American and Canadian thanksgiving compared

[Andy6]

I was amazed when I lived there ... everybody just automatically travels to their hometown for 4-5 days, even though it's almost the end of the university term and (or so it seemed to me) one might spend that time more profitably studying and then go see one's family a month later at Christmas. But that was not done. I felt as though I were living the census story in the Bible. It was definitely as big as, or possibly even bigger than, Christmas.

[SignalHillHiker]

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/v...-their-friends

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I was amazed when I lived there ... everybody just automatically travels to their hometown for 4-5 days, even though it's almost the end of the university term and (or so it seemed to me) one might spend that time more profitably studying and then go see one's family a month later at Christmas. But that was not done. I felt as though I were living the census story in the Bible. It was definitely as big as, or possibly even bigger than, Christmas.

Definitely bigger than Christmas. Rivalled only by 4 July (and the 4th has a weaker "family holiday" dimension).

[SpongeG]

skimmed. I think the fact that is a non-religious holiday and a chance for family to get together is why its a much bigger deal in the states plus its closeness to christmas gets that "feeling" in the air. Already all the commercials are starting in full force. There are sports games on TV all day for days.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Capsicum

IBut isn't the relative number of non-Christians larger in Canada now (and has been at least for a duration of time in recent years)? Yet it still appears that Christmas is still the bigger deal in Canada and another holiday does not appear to have yet taken its place in an increasing multi-faith, as well as secularizing country.

Christmas in Canada seems to be a lot more secular than it is in the USA, and it seems like a lot more of non-Christians celebrate it here. By contrast American Christmas seems more firmly connected to Christianity.

In this respect, Canada is more like the rest of the world. Even in the European countries that are heavily secularized (like France, Sweden, Czechia, etc.) Christmas is still a big deal. Heck, Christmas is a big deal in Japan despite only a tiny fraction of the population having any Christian background at all.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Christmas in Canada seems to be a lot more secular than it is in the USA, and it seems like a lot more of non-Christians celebrate it here. By contrast American Christmas seems more firmly connected to Christianity.

In this respect, Canada is more like the rest of the world. Even in the European countries that are heavily secularized (like France, Sweden, Czechia, etc.) Christmas is still a big deal. Heck, Christmas is a big deal in Japan despite only a tiny fraction of the population having any Christian background at all.

Thanksgiving and the 4th are the two universal American holidays.

[Architype]

Americans have a way of making everything about them, and about being "American". That is the main difference between their holiday and ours. To them it's inextricably linked to national pride and the eminent exceptionalism of their country. Historically it represents the reward of toil being reaped as a foundation for the world's greatest country, (which also somehow includes football, LOL). Canadians do things in a quieter way, it's not about us, it's about the spirit of the holiday if it's about anything.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Architype

Americans have a way of making everything about them, and about being "American". That is the main difference between their holiday and ours. To them it's inextricably linked to national pride and the eminent exceptionalism of their country. Historically it represents the reward of toil being reaped as a foundation for the world's greatest country, (which also somehow includes football, LOL). Canadians do things in a quieter way, it's not about us, it's about the spirit of the holiday if it's about anything.

I would say that's true of the "national" holidays (Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving), for obvious reasons. It doesn't really apply to Christmas, New Years, or Easter. Are our Canada Day and Remembrance Day really all that different?

[SignalHillHiker]

Our government holidays are all ethnic (St. Patrick's Day, Orangeman's Day, St. George's Day), or formerly national (Memorial/Canada Day, Armistice/Remembrance Day, Discovery Day), or religious (all the ones you know), or event-related (Regatta Day, Civic Holiday, etc.).

We get pretty nationalistic for holidays like the Americans. But it's not as being the best, it's as being the victim.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I would say that's true of the "national" holidays (Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving), for obvious reasons. It doesn't really apply to Christmas, New Years, or Easter. Are our Canada Day and Remembrance Day really all that different?

It's done in a different way, but national holidays are usually about the country, but I never thought of Thanksgiving as a purely national holiday, since we have it here too. Where I grew up in NL it also had strong religious overtones and was celebrated in church. It'd be hard to make Christmas about you, unless your the president of course.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Architype

It's done in a different way, but national holidays are usually about the country, but I never thought of Thanksgiving as a purely national holiday, since we have it here too. Where I grew up in NL it also had strong religious overtones. It'd be hard to make Christmas about you, unless your the president of course.

Pilgrims, friendly natives, turkey, cranberries - the myth of American Thanksgiving is pure Americana (New England edition). Of course, for the religious, there's the issue of just whom one is thanking, but that's optional in both the Canadian and American versions.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Pilgrims, friendly natives, turkey, cranberries - the myth of American Thanksgiving is pure Americana (New England edition). Of course, for the religious, there's the issue of just whom one is thanking, but that's optional in both the Canadian and American versions.

I forgot to add the part about Ben Franklin wanting to make the turkey the national bird of the country.

[Docere]

A lot of Canadian Jews don't do Thanksgiving, unless they're very assimilated, due to the proximity of the High Holidays. Whereas in the States even a lot of religious Jews celebrate Thanksgiving.

[Metro-One]

A pretty interesting topic.

Personally I feel that the two holidays, despite the cosmetic similarities, are actually quite different.

American Thanksgiving is very about "America" with heavy pseudo religious and mythological themes regarding the creation of America.

In Canada, at least from my own personal experiences, Thanksgiving is more in line with a standard fall / harvest festival. A day to appreciate the general end of the growing season and to give thanks (to god, or nature, or your community, or whoever / whatever floats your boat) for the final harvests and whatever / whoever you have in your life.

I feel this is also why Canadian Thanksgiving is a month or so before the American one, given our general earlier end to the farming season.

I personally hope that the American style Thanksgiving themes never become too established in Canada (whether than be through chest pounding morons who like everything American or misinformed SJWs who mistakenly attribute Canadian Thanksgiving as having the same meaning as American Thanksgiving)

[ue]

I've never considered American Thanksgiving bigger than Christmas in the US. Isn't it also pretty normal for people to flock back to their hometowns for Christmas? For some reason, I'm finding it hard to believe some university kid at a big city school isn't going back to the farm for Christmas and just staying on campus.

Christmas seems like a pretty huge deal in the US. The entire retail sector revolves around the "Christmas season" there as it does here, and with stuff like Black Friday, which exists because of said "season", Christmas is encroaching on Thanksgiving.

[vid]

Didn't read the thread but turkey tastes like mouldy chicken and Americans are weird for liking it.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by vid

Didn't read the thread but turkey tastes like mouldy chicken and Americans are weird for liking it.

American chicken is moldy, British/Canadian chicken is mouldy.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by vid

Didn't read the thread but turkey tastes like mouldy chicken and Americans are weird for liking it.

You need to learn to cook turkey properly.

[lrt's friend]

Canadian Thanksgiving indeed has its roots as the Protestant celebration of Harvest Thanksgiving and dated back at least to the 1870s based on my own research. Despite the comments that the celebration for a while after World War I was associated with Armistice Day (probably in thanks for those who returned from the war) , it was celebrated in October which was in the midst of the Canadian harvest. Give thanks for your harvest and share your bounty with your church community.

One of the things that I have greatly resented is the greed associated with retailers who imported Black Friday from the States. This was never part of the Canadian experience until the last few years and can never be the same because of the lack of a holiday on that day. I am not prepared to use a holiday for such nonsense.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Canadian Thanksgiving indeed has its roots as the Protestant celebration of Harvest Thanksgiving and dated back at least to the 1870s based on my own research. Despite the comments that the celebration for a while after World War I was associated with Armistice Day (probably in thanks for those who returned from the war) , it was celebrated in October which was in the midst of the Canadian harvest. Give thanks for your harvest and share your bounty with your church community.

One of the things that I have greatly resented is the greed associated with retailers who imported Black Friday from the States. This was never part of the Canadian experience until the last few years and can never be the same because of the lack of a holiday on that day. I am not prepared to use a holiday for such nonsense.

I have also been greatly annoyed by this. We already have our own equivalent, Boxing Day. We don't need another.

Sadly it further shows the power of the American influence, and it is not just in Canada. Black Friday sales have popped up in Japan this year as well, and once Japan adopts something they run with it, I highly expect it will be gigantic next year here. Ugh...