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Giving Thanks


Canadians are celebrating Thanksgiving today. I've taken the day off. But here's something I wrote at this time several years back. I think you may learn something from it...and get a chuckle or two while you're at it.

Oh man, undo the belt buckles (brrrp!). One turkey dinner down, one to go. It's Thanksgiving in Canada, where we have the sense to spread out our holidays but not our turkey dinners. A big dinner with friends last night and another tonight with family ensures I'll go searching in the back of my closet for those elastic waist-band khakis. I know, I know. Don't wear white after Labour Day. Well, I'm expanding my fashion sense, not to mention my waistline.
Thanksgiving in Canada occurs sooner than in the States. Ours is the 2nd Monday in October. Theirs is the 4th Thursday in November. What's up with that? Were we faster in bringing in the harvest? Well, no. Actually the first Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated by explorer Martin Frobisher in 1578. He was looking for the elusive northwest passage, a water route to the Pacific Ocean. He never found it. But he decided to celebrate his survival of a rather arduous expedition. Good on ya Martin. Nice bay they named after ya.
Thay, anyone theen the northwest pathage, sweetie?

But Thanksgiving in Canada wasn't celebrated on a yearly basis until 1879 and our government didn't proclaim the day a holiday until 1957.

In the States, Thanksgiving has been an annual tradition since 1863. The American government saw fit to create a federal holiday in 1941.

Nevertheless, together we've managed to keep Butterball in business longer than the Ford Motor Company! (a little bail-out humour there).

Apart from eating big turkey dinners this weekend, Canadians settle in to a big double-header of the Canadian Football League. How appropriate. The sad Canadian cousin of the NFL, turkey's an apt description.

But it is the time of year to give thanks. What am I thankful for?

Elastic waist band khakis, of course!
And, in a 2013 update,  if you don't believe me, you can watch this...


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Comments

nonamedufus said…
Thanks, Debra. To you to! I love turkey day.
14 October 2013 at 10:12
ReformingGeek said…
I love Thanksgiving! Here's to good eating!

Cat wants to know how was the turkey prepared?
14 October 2013 at 15:57
nonamedufus said…
It was prepared in the oven. (heh, heh) My wife did a turkey Saturday and my daughter did one tonight. That's a helleva lot of leftovers.
14 October 2013 at 20:05
nonamedufus said…
It was prepared in the oven. (heh, heh) My wife did a turkey Saturday and my daughter did one tonight. That's a helleva lot of leftovers.
14 October 2013 at 20:05
nonamedufus said…
See how close we came to celebrating Frobisher Day? Meanwhile you guys get to observe Columbus Day. And what the heck do you eat to celebrate that?
15 October 2013 at 18:59
Indigo Roth said…
Hey Dufus! Having never experienced either an American or Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner, I am envious. Maybe next year, eh? Roth
15 October 2013 at 19:53
nonamedufus said…
You gotta like turkey. Are you a breast or a leg man? Um, maybe I should rephrase that.
15 October 2013 at 19:55
Katherine Murray said…
OK, I really laughed at the turkey with the lampshade... but then I got to big bird and DIED! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! That is HYSTERICAL!!!!
15 October 2013 at 21:44
nonamedufus said…
Those are some of my favourite Thanksgiving funnies. Not bad, eh?
16 October 2013 at 08:57
meleahrebeccah said…
Sorry, I'm so late to the party! Happy belated Thanksgiving!
21 October 2013 at 14:10
nonamedufus said…
Late? I've already eaten all the leftovers! Thanks, Meleah.
21 October 2013 at 16:05
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