I find it kind of strange that Thanksgiving is coming up and there isn’t much fanfare in Canada ahead of time, although our family and many others celebrate it in traditional ways. Halloween and Christmas are out now at the end of summer and displayed before the smoke and heat was even behind us. (I think we may be accepting that ‘smoke’ will become part of our descriptive narrative when talking about summer pretty much anywhere on the globe unless we all become enviro magicians, or at very least collectively take better care of our own ‘backyards’ and mitigation efforts. I digress in Het fashion, part of who I am so I’ll just get us back on the Thanksgiving trail…)
Having been born in California, in San Bernardino County, to a Canadian Mom and American Dad, not a place that I really mention much when thinking about my birthplace. There are beautiful spots in Cali, but not there. Growing up, Clearwater, B.C. was our ‘On Golden Pond’ and sanctuary, coming yearly since birth to visit, it was ‘home’ so it seemed kind of natural really in the progression of life that we moved to Canada in 1971.
Our Grandma Lillie wasn’t impressed when we moved, although at the time, she was so unconditionally loving as always. I have her daily diaries and have since learned about her wishes. “I wish they had never moved to Canada,” she clearly writes. She was a saint on earth, our solace, our ‘holiday’ in a person form all year round. She loved us truly and we soaked up her positivity, sense of humour, musical abilities, and constant care. I think that is probably why at Thanksgivings, both Canadian and American, each year I feel the pull in my heart’s memory of needing two days to celebrate the holiday named Thanks Giving – although both are a bit different in history.
Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. occurs on Thursday, November 23. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Indigenous Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. (Short version – obviously there is more to this history.)
Thanksgiving in Canada coincides with the completion of harvest in much of the country. The most recent date change to the second Monday in October was largely a result of the First and Second World Wars, which we officially remember each year on November 11, Remembrance Day. The change happened for the two holidays to have independent weekends.
Thanksgiving in Canada has historically been surrounding ‘harvest,’ but really if you think about it, the theme isn’t that far removed from the current feeling of the holiday now in the U.S. Thankfully we’ve evolved to a point I believe that focuses more on the gathering of family, celebrating harvest and enjoying our favourite family meals, which in our case as a close family here in Canada involves turkey, along with the one and only gravy, special stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, lots of side veggies, salad and of course, great Grandma Eva’s perogies, cabbage rolls (our best attempts that will never taste as good) and sometimes decadent memory treats like Uncle Bob’s deluxe caramel – just not the same without him.
Personally, the important part of Thanksgiving for me with Canadian/American heritage has always been the most memorable, significant, and inspiring reflective moments in each year. Those moments of giving thanks. Thinking back and forward to the precious lasting moments we have spent and will take the time to spend together. Laughter, singing, dancing, teasing, old fashioned no tech games, lots of snacks, catching up on hugs, cuddles and mini walks or favourite annual movie views. So many gone ahead now, so many memories to cherish and bring those tearful, joyful smiles at the thought of their words or while visualizing them in our memory.
Remembering is my treasure trove, an in-my-head-only place to breath back into those mind blowing, harvestable times to share with the youngsters, remember with melancholy and pausing to honour those who laid out the map of how we will archive our legacy through traditions as basic as butter under the turkey skin, apples and some maple sausage in the stuffing or a nice hot bowl of borscht or delicious fresh Bannock and jam for lunch while waiting for dinner.
However you and yours enjoy your family traditions or even your eclectic ‘whatever’ you feel like doing during this day, I’m sending you a thankful vibe for making it through this read and wishing you the very best for your holiday(s) ahead, your way.
We’d love to hear your special holiday traditions or the way you spend ‘time off’ during your holidays. Feel free to send your letter or submission to the Editor’s Desk anytime: editor@surgeryitaly.com and - or: hettie.buck@starjournal.net
Thankfully sharing through wordsmithing. Het
