Thanksgiving Day is an annual holiday celebrated mainly by Americans and Canadians with the meaning of celebrating the harvest season and thanking God for a full life. This holiday in the US and Canada has many similarities but also certain differences.
The difference in the time of the holiday
Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the US since the mid-20th century at different times – depending on the different states. On December 26, 1941, President Franklin D.Roosevelt signed an executive order to unify Thanksgiving on the last Wednesday of November. Along with that, American citizens, as well as international students, will be off. 4 days.
The same goes for Canada – Thanksgiving was not unified until 1957. According to Canadian regulations, Thanksgiving Day will be celebrated on the second Monday in October every year and lasts until 3 days long. However, it should be noted that the above regulation only applies to some Atlantic states of Canada, not a national holiday like the United States.
The difference in the Thanksgiving menu
Turkey is a traditional American Thanksgiving dish. Meals are usually large – calculated for 5-10 people including family and close friends. Stuffed and mashed potatoes with cranberry sauce, sweet corn, vegetables and Pumpkin pie are other common dishes on this menu.
Food on Thanksgiving Day between the US and Canada
Canadian Pumpkin Pie is usually spicier because it contains Ginger, Clove and Cinnamon. Meanwhile, Americans prefer sweeter taste and often add egg custard.
Canadians often bake or mash Sweet Potatoes while Americans often add Butter, Sugar and spices to make a stew served with marshmallows.
Americans in the southern states often use cornbread for stuffing, and the northern and eastern states often use rice like the Canadians.
Traditionally, the most important Thanksgiving dinner is held on a Thursday night in the United States, and in Canada it can be held on Sunday or Monday.
Thanksgiving holiday activities in the US and Canada
Although there are differences in the time of organization, the activities of this day in the US and Canada have many similarities.
Traveling with family during the holidays is a popular activity in both places. In the US, this 4-day holiday period is considered one of the busiest travel occasions of the year. Canadians also take advantage of their three short holidays to travel and get away from work - everyday life.
Shopping and hunting during the Thanksgiving season is the most anticipated activity of the year. Stores usually open early on the Friday right after Thanksgiving with long lines of people waiting in line to buy discounted products. Due to the massive discount policy, people often try to postpone their shopping plans to wait for this event.
The Friday immediately after Thanksgiving is often called "Black Friday" because the profit index of retail businesses often changes from red (loss) to black (breakeven and starting to profit). The Monday after Thanksgiving is known as "Cyber Monday" because of the huge number of customers shopping online.
Parades are held on a large scale. The most famous parade in the United States is Macy's Parade. In Canada, parades are often small in scale and limited to the local level. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is the only Canadian parade to be televised internationally.
Read more: Interesting facts about Thanksgiving Day
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