Today Cheryl is cooking a family dinner. Thanksgiving is about families and being thankful for everything you have. We are fortunate and it's always great to get together with the family. Our neighbours to the south have their Thanksgiving at the end of November. Here are the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgivings.
American Thanksgiving: A Pilgrim's Tale
The origins of Thanksgiving in the United States can be traced back to 1621 when the Pilgrims, a group of English separatists, and the Wampanoag Native Americans gathered for a three-day feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The Pilgrims had endured a harsh first year in the New World and celebrated a bountiful harvest, forging a bond of friendship with their indigenous neighbors. President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, setting the date as the last Thursday in November.
Canadian Thanksgiving: A Harvest Celebration
In Canada, the roots of Thanksgiving can be traced even further back, with origins in the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher, an English explorer. Frobisher and his crew celebrated their safe arrival in what is now Newfoundland and Labrador with a feast.
It wasn't until 1879 that Thanksgiving was celebrated as a national holiday in Canada, with the date initially set as November 6th. It was later moved to the second Monday in October, where it remains today.
