Happy Thanksgiving
Origins
1. Earliest Record (1578)
• The earliest Canadian Thanksgiving dates back to 1578, when English explorer Martin Frobisher held a small ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the dangerous journey through the Arctic waters.
• This happened decades before the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621.
2. Harvest and Religious Traditions
• Later, French settlers in New France (today’s Quebec) also held harvest celebrations, giving thanks to God for the bounty and often sharing food with Indigenous peoples.
• As more immigrants arrived, these “harvest festivals” spread across Canada.
3. Becoming an Official Holiday
• In 1879, the Canadian Parliament declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, originally observed on November 6, with the purpose of giving thanks for the harvest and the nation’s blessings.
• The date changed several times, and in 1957, Parliament officially set the second Monday of October as Thanksgiving Day. This timing better matched Canada’s earlier harvest season and distinguished it from the American holiday in November.
Modern Meaning
• Today, Canadian Thanksgiving is mostly about family gatherings, enjoying a festive meal (turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, etc.), and expressing gratitude for life, family, and good fortune.
• Compared to its early roots, it now emphasizes thankfulness and harvest rather than political or religious elements.
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