Blog: Thanksgiving in Canada is not just about turkey but taking time to appreciate what you are thankful for in your life, writes former Shropshire Star reporter Rebecca Lawrence from her new home in Canada.

It’s a chance for friends and family to come together and enjoy each other’s company while sharing a delicious meal.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957 and this year fell on October 10. The holiday has been observed since 1879 but the day has been changed a number of times.

Most people use the three-day weekend to visit family or friends who live far away.

Traditional food includes roast turkey and seasonal produce with pumpkin pie for dessert.

In Saskatchewan, where we live, the meal often includes perogies (dumplings traditionally stuffed with potato, meat, cheese, or fruit) and cabbage rolls because of the large Ukrainian influence.

perogies

Thanksgiving in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals

America’s Thanksgiving is celebrated in November. They give thanks to the pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts on the Mayflower in 1620.

For each of the three years we have been in Canada we have celebrated Thanksgiving in a different way.

The first year, we were invited to a join a Canadian family and so experienced all the traditional, tasty homemade food. We tried pumpkin pie for the first time, although I have to admit I prefer pumpkin soup.

The second year we were with some German friends but we joined together to celebrate the Canadian holiday by having a turkey and roasted vegetables  – but we followed it with a chocolate torte.

This year, my husband and I cooked a roast chicken, as we thought we’d save the turkey for Christmas. (I’m not sure we could handle that much turkey in three months.) I also opted to make pumpkin soup instead of pumpkin pie, which was delicious.

We also went for a walk in nearby beautiful Wakamow Valley, where the leaves are falling off the trees and everything looked very autumnal.

Many of my friends told me what they have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

One said, “I have so much in my life to be thankful for, I am truly blessed”, while another said “feeling pretty thankful today- much love to all near, far, and beyond” and another put it simply as “Happy turkey day”.

Thanksgiving is a lovely holiday to celebrate as it truly is about spending time with family and friends, unlike Christmas, which can often seem overly commercial and centered around the giving of presents.

Thanksgiving is not in your face in all the supermarkets for weeks in advance. Instead, people just make sure to order their turkey in time and stock up on their favourite provisions.

It’s a good idea to take a step back to think about all the things you have to be thankful for in your life. While spending time with friends and family is something we should all strive to do more often, Thanksgiving is the perfect excuse to get together.