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Video:What Is the History of Canadian Thanksgiving?

with Jane McLean

Like the United States, Canada celebrates its own Thanksgiving once a year and eats itself silly with turkey and mashed potatoes. Here's a quick description of and guide to Canadian Thanksgiving.

Transcript:What Is the History of Canadian Thanksgiving?

When Is Canadian Thanksgiving

Like the United States, Canada gives thanks for its good fortune once a year and eats itself silly with turkey and mashed potatoes. The Canadian Thanksgiving holiday is officially observed on the second Monday of October, however people generally get together for their Thanksgiving meal on any one of the three days of this three-day holiday weekend.

Differences Between American and Canadian Thanksgiving

Although Canadians do tend to get together on Thanksgiving weekend, the holiday is not as big a celebration in Canada as it is in the U.S. Nevertheless, Thanksgiving weekend is a popular time for Canadians to gather with family, so more people than usual are traveling on that weekend. Canada does not have a big shopping day after Thanksgiving the way the United States does. Boxing Day - December 26th - is the equivalent in terms of sales and shopping extravaganzas in Canada. Like other public holidays in Canada, banks, government offices, schools and many businesses are closed.

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