Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday
on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give
thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.
Although Canadians tend to get together on
Thanksgiving weekend, the holiday is not as big a celebration in Canada as it
is in the U.S., where Thanksgiving is the year's biggest holiday occasion.
Nevertheless, Thanksgiving weekend is a popular time for Canadians to gather
with family, so more people than usual are traveling on that weekend.
Traditionally, this included roast turkey and
seasonal products, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may
consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.
HISTORY
Many thanksgivings were held
following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil
war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival
to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied
and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of
an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and
diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later
years.
From the end of the First
World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated
on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of
hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day
and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving
Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.
SYMBOLS
Thanksgiving Day in Canada is
linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at
this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and
vegetables. The cornucopia, which means "Horn of Plenty" in Latin,
was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of
corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.
Alejandra Ferrín.
