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Why Do Americans and Canadians Celebrate Thanksgiving on Different Days?

By
Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario

Since 1957, Thanksgiving in Canada (Jour de l'Action de grâce) has been celebrated on the second Monday in October (the same day Americans celebrate Columbus Day). Canada has always celebrated Thanksgiving earlier, but in 1957 the Canadian Parliament declared that the second Monday in October would be recognized as;

“A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.’’

Why do the two countries celebrate on different days? There's a couple of reasons really.

You might already have guessed the first reason, it makes logical sense. Canada (for the most part) is further north, and therefore has a shorter growing season, and the harvest has to come in quite a bit earlier than it does in most of the U.S., so therefore it makes sense to celebrate the harvest earlier as well. Much of Canada is already experiencing winter weather right now, and a harvest festival wouldn't be a very cheery occasion at the moment.

The second reason is also pretty obvious (now that I'm going to mention it). Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving are not celebrations of the same thing. In general they are pretty similar in that they are both harvest festivals with their origins in Europe, however, specifically, American Thanksgiving, as well as giving thanks for the bountiful harvest is also a commemoration of the  1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation. This was a feast shared by the pilgrims and native Americans. Canadians do not commemorate this event.

The first Thanksgiving in Canada occured in 1578 when the explorer Martin Frobisher, after successfully arriving in Baffin Island after a particularly gruelling crossing in search of the elusive North West Passage, held a ceremony in what is now known as Frobisher Bay. He and his crew celebrated communion and gave thanks to God for their safe landing (and I'm certain they prayed very hard to be returned safely to the comforts of Europe). In later years settlers came to this country and brought with them their traditions from their home countries. A harvest festival is a universal custom, and I'm sure that just about every culture celebrates this event. I'm also sure a lot of our traditions have been pinched from American traditions as well.

In any event, everybody on this continent has many reasons to be thankful all year round, so setting one day aside to express this thanks isn't really asking a lot.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011.

 

 

Comments (17)

Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Thanks, Malcolm for sharing this information today.  Wishing You and Your Family a Happy Thanksgiving too!

Nov 24, 2011 03:59 AM
Lisa Wetzel
RE/MAX Realty Affiliates - Carson City, NV
CDPE, SFR carsonvalleyland.com

Malcom ... I really never knew and I'm glad you shared that with us!  Happy Holidays ... in what ever shape they take ... to you and your family!

Nov 24, 2011 04:00 AM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Thanks very much Jerry, I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving as well.

Thank you Lisa, enjoy your Thanksgiving too.

Nov 24, 2011 04:07 AM
Ralph Gorgoglione
Metro Life Homes - Palm Springs, CA
California and Hawaii Real Estate (310) 497-9407

We all work so hard throughout the year, and this is exactly why we do it.

To be able to spend leisure time with our family and friends.

So please enjoy every minute of your holiday, thoroughly!

Nov 24, 2011 04:10 AM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Thank you Ralph, it's not a holiday here, but I'm going to enjoy today anyway, even if it kills me. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Nov 24, 2011 04:15 AM
Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Great post...says it all about both the tiny differences and also the major similarity...it's about gratitude.

Nov 24, 2011 04:43 AM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Thanks, Li, it is indeed about gratitude.

Nov 24, 2011 07:34 AM
Chris Smith
Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage - New Tecumseth, ON
South Simcoe, Caledon, King, Orangeville Real Esta

Malcolm, I knew the first, but didn't know the second Canadian difference.  What we learn on AR ;-)

Nov 24, 2011 10:26 AM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Malcolm,

 

I enjoyed the history lesson. I have wondered about the answer but never looked it up. Thanks,

 

Brian

Nov 24, 2011 12:17 PM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Malcolm - Oh dear, poor Big Bird...  I often wondered why the dates were different.  It does make perfect sense when you think about it.  Thanks for the clarification.  We'll just have to look forward to December 25th for our next turkey!

Nov 24, 2011 01:44 PM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

Hope you had a great (American) Thanksgiving and that your (American) Black Friday won't get too stressful and mess up the rest of your weekend!

Happy Black Friday!

Nov 25, 2011 02:42 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Malcolm, thanks for the lesson it was well done ;). I prefer our date for Thanksgiving because it means more time between large turkey dinners! LOL.

Nov 25, 2011 03:19 AM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Thanks Chris, I do learn quite a bit from other blogs.

You're welcome Brian, I never knew about the first Thanksgiving on Frobisher Bay either until I looked it up.

Haha Sally, poor Big Bird indeed.  I guess we have to wait another month for Turkey.

Thank you Russel, I'm not a black Friday type of guy anyway, too much stress.

Janice, I think our Thanksgiving is on a better date too, far enough removed from Christmas.

Nov 25, 2011 08:46 AM
Larry Lawfer
YourStories Realty Group - Newton, MA
"I listen for a living." It's all about you.

You are a great historian Malcolm and I love reading your blogs.  We were just talking about this around our American Thanksgiving table less than 40 miles from where it first happened on the Plymouth Plantation.

Nov 25, 2011 10:33 AM
Sheila Newton Team Anderson & Greenville SC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - C. Dan Joyner - Anderson, SC
Selling the Upstate since 1989

Happy American Thanksgiving Malcoom... A little late for wishing you a Canadian Thanksgiving wish.. I didn't know we celebrated on different days.. thanks for the info :)

Nov 26, 2011 03:38 AM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Thanks for sharing the info. regarding Canada's Thanksgiving Malcolm. I had wondered why and I appreciate you filling us in. 

Nov 28, 2011 04:01 AM
Cathy McAlister
Cathy Ashley McAlister, GRI CDPE - Broker / Sacramento - Sacramento, CA
Sacramento DRE#00648507

Malcolm,  I never knew any of this.  I'm rather embarrassed by that statement but "thankful" to have learned something new.    Thank you for sharing. 

Dec 03, 2011 08:03 PM