Thanksgiving in Canada is in October. The 11th, this year. We used to celebrate with the Americans at our house. Hubby would usually be working for Canadian Thanksgiving, but home for the American holiday. One of the joys of being a truck driver. The past few years he's had both off. Thanksgiving is the first day of moose season. We go hunting.
Last week he asked what I wanted to do for Thanksgiving this year. !??! Oh, that's right. His family, who never used to celebrate ANY holidays, is in the area. So I'm supposed to celebrate with them now. NOT. Years ago, before we started hunting, I planned a simple turkey dinner Thanksgiving. I invited my mom & s-i-l, since my dad & brother were gone moose hunting. And I invited my in-laws. They accepted. Until the day before.
My b-i-l, who we've had a complicated relationship with over the years, decided to be an ass and guilt the in-laws into not coming. It was against their religion.
A simple turkey dinner. Nothing religious. Just turkey. But because the day matched the calendar for a non-religious holiday, it was against their religion. Ok. Whatever.
Last year, since the in-laws came to live with us- Pop in the trailer, Ma in the nursing home- we included them for Thanksgiving. I through a turkey in the oven and left the kids instructions to peel potatoes, & watch things while we were out hunting. Very simple. Still a pain in the ass. Missed the afternoon hunt. It's moose season.
So, no, I hadn't made any plans for Thanksgiving. When he asked, I was thinking, have you lost your mind? Why would I do that? I told him we could celebrate American Thanksgiving. Or, really, we could do it now. (Last week).
The more I think about it, the more I think that's the way it should be. Thanksgiving is a Harvest Celebration. We just had frost. Harvest season is here. Thanksgiving should be in September in the north. Turkeys are on sale in this weeks flyers for .99/lb. Apparently the farmers & the grocery stores agree. I just bought two pumpkins. They agree. Now, if only I was organized enough to come to this conclusion earlier, I could have planned for this weekend. As it is Friday now, I think I'll plan it for next weekend. So there it is, Harvest Fest will be October 2nd at my house. You bring the yams.
I am an American and do not consider Thanksgiving a religious holiday here. There are folk who do spread it with religion. Is Canadian Thanksgiving religious in nature?What is the religious affiliation of these in-laws who object to any Thanksgiving Day?
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I don't think so. But I'm not religious, so I don't see where religion needs to be involved in a lot of things. The in-laws were Jehovah's Witnesses at the time, not any more. In their view, any celebration of any kind was considered a pagan holiday.
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