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Canadian vs American Thanksgiving: What’s the Difference?
It’s that time of year again: American Thanksgiving is here! That means Christmas is right around the corner (according to TV adverts anyway).
But I’m not quite ready for Christmas, so I’m going to put it off by focussing on this holiday.
You’ll notice I’ve said “American” Thanksgiving.
Why did I do that?
Because Canada has our own celebration that’s separate from our southern neighbor’s.
Most people – even us! – don’t know what the difference is.
I didn’t even know where ours originated since we don’t have fancy after-school specials like the States did.
But I’m here to fix that.
Think of me as your after-school special!
I hope you’ll learn something, because I definitely did! I mean, who knew– nope, no spoilers. I’ll let you find out for yourself.
Canadian vs American Thanksgiving: History & Traditions
The Origin of Canadian Thanksgiving
The Indigenous People of Canada have celebrated harvest festivals with rituals, dances, and feasts long before the arrival of Europeans.
While the holiday is sometimes said to be inspired by them, these celebrations are not formally considered Thanksgivings.
Canadian Thanksgiving began in 1578 when Sir Martin Frobisher and his team had a “feast” (I’m using that term loosely because salt beef doesn’t exactly sound decadent) to celebrate landing in what is now Nunavut.
He and his team were searching for the Northwest Passage.
After a tumultuous journey, he and his crew gave thanks to God through their Chaplin for their safe arrival.
So our Thanksgiving celebrations began 17 years before the Plymouth ones – the American story of Thanksgiving.
Maybe that will teach Americans to stop telling us ours is “wrong,” since theirs started after ours!
In 1606, Quebec hosted a Thanksgiving by Samuel de Champlain to celebrate the return of French men from an expedition.
Nova Scotia began their tradition of Thanksgiving in 1763 to celebrate the end of the Seven Years’ War between the French and the British in Canada.
Origin of American Thanksgiving
The Native Americans, much like the Canadian Indigenous People, practised harvest festivals long before the Europeans arrived.
However, Thanksgiving isn’t considered to have started until the Pilgrims arrived.
There were celebrations giving thanks for harvests in Virginia as early as 1607, but the nation doesn’t recognize that as the beginning of the celebration either.
Instead, Americans consider the feast in October 1621 (see, October isn’t a weird time for Thanksgiving!) in Plymouth by the Pilgrims after a hard year. The celebration marked a successful harvest in the New World after losing most of their people to disease.
The Native Americans helped teach them how to survive and gave them food.
Allegedly, there were Native Americans in attendance on the first Thanksgiving.
Whether or not that’s true is unclear, but we do know that they weren’t treated well by the Europeans throughout history.
Thanksgiving Becoming Popular in Canada
The tradition spread across Canada slowly until the 1870s when it became popular across the country.
In 1872, the country gave thanks for the recovery of King Edward VII from an illness.
In 1879 it became an annual event, with a theme dictated by parliament. Usually, we’d give thanks for the harvest, but sometimes the event became about the monarchy.
The date changed throughout the years.
Sometimes Thanksgiving was held into December, other times as early as September.
In 1931, it was tied to Armistice Day (now Remembrance Day), until it was decided that veterans deserved their own day.
In 1957, the government made it a statutory holiday (except for the Maritimes, where it remains optional) for the 2nd Monday of October to be Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Becoming Popular in America
Thanksgiving was celebrated on and off over the years. The settlers had infrequent celebrations for good harvests or to thank god for their blessings. It became a religious holiday then transitioned into a civil one.
In 1789, Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving a holiday. But Jefferson stopped the celebration. Lincoln made it a federal holiday in 1863 during the Civil War. Roosevelt changed the date from the 3rd Thursday to the 4th Thursday of November in 1942.
Now it is celebrated as the beginning of winter and the Christmas season in America.
Modern Thanksgiving Traditions in Canada vs America
Thanksgiving Food
Canadian Thanksgiving Food
A lot of Canadian and American traditions seem similar.
Thanksgiving feasts will include turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes or squash, and corn (I’m getting hungry just writing this!).
Some people add in ham, salmon, or apple pie.
Others add in Canadian classics like Nanaimo bars and butter tarts.
In Newfoundland, people have a Jigg’s dinner (a boiled Sunday roast).
US Thanksgiving Food
Americans treat the holiday as an excuse to eat as much food as is humanly possible (…which admittedly so do we).
It is said to be the day that the US consumes the most food all year.
If you’ve watched Brooklyn Nine-Nine a million times (like me!), you’ll have heard Thanksgiving called “Turkey Day.” So it makes sense that most households have a turkey for the holiday.
Often it’s stuffed, but sometimes deep-fried.
They serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, pumpkin pie, squash, Brussel sprouts, and pumpkin pie.
The vegetables are based on those introduced to the Europeans by the Native Americans.
In the 1950s, green bean casserole became a popular addition to the meal.
Travel for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Travel in Canada
Thanksgiving gives us a three-day weekend – Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. People travel across the country to visit family and friends.
Some people use the long weekend to head off on holidays as well.
Typically, people gather on Sunday or Monday for their Thanksgiving dinners.
Thanksgiving Travel in America
Americans are luckier than we are, in that most get a 4-day weekend for the holiday. Because it’s held on a Thursday, schools and government offices close for Friday as well.
The 4 days are huge for travel, with people flying or driving to see their families.
Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving
Tradition of Giving Thanks at Canadian Thanksgiving
Our Thanksgiving isn’t about thanking God; it’s about being thankful for the harvest.
Religious families may attend a church service or say grace to add religion to the celebration. Others may say one thing they’re grateful for while sitting around the table.
My family says silent thanks for the harvest while we stuff our mouths full of hot rolls and warm gravy.
Tradition of Giving Thanks at American Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks in the States. The religious origins of the holiday continue with mealtime prayers and people attending church services.
It’s tradition to say one thing that you’re thankful for that year during your feast.
Americans practice charity on Thanksgiving as a way to give back. Most people participate in food drives or help feed homeless people at the Salvation Army.
It’s a more popular tradition in the States than in Canada, but one I wish would gain traction up north.
Thanksgiving Entertainment
Sports, Parades and TV for Canadian Thanksgiving
Unlike the States, football isn’t a big part of our celebration.
The Santa Claus parades aren’t running in early October. There are no aggressive sales the next day. And TV programs aren’t playing A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (which is why I’ve still never seen it).
Our day is much more about the food.
Sports, Parades and TV in America
America has scheduled sports, parades, and TV programmes around Thanksgiving for years. It’s a wonder they even have time to eat!
The biggest sport on Thanksgiving is American football.
There are three professional games held on Thursday every year, with college teams playing Thursday through Sunday. It’s like a warm-up for the Super Bowl with how excited people get about watching these games.
Every year Macey’s hosts a Thanksgiving parade in New York on Thursday.
It’s full of themed floats, broadway performances, bands, giant balloon characters and ends with Santa. The arrival of Mr. Claus is an unofficial signal for the start of Christmas.
Other cities like Detroit and Philadelphia run parades as well. Most are televised so people can watch them while making (or eating) their feast.
Because the US seems to run television, almost every show starts airing Thanksgiving episodes. Families gather around massive meals, watch football, fight and eventually give thanks for each other (or at least that seems to be the trend).
The most baffling tradition is the presidential turkey pardon.
Every year since 1989, when George H W Bush made it permanent, the president pardons a turkey’s life. It gets sent to a petting zoo to live out the rest of its days.
The origin of the tradition is murky.
Some say it was Truman, other say it was Lincoln that may have done this first. We do know that JFK spared a turkey since he didn’t plan to eat it. And Reagan jokingly pardoned a turkey on air that was then sent to a petting zoo.
Nowadays 2 turkeys are on hand in case 1 is unavailable for the ceremony.
Black Friday – American Thanksgiving Tradition
You’ll notice Canada has no equivalent. That’s because this insanity originated with the States.
As a further push towards Christmas, retailers in the US started discounting merchandise on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Since the end of the 20th century, it’s grown into a chaotic, early morning sales riot.
People plan their meals around attending events first thing in the morning.
Now, the sales are starting on Thanksgiving Thursday as well, causing even more shopping nightmares.
The trend has spread. Now there is a Small Business Saturday and a Cyber Monday.
Even if you aren’t in the States, you’ll likely see these sales. I’m in the UK and already Ryanair and EasyJet are emailing me with their Black Friday discounts.
Don’t they know they aren’t American??
Wrap Up: Canadian vs American Thanksgiving
So there you have it: Canadian vs American Thanksgiving.
Honestly, I never learned any of this in history class. We were too focused on what to do with a buffalo’s bladder (no joke).
Hopefully, this will explain the whole event to my British friends, and maybe get Americans to see Canadian Thanksgiving as just as valid.
But if not, at least we all learned something!
Does your country have a celebration to give thanks or appreciate the harvest? Is it all about food? Are there turkeys involved?
Either way, I want to hear about it! Let me know in the comments.
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FAQs About Canadian Thanksgiving
How did Thanksgiving start in Canada?
Thanksgiving has ancient roots in Indigenous festivals to celebrate the harvest. When the Europeans arrived, they coopted this celebration.
The first official feast was had by Frobisher and his team as they searched for the Northwest Passage in 1578.
What do Canadians eat for Thanksgiving?
Turkey is the traditional main course.
Stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy are common sides.
Apple pie or pumpkin pie for dessert.
Was Canadian or American Thanksgiving first?
American Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1607.
Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated by Sir Martin Frobisher in 1578.
So ours was first!
Do Canadians eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
Yes, turkey is the traditional main course.
Some people prefer ham or fish instead.
Why is Canadian Thanksgiving different than American?
Canadian Thanksgiving is based on different cultural traditions.
While both have roots in the harvest festivities, American Thanksgiving is tied to the Pilgrims. Canadian Thanksgiving is based on celebrating northern explorers.
Related Posts:
- It’s Ok to Spend Christmas Alone
- How Canadians Celebrate Halloween
- Unique Holiday Traditions from Around the World
- Canada Cuisine to Try: Traditional Food Canada is Famous For
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Canada Travel Planning Guide
🚑 Should I buy Canada travel insurance?
100% YES! — Canada has “free” healthcare but it’s only for citizens! Foreigners visiting need travel insurance in case anything happens on their visit. I recommend World Nomads – starting at just $5 a day!
💧Can you drink the water in Canada?
Yes — In all major cities in Canada, you can drink the tap water. There are very few, rural areas that you can’t. However, you should never drink river or lake water anywhere in the country! I recommend a Brita Water Bottle for long hikes and backcountry camping to stay safe and hydrated.
🚙💨 Is it safe to rent a car in Canada?
Yes — Renting a car is a necessity in most of Canada! If you want to go on road trips or adventures outside of the major cities, you’ll need to rent a car. (Read more)
📲 Will my phone work in Canada?
Maybe — Some American companies work in Canada, but many will not. If your phone doesn’t work in Canada, I recommend getting a Canadian SIM card so you can get around and stay in contact with loved ones. We don’t have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so you’ll need your phone for maps.
🏩 What’s the best way to book my Canada accommodations?
My go-to for Canadian hotels is Booking.com. For hostels, I use Hostel World. If you want a home-y feeling, check out VRBO (which is cheaper and safer than Airbnb).
Or get free accommodations with Trusted Housesitters!
✈️ What’s the best site to buy Canada flights?
For finding cheap Canadian flights, I recommend Skyscanner.
🎫 Do I need a visa for Canada?
Likely Not — US, UK, and EU passport holders don’t need Canadian visas. However, some other countries do (check here!). And if you plan to stay for more than 4 weeks (an average tourist visa length), you will need to look into visas to live in Canada.
