Canada Gets Ready To Celebrate Thanksgiving In October
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is an annual holiday in Canada held on the second Monday in October. Here in the United States, we refer to it as Canadian Thanksgiving to distinguish it from the US holiday of the same name and related celebrations in other regions. This year, it falls on Monday, October 14th.
What is different about Canadian Thanksgiving?
Since the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday, its date has moved several times—from mid-week in April to a Thursday in November—until 1957, when the Canadian government officially declared that Thanksgiving would occur on the second Monday in October.
Here in the United States, we enjoy Lions Football on Thanksgiving. In Canada, it is the start of the National Hockey League season, and the Canadian Football League has usually held a nationally televised doubleheader, the Thanksgiving Day Classic.
Everyone knows the story of the first American Thanksgiving in 1621, but do you know how Canadian Thanksgiving came about? The first Canadian Thanksgiving may have even pre-dated the Pilgrims’ big meal.
The tradition in Canada originated with the harvest festival. The autumnal celebration is meant to show appreciation for the season’s harvest. However, Canadian Thanksgiving was initially less about celebrating the harvest and more about thanking God for keeping early explorers safe as they ventured into the New World.
How Come We Don’t Hear Too Much About Canadian Thanksgiving?
In Canada, it is a little more low-key than how we are used to celebrating every year.
Although you might expect hockey to replace traditional Thanksgiving Day football, football is part of the Thanksgiving tradition in Canada, too. Each year, the annual Thanksgiving Day Classic doubleheader is broadcast nationwide, wherein four teams from the CFL (Canadian Football League) play for Thanksgiving glory! But no Turduckin!
It is a dish made by stuffing a deboned chicken inside a deboned duck and then stuffed inside a deboned turkey. The term “turducken” is a combination of the words “turkey,” “duck,” and “chicken.”
Does Canada Have A Crazy Pre-Thanksgiving Shopping Madness?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become a big part of the Thanksgiving season in the United States. However, Canada’s no real post-Thanksgiving shopping craze since Christmas is still so far off. This allows Canadians to focus on celebrating the beauty of early October and the Fall harvest!
Thanksgiving Musical Menu To Get Ready For The Holiday
Is There A Specific Thanksgiving Playlist To Go By?
You know there’s Christmas music. There’s also Halloween music. Did you know there’s also Thanksgiving music? There are plenty of songs to add to your Turkey Day playlist from all genres of music and to save you the time and trouble of looking them up, I have taken the liberty of collecting them all right here for you. Some you will know and some we threw a curve ball at to have fun.
Thanksgiving Music Can Set The Mood For A Party
Thanksgiving Music For Your Playlist
That’s right! When you talk holiday music, you can talk about Thanksgiving, as well. Sure, the Thanksgiving songs aren’t as popular as Christmas music or even Halloween music, but there are a lot of examples! Some of the biggest and most well-known bands in the world have made music for Thanksgiving.
John Lennon and The Beatles have a Thanksgiving song. So does Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang! Additionally, there’s Adam Sandler and more! Some of the Thanksgiving songs you might not even have realized were in fact about Thanksgiving! Others have it in the title, so it’s pretty clear.
Let’s Get Ready To Celebrate
Here in Detroit, we’re always ready for Thanksgiving. It’s one of the most anticipated days of the year. Not only do we get to stuff our faces, but we also get our annual Detroit Lions football game on Thanksgiving Day. It’s one of the greatest traditions in all of football. Our Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving Day has been an annual tradition since the 1930s. Crazy!
In addition to the football game, we also get America’s Thanksgiving Parade which is always a big deal. If you’ve never checked it out you’re definitely missing out! Make this year the year to go!
However you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving, make sure you remember these suggestions and most of all do not discuss politics with Uncle Bob. Here are some songs and Thanksgiving music for your playlist this year! Add these to your Thanksgiving playlist and let the whole family enjoy! Gobble gobble!
