So , not wanting to show my tremendous ignorance about Thanksgiving, I decided to do some research. Wow! Did I learn a few things.
Thanksgiving has a very long history. It's gone through many changes, but the basic sentiments are still there.
Our Thanksgiving originates from European harvest festivals. Since most of the population at that time were farmers, they were very thankful for a good crop and once it was harvested they celebrated. I would guess that the harvest festival goes much further than Europeans.
The first North American Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Arctic explorer, Martin Frobisher somewhere around Baffin Island.
Canadians drew upon their European roots for Thanksgiving celebrations. Dates of celebration were different in each region. The dates also change. In 1957 the Canadian government set Thanksgiving to be noted on the second Monday of October. Since that time Thanksgiving has become commercialized and has very little to do with being thankful for a good crop. We are making an effort to stop and note what we are thankful for. Churches do celebrate Thanksgiving.
Why the difference in dates between Canadian and American dates? Probably our harvest is complete before the American harvest. Our weather deteriorates earlier so we set the date earlier so that we have better weather for activities.
Today we had a high of 20 C (69 F) so it's very pleasant. So yes, I'm thankful for very pleasant weather. Many times it can be very unpleasant with cold and snow.
I am thankful for many things on a personal level. However, I would like to be thankful for many changes around the world but that doesn't seem to be happening. We have a major refugee problem which only seems to be getting worse.
So folks, have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Have a good day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Autumn pix...
ReplyDeleteGettin chilli an gardens sleepy...
Different colors in the mountains now. More browns....
HT G 2 U & Jean from Murr the pups & me!!
Give thanks for the blessing of family & friends that feel like family!!
Always nice to see your comment. Happy Thanksgiving.
Deleteaah, earlier harvest timeline would explain the month earlier celebration. :) happy thanksgiving to you and all your countrymen and women.
ReplyDeleteIt's not quite that simple. Some of your crops are much earlier. Some are much later. Many Canadians would start combining wheat in Kansas and work north and get home when their crop was ready.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you Red. I grew up in farming country and in a Church where we expressed thanks for the bounty each year. I still like to remember Thanksgiving for all of my blessings.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Happy Thanksgiving to you. We do need to stop and remind ourselves to be thankful.
DeleteIt is interesting to read about the history of your Thanksgiving with European origins. As far as I now we have never celebrated a kind of that celebration in our country. Maybe long ago. I have heard of the Oktoberfests in Germany that has to do with a lot of beer drinking. I think we are to industrialized here and those celebrations had more to do with the farmers who are very reduced here.
ReplyDeleteOur European influences are simple as the early people who came here were Europeans. Your Dutch farmers sold out and came here. We have lots of Dutch farmers here.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving Red and thank you for the history. Enjoy B
ReplyDeleteThanks. I always thought we wee copying the Americans.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to all you great Canadians. We Americans love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks. It's nice to be appreciated. We all have connections. My daughter is getting her American citizenship this week.
DeleteA delightful holiday to you. Ours is set to eat large amounts for most and they forget what to be thankful for. I am thankful just to have a home and family, not being pushed away by someone with opposing political views.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think we are making a bigger effort to stop and think of how fortunate we are.
DeleteHi Red, Happy Thanksgiving to you. Thanks for all the historical information. I wonder if you will have a special meal on Monday, and if so, what will it include?
ReplyDeleteThanks. I always thought we were just copying the Americans!!! We have the standard turkey meal with all the trimmings.
DeleteThis is an excellent piece, Keith. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your world view. I am often shocked when I read blogs from other parts of the world. It's racist, and that seems to be spreading here. I'll be happy when the attack ads are done with...
I don't watch TV so I miss the attack ads. Since I've mixed with minorities, I'm not surprised by prejudice. Prejudice is right under the surface.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you. I hope you have a wonderful celebration.
ReplyDeleteThanks. We'll have a very quiet dinner.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteOur American Thanksgiving is a little late for the harvest, but it does mark the time when all of the harvesting work is done and the crops are all put up for the winter, which by the end of November is fast approaching.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving! Halloween is next up here, it is huge, and in some parts is now being called a harvest festival to diminish the focus on all of those "evil spirits".
As teachers , we know Halloween was a big deal for the kids.
DeleteI always wondered about the two Thanksgiving and now I know. Very interesting post Red, thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI always thought that we were just copying the Americans.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving Canada! When I lived on the Canadian border we celebrated twice, once with our friends north of the Rainy River in Canada and then a few weeks later with family in the U.S. It's good to be thankful twice a year!
ReplyDeleteYou had the best of both worlds!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving Red! I hope you have a marvelous weekend...stop watching the news! Sometime I am thankful for news other times not so much:(
ReplyDeleteI follow different news sources online. I don't watch TV. I follow Rabble , Tyee and many more.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving! What a great post. And it makes perfect sense about why our thanksgiving is earlier than our southern neighbours.
ReplyDeleteThanks. like many celebrations we've Had it a long time and so many changes.
DeleteI sent you a T.G. greeting to your home email red.
ReplyDelete