelters for the unhoused; and general relaxation. Like most Canadian holidays, every family has its own set of traditions, so Thanksgiving can look a little different from home to home. However, it is these that are mentioned that make up the traditional image of the holiday in modern times.

Is there a holiday similar to Thanksgiving where you live? What are you thankful for? Practice your English by letting me know in the comments below.

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Brandon Douglas
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