Traditions
Why is Canadian Thanksgiving celebrated?
To honor the country's founders
What is the key difference between Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving?
The specific days of the week the holidays fall on (Monday in Canada, Thursday in the US)
How did Canadian Thanksgiving begin?
It was introduced by Indigenous peoples to celebrate the harvest.
When is Thanksgiving celebrated?
The 2nd Monday in October
Why do turkeys gobble?
Only male turkeys, or toms, can make a call known as a gobble. They mostly gobble in the spring and fall. It is a mating call that attracts the hens.
Canadian Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday EXCEPT in what Province/s?
Canadian Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday EXCEPT in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador in which it is an optional holiday.
Why is Canadian Thanksgiving earlier than the American Thanksgiving?
To align with the Canadian harvest season.
From 1921 to 1930, Thanksgiving was combined with which other observance?
Armistice Day (now Remembrance Day)
Why does turkey make you sleepy?
The tryptophan in turkey promotes the production of serotonin, a "feel-good" neurotransmitter.
What’s that weird wobbly thing on a turkey’s neck?
The loose red skin attached to the underside of a turkey’s beak is called a wattle. When the male turkey is excited, especially during mating season, the wattle turns a scarlet red.
Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and not some other bird?
Turkeys were large enough to feed a family and other birds were more valuable.
This shopping holiday takes place the day after American Thanksgiving.
Black Friday
Which French explorer is credited with holding the first recorded Thanksgiving in Canada in 1606?
Sir Martin Frobisher
Which team traditionally hosts the opening Thanksgiving Day Classic football game?
Montreal Alouettes
Is the turkey considered a game bird?
Yes, but the wild turkey is one of the more challenging game birds to hunt. Instead, hunters must try to attract it with different calls.
What role does Niagara Falls play in Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations?
It is the site of the official Thanksgiving parade
What was the name of the ship the Pilgrims boarded to journey to Plymouth, Massachusetts?
The Mayflower
The first Canadian Thanksgiving was to celebrate reaching which region through the Northwest Passage?
Nunavut
Which traditional European holiday bears most similarity to Canadian Thanksgiving?
Harvest Festival
What is a baby turkey called?
A baby turkey is called a poult, chick, or even turklette. An adult male turkey is called a tom (an adolescent male is a jake), and a female is a hen.
How did breaking the wishbone start?
The ancient Romans practiced it by pulling apart chicken bones.
What sport do Americans watch on Thanksgiving?
Football
What year was Thanksgiving made an official government sanctioned holiday?
1879
How is Thanksgiving known in French-speaking Canada?
Action de grâce
How long do turkeys live?
The average life span of a wild turkey is 3 or 4 years. It generally feeds on seeds, nuts, insects, and berries. The average life span of a domestic turkey, from birth to freezer, is 26 weeks.