Newcomers to Canada might have a lot of questions about the Great White North, especially when it comes to Thanksgiving and why it's different from the United States.
Canadian Thanksgiving happens a month earlier than it does in the U.S., and while the meals are similar, there are subtle differences to what you can expect both on the table and on Thanksgiving weekend from one country to the other.
The festive day is celebrated around harvest season, so the leaves are already turning into fall colours and pumpkin season is in full force. Still, there are plenty of other factors that make Thanksgiving such a lovely experience.
When I moved to Canada and went to my first Thanksgiving dinner at my friend's house, the idea of everyone sharing what they were thankful for was such a heartwarming experience. Every year since, I've been hosting the festive dinner with my friends at my house and cooking everything that makes it so delicious.
Here's what you need to know about the holiday, the meal and the differences between Canada and the U.S.
Why is Thanksgiving a different day for Canada and USA?
Canada has moved its Thanksgiving Day around several times over the last few centuries. It used to be on the same day as U.S. Thanksgiving and it was held in November to go along with Armistice Day after the First World War. Canadian Parliament split the two holidays up in 1957, renamed Armistice Day to Remembrance Day and set Canadian Thanksgiving in October, rather than trying to keep up with the U.S.
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October every year, whereas the United States celebrates the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. And even though Canadian Thanksgiving is officially on a Monday, families celebrate on the Saturday and Sunday before then.
Many Americans will watch the NFL on Thanksgiving Day, and while the Canadian Football League does host a Thanksgiving Day Classic in October, football doesn't have the same cultural impact on the big day in Canada. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is also a big TV event during U.S. Thanksgiving, whereas Canada doesn't celebrate the holiday on that scale.
Thanksgiving Thursday in the United States is always followed by Black Friday, which has become a major shopping day on both sides of the border, even though it's not tied to Thanksgiving for Canadians.
Why do people celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada?
On the simplest level, Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what you have, although it gets much more complicated when you dig into the origins of the holiday.
Many of the so-called "origin" stories of Canadian Thanksgiving say it began with European settlers when they were colonizing the country around 1600, and the tales often involve Indigenous groups joining the meal.
However, a lot of those tales were passed down from settlers, and they don't give much credit to Indigenous Peoples who were already holding traditional feasts to give thanks.
Over the following centuries, Thanksgiving was celebrated more frequently in the country now known as Canada, and turkey and pumpkins soon became key foods on the menu for the feast.
Thanksgiving became a national holiday for Canadians in 1879 and it moved around the calendar a few times before it settled on the second Monday in October, as mentioned earlier.
Nowadays, it's a day for Canadians to take a break and remind themselves of what they are thankful for while feasting on a delicious spread — and unlike in the U.S., it's not about looking ahead to the Black Friday deals.
What is a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Canada?
The food eaten on Thanksgiving in Canada and the U.S. is pretty similar, especially when it comes to eating turkey as the main dish. However, there are a couple of differences.
So, what do Canadians eat for Thanksgiving?
- Roasted turkey, roast beef, ham
- Stuffing
- Mashed potatoes with gravy
- Sweet potatoes,
- Cranberry sauce
- Sweet corn
- Autumn vegetables like squashes, pumpkin, carrots, Brussels sprouts and more
- Bread rolls
- Pumpkin pie
- Apple pie
- Glazed yams
Compared to people in the U.S., Canadians also have ham on the spread and incorporate things like maple syrup to make it more Canadian. So, they'll have maple-glazed roasted turkey and Brussels sprouts glazed with maple syrup.
Tourtière is another Thanksgiving dish that's more common in Canada than in the U.S. It's a French Canadian meat pie dish made with minced pork, veal or beef and potatoes.
Canadians in Newfoundland might also swap out their turkey for a Jigg's dinner, which is a dish of corned beef with boiled cabbage, peas and root vegetables.
If it's your first Thanksgiving in Canada, your best bet is to find a friend and ask what they're eating for dinner. It might be different depending on the region.
Is it hard to make a turkey for Thanksgiving?
Mira hands deep in a turkey.
Before you get discouraged by the list of dishes that make a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, don't be.
Contrary to what many believe, making a turkey is not difficult. It's also enjoyable and therapeutic, at least in my opinion.
I have been making the whole Thanksgiving dinner every year, mostly on my own, since 2019, and I was a university student when I first attempted this.
Even though you must be careful and follow instructions when roasting a turkey, the whole experience isn't time-consuming or exhausting. It's mostly making the sides that can get quite stressful.
Also, there are alternatives to making a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, such as buying a ready-to-eat roasted chicken. If you want the whole experience without the hassle and stress, you could also go to one of the Toronto restaurants offering special meals during the weekend or preorder the entire spread from a supermarket like Pusateri's Fine Foods before your dinner date.
I make it because I enjoy it.
There are hundreds of online recipes and many mom techniques, but I have been using the same recipe for years because it's easy, straightforward and delicious.
I use Natasha's Kitchen's Juicy Roast Turkey recipe because there are pictures and videos to help you understand how to perfect the turkey. Still, my word of advice is to start earlier than anticipated. It does take a while to figure this whole thing out.