While many forms of Thanksgiving are celebrated around the world, it is Canada and the United States that most prominently practice the annual holiday. Even with the similarities, the two countries do have slight differences in festivities.
The immediate contrast in the two holidays is the time of celebration. Americans just returned from a brief vacation, always on the fourth Thursday of November. Canadians, however, hold their Thanksgiving a month prior, on the second Monday of October.
While it may seem trivial, this date change has an impact on the holidays. For America, Thanksgiving marks the start of a holiday break. Canada’s holiday break, however, ends with Thanksgiving.
Other than being with family and eating turkey, Americans are concerned with two things during Thanksgiving: shopping and football.
Despite not having America’s infamous Black Friday in Canada, some Canadians travel to the states for the annual shopping event. And although it is not the National Football League, Canadians tune in to watch the Canadian Football League’s “Thanksgiving Day Classic,” a nationally televised doubleheader, much like America’s Thanksgiving games.
Regardless of these small differences, Thanksgiving in Canada and the U.S. are the same where it counts.
“Canadians tend to take the same approach to Thanksgiving as Americans,” Chris Martin, a University of Ottawa sophomore, said .”We take the opportunity to give thanks, spend time with the family, watch some football, then stuff our faces until everyone is trapped at the dinner table because no one is comfortable moving.”
Just like the United States, Canadians’ main meal items include turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and pie.
Although Canada and the U.S. arguably celebrate slightly different holidays, they are fundamentally the same. Aside from an alternate date, pumpkin shopping and a different set of football teams, each Thanksgiving is a gathering of food, fellowship, and thanks.
