CANADIAN THANKSGIVING 2013

Each year on the second Monday of October, there is a celebration of thanksgiving. In Canada, it is actually called the Thanksgiving weekend. Most people have a turkey dinner feast on one of the days of the weekend. We have our dinner on the Sunday as it allows for the Monday to be a day of rest and eating leftovers. How did Thanksgiving in Canada start? It is different than the American Thanksgiving and around the same time as the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. First Nations people have had many celebrations honouring the harvest. There were harvest celebrations in European history too!
A little historical research reveals the  English explorer Martin Forbisher actually celebrated a safe passage in Newfoundland in 1578. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain held regular fall feasts as a celebration of thanks. Halifax Nova Scotia held a special Thanksgiving after the Seven Year's war ended in 1763. Loyalists to the British did bring some of the American features of Thanksgiving to Canada in the 1790s.
Actually since 1879, Thanksgiving has been celebrated in Canada on different days and months. At one time in November but it conflicted with Armistice Day later to be Remembrance Day. So by 1957, the Canadian government through Parliament declared the second Monday of October as the set day. More than just eating, it was as a blessing to God to be thankful for our bountiful harvest.
I remember as a child learning about the pilgrims later to discover they had nothing to do with Canada. Our church services would have a cornucopia of fall bounty such as corn, apples, squash and leaves!
In our modern times, the churches have services of thanksgiving and celebration. Newcomers to the country are often perplexed about the whole Thanksgiving thing! So Canadians get out there and educate them! Brag about our customs and history.
Even the traditional meal with turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, squash, sweet potoato, turnip and whatever other bevy of veggies you want to add! As a child, my Mom would make corn kernels and carrots. Harvest veggies! We add some peas, broccoli, brussel sprouts, mushrooms and ainise to give an Italian flair. Of course some Italian sausages are cooked and the juice added for more flavour to the gravy. The dessert table can be whatever you want! However, pumpkin and apple pies abound. Don't forget some ice cream or whipping cream to go on top of the pumpkin pie!
I like this holiday because it is really Canadian! The area where I live Richmond Hill Ontario in York Region was once inhabitated by the Huron- the Neutral and Tobacco tribes lived in parts of Ontario too. Many of the veggies in our dinner like the squash, some people still have corn, were staples from them. Cranberries come from First Nation people too. Bread stuffing is more an English tradition. Turkeys are now farmed but were once wild in many parts of North America. Pumpkins and apples grow here- thus the pumpkin and apple themes in the desserts! Canadians coast to coast connect with family to say- Happy Thanksgiving!
At work the other day, one of my colleagues was asking people what makes them thankful? Do you know how people said just to have life? Thankful to be alive!
In Canada there is a new tradition starting. A small group has set up a tradition to find Canadians who will welcome a new immigrant family to their Thanksgiving dinner to teach them about the event and share a meal. I heard about it very late but perhaps there is always next year.
It was featured on CTV news a few days ago. The announcer was very sweet and said- how Canadian! Yes how Canadian! The First Nations people helped the first explorers survive the first years in Canada, the first settlers helped the next group survive and today we can welcome new immigrants and help them to learn and celebrate long standing Canadian traditions.
So have a great and Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Yes, try not to be more stuffed than the Turkey!