Thanksgiving in Canada

Today is Thanksgiving Day for our neighbor to the north, Canada. As we have said many times that we Americans, particularly those of us in close proximity to Canada, ought to learn about and pay more attention to them, perhaps we have a teachable moment here.

Americans are well familiar with the advent of our Thanksgiving. It commemorates a fine harvest by the Pilgrims in early Massachusetts made possible with the aid of their Native American friends which made it possible. In our case, a certain religious importance goes along with the holiday. Days of feast were regularly celebrated to help remind revelers of God's help in the good fortune which precipitated the holiday.

Thanksgiving in Canada is traced to colonial roots too. Indeed, indigenous Canadians celebrated the harvest in something which may be akin to harvest celebrations around the world and throughout history. But the influence of the Europeans certainly is apparent in early Canadian history, and may have been influence too by American Loyalists after the Revolution. Leaving the United States for Canada, they brought their traditions with them to their new home.

This intermingling and common ancestry undoubtedly has led to the closeness of our nations today. A further tightening of bonds may be seen in the declaration of Thanksgiving by the Canadian parliament in 1957:

A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.

So there is, it seems, a religious connection between Canadians and the rites of Thanksgiving as well. Just as it is here.

In some ways we are closer to our Canadians friends, then, than we may have thought.
By the grace of God, we say, Happy Thanksgiving Canada!