Canadian Thanksgiving: a Bit of History

According to writers, the first influence may have come from Europe. Farmers in Europe would offer a goat stuffed with many good things as their way of saying thanks for a bounty harvest. Another influence would be to celebrate the safe journey of Martin Frobisher – a British explorer who landed in Newfoundland in the 1500s (this has been challenged because some writers say that Martin Frobisher had nothing to do with Canadian Thanksgiving). Since then, other explorers who arrived in Canada continued this Thanksgiving tradition. In the 1600s, pilgrims continued this tradition of giving thanks in the New World and brought some practices to Nova Scotia.

The Canadian Parliament in the 1800s then assigned the 6th day of November as Thanksgiving Day, but that date has changed many times; finally in 1957, Parliament declared the second Monday in October to be officially Thanksgiving Day.

Canadian and American Thanksgiving celebrations differ somewhat. Canadians give thanks for a good harvest while Americans give thanks to the early Pilgrims who settled in the New World.

Canadian Thanksgiving Recipes

There’s this online joke about what turkeys eat for Thanksgiving. The answer is “nothing – they’re already stuffed.”

Like the Americans, we roast a turkey and serve it with mashed potatoes, cranberries, vegetables and pumpkin pie. Perhaps serving dessert with maple syrup would give it that distinct Canadian touch.

Here are two Canadian recipes that you might want to try for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. Both recipes are from Canadian Living Magazine (online version).

(A)Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:
1 orange
1 pkg (12 oz/375 g) fresh cranberries
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL) maple syrup
Pinch salt
Granulated sugar (optional)

Steps:

• Remove rind from orange; chop rind and place in food processor.
• Working over food processor to catch juice, cut off white pith; cut between membrane and pulp to release fruit into processor.
• Add cranberries, jalapeño pepper, maple syrup and salt. Blend until fairly smooth.
• Let stand for at least 1 hour. Add up to 2 tbsp (25 mL) sugar to taste, if desired.
• (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

(B)Maple-Glazed Squash with Walnuts

Ingredients:
Half butternut squash or 1 acorn squash (about 1 lb/500 g)
2 cups (500 mL) green beans (about 8 oz/250 g)
1 tbsp (15 mL) each vegetable oil and butter
2 tbsp (25 mL) maple syrup
2 tsp (10 mL) soy sauce
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
2/3 cup (150 mL) toasted walnuts

Steps:

• Peel and cut squash into 3- x 1/2- x 1/2-inch (8 x 1 x 1 cm) strips to make about 5 cups (1.25 L); set aside.
• In large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch green beans until tender-crisp, (3 to 6 minutes).
• Drain and chill under cold water; drain well.
• (Make-ahead: Wrap vegetables separately in towels; enclose in plastic bags and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)
• In large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add squash; cover and cook, turning twice, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Add green beans, maple syrup, soy sauce, salt and pepper; cook, turning gently, until heated through and evenly coated.
• Mix in walnuts. Scrape into warmed serving dish.

(source: Canadian Living)

What Canadian Thanksgiving Means to Me

Over the years, we’ve collected a few answers to the question, “what does Thanksgiving mean to you?” Age and lifestyle are often the two factors that define what Thanksgiving means to some Canadians. For example –

“It’s another vacation day to look forward to. Canada has very few holidays compared to the US, so Canadian Thanksgiving to me means I get to sleep in and not have to go to work!” (Mark, 31 years old, computer programmer)

“I dread Canadian Thanksgiving every year. My husband and I got divorced on that day and there’s this awful sense of dread when October sets in. Naturally I’ve stopped celebrating it now.” (Gilda, 48 years old, housewife)

“Grandpa and grandma always invite us to their house. Grandpa knows how to catch a turkey. He shoots one a few days before Thanksgiving, then we eat it for like 3 days.” (Jason, 6 years old, primary schooler)

“Oh, it means turkey time. The table gets a real nice and fancy tablecloth, the staff are friendlier, and we have entertainment – like a piano player came last year and the year before that, they hired a magician. Then they make us wear these hats and we eat with them hats. Hard to concentrate on your cranberries when these hats keep falling off. I always hope that my son comes and visit, but he’s busy and travels a lot.” (Wilma, senior citizen in a nursing home)

“Actually, we don’t celebrate it at all. We don’t go all out when it comes to food and celebrating like the Americans. I spend Thanksgiving by thinking of something I’m especially grateful for, and that’s it!” (Jen, 25 years old, nurse)

“My parents are active in the community and run a large business. They get invited to social functions, but they make it a point to be with just family on Thanksgiving Day. We have the grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews. My parents arrange for special catering. The whole clan gets to enjoy a lavish dinner. Mom and dad are what you would call “proud Canadians” and they remind us every year that we should be grateful for being Canadians living in Canada.” (Brett, 18 years old, in university in Ontario)

Saying thanks…

The traditional Canadian Thanksgiving was meant to give thanks for a good harvest, but times have changed and millions of Canadians now live in cities, not in farms. What are some of the things we should be grateful for as Canadians?

• that in spite of two official cultures and languages, we have learned to live in harmony without starting wars and riots;
• that our banks and real estate have remained solid, despite what’s happening across the border;
• that we have plenty of water and plenty of hydro-electric power such that we can sell electricity to some parts of the US;
• that our crime rate is low compared to our countries;
• that our environment is finally getting the attention it deserves;
• that it doesn’t cost us an arm and a leg to get an education (our sister has a kid in university in New York: tuition for the first year – US$52,000 – that does not include room and board, books, and other expenses)
• that we have socialized medicine
• that we have beautiful lakes, parks and rivers – which other nations envy
• that the Trans-Canada highway links all Canadians living in the provinces and territories and has shrunk this big country into a global village
• that we have maple trees, maple syrup and maple candy and that we have great food and drink even if some people in other parts of the world aren’t aware of it;
• that we put a high premium on acts of bravery and heroism, Olympic champions, dance/song/film talent and community service
• that we have freedom of religion, of speech, of association and the right to travel
• that we’ve kept our sense of humor in spite of the atrocious winters we have.

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Luckily, each and every year the holidays come like clockwork, presenting an amazing opportunity for each of us to find reasons to feel good and be grateful. To look at the cup of life as half full rather than half empty, and to even if temporarily – enjoy the resonating ring of peace and joy that creeps into the heart of humanity during Thanksgiving and lasts throughout New Years. This year, read these reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving any time you need a gentle reminder of just how awesome the gift of life is!

• For your breath.The human breath is an amazing thing. Not only can centered breathing heal you, but also your body instinctively breathes without you even having to think about it. It is this breath in your lungs that fills your body with oxygen. It is this breath that keeps you alive and keeps you moving. It is this breath that is responsible for your every thought and for the beating of your heart. Sometimes, when life feels stressful and the bad news is more than we can handle – the simplicity of remembering that you are a living, breathing creature can be enough to make you feel grateful.
• Family is often the bane of your existence. But what would we do without them. Even if we spend a lifetime trying to get away from our childhood, from our parents or from our family – the truth is that they are always there. Your extended family doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you look hard and deep at every single one of them, chances are you will ALWAYS be able to find a bit of yourself.
• Miracles.They really do happen. A miracle can be something as small as receiving a coupon for diapers in the mail during one of those weeks when the Peter to Pay Paul trustfund runs dry at the same time you run out of diapers. Or it can be something as large as someone surviving a surgery, an accident, or illness. In order to experience miracles of any kind, big and small – you have to believe that they exist. If you have become too bitter to believe in miracles, then visit The Miracles Page and spend some time reading. Their motto is, those who look for signs…find them!
• Children. No matter what stage of life you are in, there is a pretty good chance that children in one form or another play a large part in your life. Children are curiously annoying creatures filled with an immense amount of energy that are filled with life wisdom and joy. It doesn’t take much to be able to see it. The best part about children, is that they are always willing to share their innate joy and happiness. Children are something each and every one of us should be thankful for.
• Take inventory. In a world where the have nots seem to be surpassing the haves, it is easy to feel sorry for yourself for not having something great or awesome. However, if you were to really take a look around your home, your life – you would see just how much you do have. All of these things in your life that make your life easier, happier, or more comfortable, while not luxurious or perfect – should be a source of your gratitude. There are always people who have less just as there will always be people who have more. But he or she who recognizes first and foremost what they do have, rather than what they lack – they are the chariot champions of gratefulness. Be one of them.
• Food. This very basic need is so taken for granted of by so many people. Food is essential to your life and chances are you have plenty of it. Savor each and every bite you take. Pay attention to flavors as you eat. Nourish your body with the mindfulness that everything you need is within reach. And share! Donate to a canned food drive, spend Thanksgiving delivering meals to the needy. Do something to make sure that the people around you and in your neighborhood have the same access to food that you do. When you stop to consider the small things, the big things that drive you crazy can suddenly seem insignificant.
• Your friends. Don’t take them for granted. Life is short and no one is perfect. If you have just one close friend, be grateful for him and her.
• Of thought. Of choice. Of your future. Freedom is not something experienced by everyone in this world. If you have it, you should NOT take it for granted. Someone, many people – have DIED so that you could live free. Freedom and free will are one of those things that few people realize the importance of anymore. But you must and you should take the time to thank a soldier for allowing you to keep it.

As you can see from this list, the personal reasons you have to be grateful are vast and many. Gratitude is not just taking a minute to be thankful, but instead is a way of living a way of life. This Thanksgiving, choose to be ever present in your life and to always make room for gratitude and gratefulness. This way, the spirit of the holidays will not only exist this year – but through all the years to come as well.

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Just for the sheer fun of entertaining you, let’s delve into the history of Thanksgiving. In this new land, where a new life began for Pilgrims with the promise of something better they found it very difficult to adjust. The climate alone surprised the new comers. Hiding in the woods were the Natives who knew how to hunt and survive in their world. Both groups of people were at first fearful of the other. Soon after the newcomers began dying. Illness and the cold were too much and more than half of all the people who boarded a ship with nothing more than hope in their hearts, died. Mothers and fathers were lost. Children were lost. The Natives emerged to help and without language and understanding, were able to take the hearts and hands of people they didn’t know, who were trespassing on their life – and enable them to not just live, but to thrive. That isn’t exactly how the history books depict Thanksgiving, but essentially that is how things went. And two cultures collided sharing only the embodiment of the human spirit.

There weren’t any turkeys eaten that day so long ago. In fact, they feasted on foods that few of us today would even consider eating. But they sat down together at a table and shared all the supplies that they had. Thanksgiving lasted a week or more, but the connections that were made that day lasted a lifetime. Today, we stress over the tablecloth that adorns our table. We fuss over what our children wear that day and worry about impressing family members we are too busy most of the year to even visit with. We spend a weeks worth of grocery money on one single meal that is eaten with the same gluttony that all of our meals are eaten and we say a prayer, a blessing of thanks and for a singular moment – remember what we are grateful for. Then comes black Friday and we move on, as we always do to the next best and most pressing thing that faces us in life.

This Thanksgiving can be different. While it would be great to have a completely authentic meal of quail and squirrel with corn cobs baked over a fire, there are other things we can do. Instead of remembering to be grateful, we can begin living gratefully. Each of us can start something new on this Thanksgiving that not only shows we are thankful for today, but thankful for all of the days of our lives. This Thanksgiving, there are a great many of us who like the Pilgrims and the Indians are living in fear of what is next, of what our neighbors in this world will do. There are many of us who are angry and hesitant, who have lost our faith in most things and who feel completely and entirely let down by the life that we have. On the outsides, we all pretend things are perfect. We drive the right cars; have the right house and smile proudly of our children. But few are actually enjoying these moments.

Thanksgiving 2010, can be the time to turn a leaf in your life. This can be the Thanksgiving that you and your family volunteer in a soup kitchen, invite another family that has less than you have over for dinner or spend your time doing something for others. Not because you want to prove or show your children how great they have it, but because you like those who spent the First Thanksgiving together realize the embodiment of the human spirit. Most of us are more alike than different. None of us are perfect and we all have struggles that we face every day. If you can take the spirit of being grateful that you have a willing heart to help others on this day, and others than Black Friday will become less important to you. You also might find that all the days between Thanksgiving 2010 and Thanksgiving 2011, are filled with more meaning than you ever thought existed.

It is true that there are ‘certain ways’ to do things in life. There are silent expectations and little and big things that we grow up feeling are important and right. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to always adhere to the normalcy and expectations of living. If you can find it in your heart this year to step out of your metaphorical box in life, just as the Indians and the Pilgrims did, you may find that you are able to get one-step closer to the abundant life that is promised for all of us. It seems silly in the presence of good company and good food to wait until New Years Eve, which will be upon you more quickly than you know, to make commitments to change the way you live, love, laugh, and give thanks.

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