It's that time of year again when the air is filled with the aroma of roasting turkeys and the sound of laughter around the dinner table. Yes, it's Thanksgiving in Canada, a holiday that precedes its American counterpart by a month. While the United States observes Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, Canadians gather to give thanks on the second Monday of October, which this year is October 14th. To delve deeper into the traditions and history of this festive occasion, we consulted with Andrew McIntosh, a senior subject editor at the Canadian Encyclopedia. He shed light on the often-asked question by our neighbors to the south: why does Canada celebrate Thanksgiving in October?

Historically, Canadian Thanksgiving has been a celebration of the autumn harvest and an expression of gratitude for the bounty of food before the onset of winter. "Winter arrives much earlier in Canada," McIntosh explains, "so our harvest season also comes earlier." The current date for the holiday was established in 1957, setting it on the second Monday of October when the weather is still suitable for outdoor activities.

However, this wasn't always the case. The first official Thanksgiving in Canada was observed in 1879, and the date varied each year, determined annually by Parliament. Each year also had a theme, often related to celebrating the monarchy. Interestingly, the holiday was once as late as December 6th and occasionally coincided with the American Thanksgiving.

In contemporary times, some Canadians choose to host their Thanksgiving feast on the Sunday before the official holiday, allowing guests who have traveled to return home without needing an additional day off work.

When it comes to the traditional Thanksgiving meal in Canada, the menu might seem familiar to Americans, as the US has significantly influenced Canadian dining habits. "Canadians have largely adopted the traditional Thanksgiving dinner from the United States," McIntosh notes. This typically includes a turkey as the centerpiece, accompanied by gravy, potatoes, squash, and rolls, with cranberry sauce on the side and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Yet, there are regional variations that reflect Canada's diverse cultural landscape. For instance, in Newfoundland, Jigg's dinner—a salt meat stew similar to corned beef and with Irish origins—is often preferred over turkey. Scalloped potatoes are more common than mashed, and cranberry sauce replaces gravy. In Western Canada, ham might be served instead of turkey, and Brussels sprouts are a popular side dish.

Ethnic groups also incorporate their traditional dishes into the Thanksgiving menu. Indigenous peoples often serve bannock, a type of fry bread, while Ukrainian Canadians might include perogies and cabbage rolls in their feast.

The real regional differences, however, are seen in the desserts that cap off the meal. Pumpkin pie is a staple across most of Canada, but in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, apple pie or apple crisp is often the preferred choice. Ontarians have a fondness for butter tarts, which are akin to mini pecan pies, and Western Canadians enjoy Nanaimo bars, sometimes known as smog bars or prayer bars in the US.

It's worth noting that in Quebec, where French is the predominant language, most residents do not celebrate Thanksgiving. Historically, Thanksgiving was a Protestant observance and was often associated with gratitude for the British monarchy, which alienated Catholic French Canadians. While some Anglophone Quebeckers do celebrate, immigrant communities in the province tend to follow the French Canadian norm. As one Chinese Canadian from Montreal shared, "We had Thanksgiving as a day off from school and never really understood why."

McIntosh also points out that while some Indigenous groups in the US view Thanksgiving as a National Day of Mourning, Canada's Indigenous peoples generally experience Thanksgiving in a similar way to English Canadians: as an opportunity to enjoy good food and leisure time with family. He adds that some tensions around Thanksgiving do persist in Canada, as they do around any event associated with the historical displacement and disenfranchisement of Indigenous peoples. However, Indigenous people in Canada also see Thanksgiving as a celebration of Indigenous foods that predate colonial settlement, including turkey, squash, corn, and cranberries.

In the US, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is a major highlight of the holiday season. While Canada does not have an event of this scale, there are harvest festivals and Thanksgiving-related events that mark the season. For example, on Prince Edward Island, the annual Fall Flavours event in late September/early October is a three-week celebration of the island's best local food and drink. In Smoky Lake, Alberta's 'Pumpkin Capital', the Great White North Pumpkin Fair takes place every October, featuring various food and social events, including a dramatic "Pumpkin Weigh Off" where this year's winner tipped the scales at 2,137 pounds.

When it comes to shopping, Canada does not have the same retail frenzy as the US, where Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. Stores are typically closed in Canada on Thanksgiving Day, and it is not the peak travel time of the year (that is reserved for Christmas). However, Canadians often spend the holiday watching sports, particularly Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Hockey League (NHL) games, and using the time off work to prepare their homes or cottages for the impending winter.