Canadians commemorate Thanksgiving in October, and their customary feast often includes items such as turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.

Canadians mark Thanksgiving in October, savoring the occasion with customary dishes.

Canadian Thanksgiving, that's right.

Although the American version takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, Canada celebrates on the second Monday of October, which this year falls on October 14.

For more insights on this annual grand feast, we reached out to Andrew McIntosh, senior subject editor with the Canadian Encyclopedia.

Naturally, we had to tackle a question frequently asked by Americans – why do Canada celebrate Thanksgiving in October instead of November?

Historically, he explains, Thanksgiving in Canada has generally been about celebrating the fall harvest and giving thanks for the food it provides before the cold season sets in.

“Winter comes a lot earlier in Canada, so our fall harvest happens earlier, too,” he shares.

“Canadian Thanksgiving was set as the second Monday in October, when the weather is still conducive to outdoor activities, in 1957.”

But Canada was celebrating long before that. The first official Thanksgiving holiday took place in 1879, and in the following years, it didn’t always happen in October.

“The exact date for each year was decided annually by Parliament, which also assigned a unifying theme each year – it often centered around celebrating the monarchy,” says McIntosh.

Interestingly, he notes the holiday occurred as late in the year as December 6 and even coincided with American Thanksgiving a few times.

In the Newfoundland province, it's common to savor a traditional Jiggs dinner during Thanksgiving celebrations.

As for the present day, some Canadians – including this writer’s extended family – opt to host their Thanksgiving meal the day before the official Monday holiday, allowing those who traveled for the long weekend time to head back home and not have to take an extra day off work.

Traditional Canadian Thanksgiving foods

So what do Canadians traditionally eat for Thanksgiving? On the surface, foods might not appear to be that different from those that will decorate America’s tables on November 28.

That’s because the US had a significant impact on what Canadians eat, says McIntosh.

“Canadians very much adopted the traditional Thanksgiving dinner from America,” he adds.

“The conventional spread of turkey, gravy, potatoes, squash and rolls, with cranberry sauce on the side and pumpkin pie for dessert, is very typical across Canada.”

That said, he notes there are some regional differences. After all, Canada is a vast country made up of dozens of cultures with their own culinary influences.

“In Newfoundland, Jigg’s dinner (a salt meat stew similar to corned beef and derived from Ireland), is often preferred over turkey, scalloped potatoes are preferred over mashed, and cranberry sauce is used instead of gravy,” he says.

Meanwhile, in Western Canada, he says some prefer to eat ham and include Brussels sprouts as a side dish.

At Thanksgiving celebrations in Canada, pumpkin pie is commonly enjoyed as a sweet finish to the meal. interestingly, apple pie also sometimes finds its way onto the table.

“Many ethnic groups will often include some of their traditional dishes,” adds McIntosh.

“For example, Indigenous people will typically serve a side of bannock (a kind of fry bread), while perogies and cabbage rolls are Thanksgiving staples for many Ukrainian Canadians.”

It’s all about dessert

The real regional differences around Thanksgiving in Canada tend to concern the sweet treats served at the end of the meal.

“The dessert of choice is often accompanied by different desserts in different regions – because what is Thanksgiving if not an excuse to eat as much as possible?” asks McIntosh.

Like in the US, pumpkin pie is still a staple in most of the country. But he notes those who celebrate Thanksgiving in Quebec and Atlantic Canada tend to prefer apple pie or apple crisp.

“Ontarians love their butter tarts – they’re like mini pecan pie, what’s not to love! – while people out west favor Nanaimo bars, sometimes called smog bars or prayer bars in the US,” he adds.

As for the province of Quebec, where French is the dominant language, McIntosh lets us in on a fun fact: Most Quebeckers don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving.

“In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Thanksgiving in Canada was mainly a Protestant endeavor and was often used as an excuse to give thanks for the British monarchy – factors that alienated Catholic French Canadians,” he says.

Autumn brings a captivating charm to Canada, as evident in this image from Quebec's Mont Tremblant resort.

“Anglo Quebeckers (a minority in the province) do celebrate Thanksgiving, but immigrant communities in Quebec tend to conform to the French Canadian standard. As a Chinese Canadian colleague from Montreal told me, ‘We had Thanksgiving as a day off from school and never really understood why.’”

McIntosh notes that while some Indigenous groups in the US view Thanksgiving as a National Day of Mourning, Canada’s Indigenous peoples “generally tend to experience Thanksgiving more along the same lines as English Canadians: as an opportunity to enjoy good food and leisure time with family.”

He adds: “Some tensions around Thanksgiving do still exist in Canada, as they exist around anything that is in some way associated with the violent displacement and disenfranchisement of Indigenous peoples.”

That said, he notes that Indigenous people in Canada also see Thanksgiving as a celebration of Indigenous foods that predate colonial settlement, “including turkey, squash, corn and cranberries.”

‘Winter is coming’

In the US, one major highlight of the holiday is of course the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Canada doesn’t put on anything of this scale to celebrate, however, there are some harvest festivals and Thanksgiving-adjacent events to mark the season, a time when the leaves are changing and cooler temperatures have set in.

For example, on Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, the annual Fall Flavours event in late September/early October is a three-week celebration of the island’s best local food and drink.

In the rural town of Smoky Lake, known as Alberta's 'Pumpkin Capital,' occurs the annual Great White North Pumpkin Fair. This event, held every October, is renowned for its assortment of food and social happenings, including the thrilling "Pumpkin Weigh Off." This year's champion reportedly tipped the scales at an astonishing 2,137 pounds. It's intriguing to consider how many pies could be crafted from this gigantic gourd.

Shopping enthusiasts might be wondering if there are any enticing bargains up for grabs. The Canadian Encyclopedia's Editor McIntosh mentions that unlike in the US, where Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year, Canada doesn't have a strong retail association with Thanksgiving. In fact, stores usually remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Every year in Smoky Lake, Alberta, the renowned Great White North Pumpkin Festival features an awe-inspiring Pumpkin Weigh-Off competition. The champion from the previous year allegedly tipped the scales at an impressive 2,037.5 pounds.

McIntosh continues, explaining that Thanksgiving isn't also the busiest travel period in Canada; we reserve that for Christmas. Instead, people often spend the holiday watching sports, primarily CFL (Canadian Football) and NHL games, and utilizing the time off work to prepare their homes or cabins. After all, it's Canada, and winter is just around the corner.

Unfortunately, Canadian expat Karla Cripps, currently residing in Thailand, has missed enjoying a Thanksgiving meal in her homeland for over two decades.

While Canadians enjoy a variety of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, some regional differences exist. For instance, in Newfoundland, Jigg's dinner is often preferred over turkey, and cranberry sauce is used instead of gravy. On the other hand, Western Canadians might choose ham and include Brussels sprouts as a side dish. (regional differences in food)

As for sweet treats, pumpkin pie is still popular across the country, but apple pie or apple crisp is more preferred in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. ontarians love butter tarts, while people in Western Canada favor Nanaimo bars. (regional differences in desserts)