4 Ways Canadian Thanksgiving differs from the USA

Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving may look similar at first glance, but there are a few things that set these two fall festivities apart.

Today you will learn 4 Ways Canadian Thanksgiving differs from the USA:

1. CANADIAN THANKSGIVING IS IN OCTOBER—AND ON A MONDAY
Since the beginning of the holiday, its date has moved several times, until 1957, when the Canadian government officially declared that Thanksgiving would occur on the second Monday in October. 

2. AMERICAN AND CANADIAN THANKSGIVING HAVE DIFFERENT (BUT SIMILAR) ORIGINS
The first Thanksgiving after Canadian Confederation didn’t happen until April 1872, when the holiday was observed to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales from a serious illness.

3. THANKSGIVING IS A LITTLE MORE LOW KEY IN CANADA
Although the holiday is still widely celebrated in Canada and is a statutory holiday in most of the country, Canadians’ approach to Thanksgiving is a bit more laid back. 
(*The exceptions are the Atlantic provinces, where the holiday is an optional day off, and in Quebec, where the holiday isn’t as popular overall.)

4. THERE’S NO HUGE POST-THANKSGIVING SHOPPING CRAZE
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become a big part of the Thanksgiving season in the United States. In Canada, however, there’s no real post-Thanksgiving shopping craze, since Christmas is still so far off.