Not too long ago, Reddit users u/MrsBeauregardless and u/aguzate asked Canadians to explain what Canadian Thanksgiving is like and what food is eaten. Here's some really informational responses:
1. "In Canada, Thanksgiving is about the Fall Harvest, not the U.S. pilgrim story."
2. "I think it’s pretty lit. We have beers, turkey and all the trimmings, and it's earlier than in The States because it gets colder earlier here."
3. "I’m Dakota from Saskatchewan. Growing up for us, Thanksgiving, was just another long weekend like, Labour Day. We normally have a good meal with everyone in our family. My grandparents used to pray as Anglicans for the holiday when my dad was growing up, but by the time I came around, they didn’t do that anymore. Sometimes we’d do the ‘say what you’re thankful for this year' but that's it."
4. "Since it always falls on a Monday, many people do their meal on Sunday, and either travel back to their homes/schools on Monday or just chill. It also marks the closing weekend of many provincial parks."
5. "In Ontario, it’s the beginning of moose hunting season so while, yes, many have the traditional turkey family dinner it’s also a time that many people head to the bush."
6. "I've always really liked Thanksgiving. It's a low-pressure, non-religious holiday that isn't very commercial. We have a lot to be grateful for in this country, and it's nice to have a day to reflect on that. It also meshes well with Halloween. The feast usually involves food that is grown here and harvested in Autumn, but there aren't any rules per se. Just usually turkey, stuffing, root vegetables, corn, cranberries, apple cider, and pumpkin pie!"
7. "For Thanksgiving, I'll just make whatever it is I feel like and make sure to have a real spread. This year I made Persian food with Fesenjan, Persian rice, Ghormeh Sabzi, Salad-e Shirazi, a cucumber salad and Saffron ice cream for dessert. I can tell you I really do not miss traditional Thanksgiving foods."
8. "We're having a roast beef, cabbage rolls, Perogies, Pirozhki, and some vegetables this year!"
9. "Our feast consists of roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, peas, carrots, and a nice Pinot Noir from the Okanagan. It’s not so different from Christmas, actually."
10. "For Thanksgiving, I’ve done variations of traditional turkey such as a bacon-wrapped turkey breast. I've also done meatballs and gravy, savoury mashed sweet potatoes with Yukon golds, cream cheese and green onions, glazed carrots, cabbage rolls, stuffing, and pumpkin pie or Nanaimo bars."
11. "Thanksgiving here is not nearly as big a deal as it is in the U.S., and it doesn't kick off Christmas like in The States but there is a whole national argument about when you can put up Christmas decorations. Some people think Nov 1, some think you need to wait until Nov 12."
12. "So we do celebrate Thanksgiving in Québec too, it's called Action de Grâce. Although it's really less important and sometimes we don't feast at all, it's a good excuse to see family."
13. "As a Métis, my family celebrates Thanksgiving because in Canada it's about the harvest, and its always a good time to give thanks to the creator/God for family and provisions."
14. "I'm from Nova Scotia. Usually, the family gets together but anyone who lives a long way away will just call instead. There are no special dishes because they can be anything really. We usually eat dinner around 12:00-14:00 p.m. and have leftovers for supper a few hours later."
15. "Thanksgiving was celebrated in Canada prior to the US. It's not as big of a deal here as it is in the U.S., but many fall fairs occur on the same weekend or the week before. My family, like many others, have our big turkey dinner on Sunday and then have leftovers on the actual holiday. Roast turkey with stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and lots of veggies including squash."
16. "Extended family dinners tend to be a big part of Thanksgiving for me, but not everyone gets together every year — sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. People try to travel to visit family at Thanksgiving, but less than Christmas, I would say. There's definitely an effort to get together with family members who are close by. Halloween and Thanksgiving are also kind of bundled into one in terms of seasonal decor, festive kids' crafts, etc."
17. "Thanksgiving is not considered to be a kick-off to Christmas here, like in The States, because of Halloween; which is in some respects a 'bigger deal' than Thanksgiving. There's also Remembrance Day, which, in my opinion, is taken more seriously here than the equivalent holidays in the USA."
18. "I live in a touristy region, so it's more about enjoying the beautiful nature and long weekend than it is about the actual Thanksgiving holiday. I think it's a lovely time of autumn and a better time to have a Thanksgiving than dreary late November like in The States. The weather usually turns after Thanksgiving and it gets gloomier from then until the snow falls, so it's probably one of my favourite long weekends simply because of the weather. It's cosy and really feels like the last hurrah before the next spring."
19. "Honestly, I think it's the best most Canadian holiday. People seem to be comparing it to the United States one and lamenting the day's lack of production; when in fact its 'unpretentiousness' is one of its best features. The focus isn't on grand public rituals— just time spent with family. It's a holiday, from a timing perspective, that we don't really share with anyone else so I think that also makes it more uniquely our own."
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.