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The History of Thanksgiving in Canada

Writer's picture: Kyle Sooley-BrookingsKyle Sooley-Brookings

Thanksgiving is an annual Canadian holiday, occurring on the second Monday in October, which celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year.


Since November 6, 1879, Thanksgiving has been officially celebrated as an annual holiday.


While the date varied by year and was not fixed, it was commonly the third Monday in October. On January 31, 1957, the Governor General of Canada Vincent Massey issued a proclamation stating: "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the second Monday in October."


It was since then that the second Monday in October has been Thanksgiving.


According to some historians, the first celebration of Thanksgiving in North America occurred during the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England, in search of the Northwest Passage.


In modern times, it is time to reflect on what we are thankful for. What are you thankful for?

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