Illustration: southlakeessential.com
Many students come from Canada to the United States to attend Northwood. Most of the holidays between the two countries are the same, except Thanksgiving. It truly is a cultural difference you wouldn’t expect to see coming from Canada, given how important Thanksgiving is here. “This is my second year in the U.S now, and seeing Thanksgiving here definitely was different from back home, with some things being the same,” said Quebec resident Henrik Hinse ’26.
Here is a comparison of Thanksgiving between the two countries. You can see they are both quite unique in how they celebrate.
Date. In Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. This typically marks the end of the harvest season before the weather changes. Canadians have a shorter agricultural season due to being farther north. In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This lines up with the end of the fall harvest and the start of the holiday season.
History. The first celebration of Thanksgiving in Canada dates to 1578, when explorer Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for his safe voyage from England. Thanksgiving was later influenced by European harvest festivals. In 1957, the Canadian government officially set the date in October to celebrate Thanksgiving. On the American side, the historical origins of Thanksgiving trace back to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims and the native Wampanoag people held a three-day feast to symbolize cooperation and gratitude. Congress passed a law in 1941 to officially set the date of Thanksgiving in November.
Food. Here we are the same. The holiday meal typically features turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
Traditions. Thanksgiving in Canada is very low-key. We do get Monday off from school or work. Most people have their big Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and use Monday to rest. It is common to go for a walk in the forest to look at the fall colors. There are a couple of CFL football games on, and many people use the holiday Monday to prepare their flower beds for winter. There are no big shopping or sales.
On the other hand, Thanksgiving in the United States is a major national holiday. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is on TV. There are lots of NFL and college football games on. It is also one of the busiest travel days of the year. Thanksgiving rolls into Black Friday, and many people take this day off to start their Christmas shopping. It is a much more festive experience.
With the extra festivities in the United States, many Canadians have adopted some new traditions to bring back home and perhaps celebrate Thanksgiving twice a year. “In my family back home, we never really do Thanksgiving, so I for sure might bring it back,” said Quebec resident Theodore Ghanime ’26.
