How cute is it that Americans are perplexed by Canadian Thanksgiving?
TL;DR Americans are shocked that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October. They also think they own the holiday.
NYT restaurant critic Pete Wells’ rightly points out that our holiday didn’t come about until “Protestant church leaders in Ontario… successfully lobbied for the first national day of giving thanks in 1859…”
Perhaps he didn’t realize we weren’t even a country back then. There has never been a Canada (est. 1867 FYI) without Thanksgiving.
America didn’t invent turkey either. The big birds literally run wild up here.
Full credit for the 45-minute deep fry method that frees up ovens for more pies. But you can keep your marshmallow-sweet potato casserole and Jell-O salad. Those are all on you.
And like, NO (duh), we’re going to go ahead and re-stake our claim on butternut squash soup, bread stuffing, and pumpkin pie as our own. Those dishes all feature ingredients that are among the pride of our local crops and they’re all in peak season come early October.
Still confused about our customs? Up here, Thanksgiving is a celebration of the harvest season and it’s kind of a big deal considering our short growing seasons. We’re a nation of seasonal eaters and of course, we want to eat as much pumpkin as we can while it’s here.
Winter is coming.
Like many Americans, our traditions centre around day trips to farms, cooking with seasonal ingredients and wholesome family dinners. No, there’s no football (half of us think you’re talking about soccer anyway), or shopping madness, or Snoopy (that last one we’re a little jealous of)… but that’s cool. To each their own.
Up here, we’re all about encouraging people to uphold their own traditions while also sharing in ours. Tabbouleh and turkey? Sounds good.
When Trump becomes your new overlord, you can all come over for dinner and we’ll show you what it’s all about first hand. Seriously, the more the merrier.
Just don’t forget it takes place in October or you’ll miss it. For those already comfortable with revisionist history and cultural appropriation, you’ll be pleased to know Canadian Thanksgiving always happens on your Columbus Day.
See also
- EVERYTHING you need to know about Thanksgiving in Toronto
- 11 reasons why fall is our favourite season in Vancouver
- 11 Thanksgiving weekend getaways in Quebec
- 37 fall treats in Calgary to drool over
Need more examples of how Canada has made Thanksgiving its own? Please let me point your attention the following seasonal gems. You’re welcome America.
Thanksgiving Poutine from Smoke’s Poutinerie
Of course this is a thing.
Duck confit hachis parmentier from Foiegwa
Essentially a duck confit shepherd’s pie.
Thanksgiving burritos from Steamrollers
Our West Coast likes burritos too.
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