A History of Thanksgiving in Canada

In case you didn't know here are some facts about our Thanksgiving Day holiday.
Various First Nations in Canada had long-standing traditions celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Canada's First Nations organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
In the year 1578, Martin Frobisher who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the long journey. Frobisher's thanksgiving was not for harvest but homecoming. He had safely returned from the search for a NorthWest Passage. He was still alive. French settlers gave thanks as early as 1604 upon arriving in the New World. Starting in 1879 Thanksgiving Day was observed every year on various dates.

After WW1 both  Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11 occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays, and Armistice Day was renamed Rememberance Day. To the right, soldiers celebrate a service in the bombed out Cambrai Cathedral.

 Thanksgiving moved to the second Monday in October in the great year of 1959!!!

Of course today we still celebrate Thanksgiving in many ways. The CFL has a wonderful weekend planned.

Arrrrggggooooooooss have a sold out game with the Green Riders. Should be awesome!

There will be pumpkins bought, many family get togethers like we always have with the Brooks clan in one location or antoher and of course many turkey dinners with all the trimmnigs.


So Deeds and I just want to wish all our family, friends, well wishers and blog followers a very Happy Thanksgiving