Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in both the US and Canada, as a notable occasion to mark family time to enjoy meals and togetherness. It is an excellent occasion which commemorates the regards of thanks for the people. However, there are slight differences in both the countries.
1. Month- the Canadian thanksgiving occurs in October month, which mostly occurs in November in America. It is celebrated on the second Monday of the month—which is the same as Columbus Day in the U.S. Since Canada is situated to the north of the U.S. the brief window of the harvest season comes earlier. Thus, it is celebrated according to the seasonal drift.
2. Historical and regional differences- Historically in Canada, Thanksgiving celebrations commemorated everything from explorer Martin Frobisher’s successful 1578 crossing of the Northwest Passage to victories during the World Wars. But the emphasis in the U.S. is on pilgrims and the Mayflower.
3. Shopping- in America, the occasion marks a lot of shopping at the malls and stores, because their citizens see it as an enjoyable time. Whereas in Canada, the opposite of this happens. Many stores are closed or hold reduced hours throughout the weekend—especially on Sunday and Thanksgiving Monday. They don’t see it as a shopping occasion.
4. Recipe- the turkey meal is the same in both countries but it is cooked in a different way. Also, there are some differences in flavor and preparation. American pumpkin pie tends to be sweet and is paired with custard, while in Canada, pumpkin pie is spicier, with ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Canadians tend to use bread crumbs for stuffing, while in the U.S., stuffing, or dressing, features cornbread in the Southern states, oysters in the Eastern states, and the Northern states often use rice.
