As with many other things, Canada and the United States get grouped together as being similar...Almost too similar. Though we share many likenesses, there are plenty of things that differ, one of those being Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving to be exact.
As a Canadian in the states, these dissimilarities were made apparent to me and many times became the topic of heated conversations. Thankfully the only hot topic here today is turkey. As one who was sent to educate the American people on all things Canada, the spotlight today will be on Canadian Thanksgiving and how its uniqueness became evident via celebration outside Hoser Headquarters (aka Canada).
What's all the hubbub "aboot"?
The Canadian Thanksgiving takes place on the second Monday in October, the same day as Columbus Day in the states (but with twice the mashed potatoes and half killing, so even more to be thankful for). It celebrates the great Martin Frobisher of England, who while on his voyage in search of the northwest passage celebrated the first Canadian Thanksgiving in 1578.
The First OG Canadian Thanksgiving officially took place April 5th, 1872 as a national civic holiday and today is celebrated as an official statutory holiday in all provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, and Labrador. This is proof that inequality is alive and well today.
Now the Main Event: What We Munchin' On?
Much like the traditional idea of a Thanksgiving meal in America, the Canadian feast consists of the following dishes and ingredients:
· Turkey
· Ham
· Mashed potatoes
· Brown Gravy (which I never knew there was White Gravy until the U.S. rid me of my ignorant ways)
· Corn
· Cranberry Sauce
· Yams or Tunips (Something only my family ate. So privileged? I'd say so.)
· Buns
· Steamed Carrots (I prefer mine with honey cuz a bitch ain't eva sweet enough.)
· Stuffing or as I have heard it called in the states "dressing."
How do the Canucks celebrate?
Though I have only simply celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving with a grandiose meal, there is no shortage of celebration in Canada. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, which celebrates all things beer, Germany, and autumn, begins the first Friday in October and endures for a week. It is attended by hundreds of thousands of people each year, and this year was kicked off by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who tapped the first keg. Each year the festival holds a giant televised Thanksgiving Parade and this year was the 48th annual, which of course had all things Canadian form beer to syrup and poutine.
All in all, no matter how different or similar Canadian Thanksgiving is to American Thanksgiving, you can never go wrong with either when they both entail eating, drinking, and the unbuttoning of pants.