Canadian Thanksgiving
Harvest Season
How It Began
The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England, arrived in Newfoundland in 1578. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated 43 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts!
Official Holiday
For a few hundred years, Thanksgiving was celebrated in either late October or early November, before it was declared a national holiday in 1879. It was then, that November 6th was set aside as the official Thanksgiving holiday. But then on January 31, 1957, Canadian Parliament announced that on the second Monday in October, Thanksgiving would be "a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." Thanksgiving was moved to the second Monday in October because after the World Wars, Remembrance Day (November 11th) and Thanksgiving kept falling in the same week.
The 49th Parallel
Another reason for Canadian Thanksgiving arriving earlier than its American counterpart is that Canada is geographically further north than the United States, causing the Canadian harvest season to arrive earlier than the American harvest season. And since Thanksgiving for Canadians is more about giving thanks for the harvest season than the arrival of pilgrims, it makes sense to celebrate the holiday in October. So what are the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, other than the date? Not much! Both Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with parades, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and a whole lot of turkey!
So my morning started as all Monday mornings do by getting the casita ready for patti to come and clean…no comments!!!!! At 10am I went to my yoga class which I really look forward to and I must get my teacher to take a photo of me on my head for all you non believers.
After yoga I went to Carolyn’s house and helped a little there with chores and then came home finished my class lessons and went to school at 6.00…..I had nine students today and we talked in class about being thankful and I told them about the special day it was today and for their homework for Wednesday I have them writing 5 reasons why they have to be thankful…it was a great class and I am sure they enjoyed and learned.
I went straight after class to Carolyn's house where Linda and Guy were already having a glass of wine….the table setting looked wonderful but unfortunately the camera did not preform too well or maybe it was me in fact I am sure it was..anyway trust me the meal was just so great and Linda brought over some fabulous mini pumpkin pies just a lovely evening thank you Carolyn so much.
I did my part and spent about 2 hours cleaning and doing dishes…..
Hope your day was wonderful blessings Les
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