Monday, October 10, 2005

Thanksgiving in Canada

Today, I am happy that we are invited to my in-laws for Thanksgiving as we have spent many of them turkeyless.

I have only cooked a turkey a couple of times. My children do not like turkey. They complain that it is too dry, probably an indication of my self imposed inexperience. Then there is the fact that no one likes all the turkey recipes I try out afterwards like Calico Creamed Turkey and Leftover Turkey Salad.

The years that we have no turkey, I crave it really bad and the turkey at Denny's is just not the same. One year, we walked by a place where there was a charity Thanksgiving meal going on and I was really tempted. It is not good to be envious on Thanksgiving Day.

I had my husband's family over once for Thanksgiving and found it so stressful that I am afraid to to do it again. So I am very thankful for the people that actually do all the work of making a feast then invite others and only ask for a salad and pop in return.

(Yes, yes, I'll do the dishes)

8 comments:

Jennifer said...

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. Eat some turkey for me. Our turkey is another month away!

Carol said...

Really nice to hear from you, Jennifer. It was great to be with family and needless to say, I enjoyed the food.

moira said...

Carol, I am curious - what is the history behind Canada's Thanksgiving celebration?

Carol said...

When I was in elementary school, we were taught the American story of the Indian people helping the starving pilgrims. So I think we just copied the American holiday.
That's my unofficial story, anyways.
Another good question, Moira.

Anonymous said...

I heard it said that turkey is like coffee. it always smells better than it tastes. Happy Thanksgiving.

Anonymous said...

And I agree. it's one tradition from before there was a Canada or US. It points back at the 1621 survival of 50 colonists thanks to the aid of 91 Abnaki Natives.

Carol said...

Pearl,
What d'ya mean, turkey tastes great!

I did an internet search on the Canadian origin of Thanksgiving and I learned that there are 3 possibilities.
The most probable being that of a harvest celebration starting with a European explorer,Martin Frobisher in 1578.
The second was that Loyalists from the States brought with them the American tradition of Thanksgiving.
Or it was first celebrated in April 1872 in thanksgiving for the recovery of the Prince of Wales.It was later changed to November.

It was officially proclaimed Thanksgiving in 1957 on the second Monday in October.

When I was in school, we learned more about American history than our own:(

moira said...

That's too bad; I'll bet there's a lot of interesting history behind Canada.