When does Canada celebrate Thanksgiving?

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. This day is an annual holiday, coinciding with Columbus Day in the United States of America. The motive for celebrating Thanksgiving is different in Canada and America. Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a mark of remembrance and respect for the Pilgrims and settlement in the New World. Canadians show gratitude on account of a successful harvest through the Thanksgiving Day. Canada being located further north, the season of harvest comes earlier than in United States of America.

The concept of Thanksgiving in Canada originated from Martin Frobisher, who was an English explorer. Though his efforts to search a northern path towards the Orient did not bear fruit, he could bring about the growth of a settlement in North America. Martin held a ceremony in 1578 in Newfoundland giving thanks for being able to survive the long and arduous journey. This was the beginning of the Canadian Thanksgiving. There were other settlers who subsequently arrived to continue with this tradition. The French settlers who came to Canada also held large ceremonies and feasts as part of Thanksgiving tradition.

At the time of the American Revolution, certain Americans brought with them to Canada a few customs of American Thanksgiving like cornucopia and pumpkin pie.

There were several dates decided upon down the history for celebration of the Canadian Thanksgiving day. November 6th, and third Monday in October are some of the days which were followed for a certain period of time. Finally, in 1957 the Parliament decided to announce second Monday in October as the Canadian Thanksgiving day, to be celebrated for thanking the Almighty for a bountiful harvest.


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