People in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. It’s a day to be thankful for the good things in our lives.
Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday. Many people have the day off. Most try to spend time with their families.
Most families eat a large meal together. Roast turkey is the most important part of the meal. The turkey is filled with stuffing (also called dressing), a mixture of dry bread and spices. Other traditional Thanksgiving foods are cranberries and pumpkin pie. For many people, Thanksgiving is a day to eat their favourite rich foods, especially if they don’t eat much on other days.
The first Thanksgiving in Canada took place in 1578. Martin Frobisher, an English explorer, landed in Newfoundland. He held a ceremony to thank God for a safe trip.
Later, Thanksgiving became a day to celebrate the fall harvest of food and other crops. Many cultures have fall festivals like this.
Parliament made November 6th the official Thanksgiving Day in 1879. In 1957, the holiday was moved to the second Monday in October. This way, it doesn’t come too close to Remembrance Day, and many people get a long weekend.
Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday? Its purpose is to give thanks to God. But it was made a holiday by Parliament, not by any church. It’s a day when people can thank God in their own ways, if they want.
For many, the big meal is the main part of the day. So Thanksgiving’s slang name is “Turkey Day”.
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