What is thanksgiving?

[FEDup1981]

Hi

Ive been reading a few posts about thanksgiving in Canada, and i just wondered what its all about? Is it like Christmas, and do you not celebrate on 25th Dec, or is it something totally different?

Sorry if i appear thick!

 

[JayleighAnn]

Isn't it about when the english conquered america?

 

[JayleighAnn]

and i think its about november time

 

[FEDup1981]

oh, well i saw someone say happy thanksgiving today? i have noooooo idea!

 

[oOKayOo]

Im not too sure , would like to know myself!

 

[x-amy-x]

Americans enlighten us

 

[FEDup1981]

Glad im not the only one that doesnt know. Not sure what the time difference is, maybe its bedtime over in Canada, so no one to answer us yet!

 

[JayleighAnn]

dunno...come on canadians/americans!

 

[JaydensMommy09]

OK!!!
Thanksgiving is a time where people come together and say what they are thankful for. Canadians have it earlier than we do in the United States. It has to do with the pilgrims and indians sharing food. It is just an excuse to eat FOOD!!!!!! And give thanks.. but mainly to eat food. In the United States it is the 25 of November. I personally like it because we get to eat and when its over everyone knows CHRISTMAS is right around the corner!!!

 

[Vickie]

Canada has Thanksgiving as well, its today, but I'm not originally from here so couldn't tell you what it is about

Americans have Thanksgiving the last Thursday in November and it is a day to give thanks for what you have. In school they always taught us about the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth between the settlers and Native Americans, painted quite a rose colored picture of it all which my subsequent history lessons (majored in history at university) have debunked

 

[Vickie]

Glad im not the only one that doesnt know. Not sure what the time difference is, maybe its bedtime over in Canada, so no one to answer us yet!

no all busy cooking actually I'm typing one-handed so it took forever to answer

 

[FEDup1981]

so is it a public holiday day then, like a bank holiday?

 

[FEDup1981]

and is it still a massive tradition done by nearly everyone?

 

[Vickie]

yes to both

 

[FEDup1981]

Great, id love to have a special day to eat lots of food...but it'd be like any other day for me!!

 

[Vickie]

Great, id love to have a special day to eat lots of food...but it'd be like any other day for me!!

 

[JayleighAnn]

I want to have thanksgiving! I want to eat lots of food on a special day other than xmas lol

 

[leeanne]

Here's the lowdown on Canada Thanksgiving:

https://www.kidzworld.com/article/2614-canadian-thanksgiving

 

[Pyrrhic]

This is what I was always taught:

Yonks ago, a bunch of people decided to settle in the "new world" which was Canada and the USA. These pilgrims were all British, and many felt that they would have a better life in thie new world than they would in England as there was a lot of poverty and hardship in England.

So these settlers went across, but massively underestimated what winters were like in Canada and the North East States. Hundreds of them died from cold, and a lack of food and supplies. That was until the local native americans started helping the settlers. They showed them how to grow food, hunt, find herbs, use local medicine, etc. So these native americans in fact saved the fledgling settlements.

The next year, once the harvests had come in before the winter these settlements threw huge banquets in order to show their appreciation and thanks that they had made it in this "new world"

Hence "Thanks Giving" and now I believe it's a long standing tradition where people celebrate what they are thankful for in their lives.

 

[Chris77]

In the USA we also get the day after Thanksgiving off (also known as Black Friday) so that gives us a 4 day weekend! There are always HUGE HUGE sales in the stores the day after Thanksgiving.