Thanksgiving Day in Canada
Quick Facts
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday to give thanks for the blessings in one's life, particularly the harvest, and a day off work for many Canadians.Local names
| Name | Language |
|---|---|
| Thanksgiving Day | English |
| le Jour d'Action de grâce | French |
Thanksgiving Day 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008Thanksgiving Day 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009See list of observations below
Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. ©iStockphoto.com/ Olga Lyubkina
What do people do?
Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.
The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation. This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include: outdoor breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn; hiking; and fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.
Public life
The second Monday in October is statutory holiday in all Canadian provinces and territories except New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Many people have the day off work and all schools and post offices are closed. Many stores and other businesses and organizations are also closed. Public transport services may run to a reduced timetable or may not run at all.
Background
The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.
In the late 1700s, a number of thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events and refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. In most years, the theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest", but after the return to health of the Prince of Wales, who was later crowned as King Edward VII, the golden and diamond jubilees of Queen Victoria and coronation of King Edward VII formed the theme in appropriate years.
From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.
Symbols
Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This represents the "Horn of Plenty", which was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving Day Observances
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type | Where it is observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oct 13 | 1980 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 1981 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 11 | 1982 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 10 | 1983 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 8 | 1984 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 14 | 1985 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 13 | 1986 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 1987 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 10 | 1988 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 9 | 1989 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 8 | 1990 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 14 | 1991 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 1992 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 11 | 1993 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 10 | 1994 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 9 | 1995 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 14 | 1996 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 13 | 1997 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 1998 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 11 | 1999 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 9 | 2000 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 8 | 2001 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 14 | 2002 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 13 | 2003 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 11 | 2004 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 10 | 2005 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 9 | 2006 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 8 | 2007 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 13 | 2008 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 2009 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 11 | 2010 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 10 | 2011 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 8 | 2012 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 14 | 2013 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 13 | 2014 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
| Mon | Oct 12 | 2015 | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | NU, ON, AB, QC, MB, SK, YT, BC, NT |
Other holidays in October 2008 in Canada
- Eid-al-Fitr (Thursday, October 2, 2008)
- Yom Kippur (Thursday, October 9, 2008)
- First day of Sukkot (Tuesday, October 14, 2008)
- Last day of Sukkot (Monday, October 20, 2008)
- Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)
- Halloween (Friday, October 31, 2008)
Other calendars
- Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
- Perpetual monthly calendar - shows only one month at a time
- Custom calendar - make customized calendars
