"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."
- Unknown
Did you know that in 1957 the Government of Canada made a proclamation that the second Monday of October each year would be “for general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings with which the people of Canada have been favoured.”
It makes perfect sense that a holiday should be rooted in gratitude, whether you are secular or a believer. In this fast paced world, we probably should be more mindful to be thankful on a regular basis, but even once a year it’s a good practice to stop and ponder the good that is in each and every day, whether we acknowledge it or not.
An independent media, The Tyee, aptly said, “It’s easy to become overwhelmed by continuing news reports about wars, natural disasters, disease, widespread poverty, political corruption, and ongoing or imminent environmental crises, or to become wrapped up in our own daily struggles, while forgetting our potential to find wonder and delight in the smallest and most ordinary of things.”
And now a little history lesson: Canadian history online states that Thanksgiving wasn’t first celebrated by American settlers but by Canadian explorers and settlers.
It is said that after having survived an arduous journey, British explorer Martin Frobisher marked his safe arrival on Baffin Island with a religious Thanksgiving service in 1578.
French settlers arriving with Samuel de Champlain after 1604 also had Thanksgiving feasts.
Later, some American Thanksgiving customs were brought over to Canada by United Empire Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution.
In 1879, Parliament declared a national Thanksgiving Day to celebrate “the blessings of an abundant harvest,” but the date of the holiday shifted (at one point being the same date as Armistice Day after the First World War) until the government made the proclamation in 1957.
A little trivia: You may not know that when you imagine a turkey, it’s only the male turkey or ‘tom’ that can fan their tail feathers, and as a male, they do it when they’re trying to make an impression! Sounds like a male to me trying to show off to the other sex. Apparently when toms decide to show off to the ‘clutch’ of hens, they fan their tail and puff out their feathers. As well, the fleshly bump above the beak called the ‘snood’ lengthens and droops over the beak. And not to be outdone, the ‘wattle’ or fleshly mass on the neck puffs up and turns red. Then they strut their stuff, drag their wings, make boom and gobble noises to show their dominance and get attention.
I hope we all had some time on the weekend to be thankful for the blessings in our lives…and, although our Thanksgiving festivities are over in Canada, you can still enjoy a few corny turkey jokes that will make you smile.
Why did the turkey cross the road?
To prove he wasn’t chicken.
Is turkey soup good for you?
Not if you’re the turkey.
Why did the turkey bolt down its food?
Because it was a gobbler.
What do turkeys like to eat for Thanksgiving?
Nothing, they’re already stuffed.
And…drumroll please…
I used to be addicted to Thanksgiving leftovers, but then I quit cold turkey.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
