DCHP-2

Canadian Thanksgiving DCHP-2 (May 2016)

• n.

  a statutory holiday in Canada; since 1957 celebrated on the second Monday in October.

  Type: 5. Frequency — In Canada, Canadian Thanksgiving is simply called Thanksgiving. The term Canadian Thanksgiving is used in contrast with the American holiday of the same name held in late November. From the late 19th century to the mid-1950s, Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated on the same date as American Thanksgiving, though early Canadian voices saw the late Thanksgiving date as an American tradition (see the 1898 quotation). In 1957, the federal government changed the date to the second Monday in October. The term continues to be most prevalent in Canada. (see Chart 1).
  Note that the quotations from 1872 to 1937 all include article "a/the" with the term, while later quotations do not. It appears the term evolved from phrases such as "the Canadian Thanksgiving Day" (see, e.g. the 1896 quotation) and "a Canadian Thanksgiving Day" (see, e.g. the 1872 quotation), to become simply Canadian Thanksgiving and, much more frequently, Thanksgiving.

  See also: American Thanksgiving  Remembrance Day  

  • There is some debate as to whether the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday preceded the American one (see, e.g., the 2012 quotation). Before 1879, celebrations that were called thanksgiving took place in honour of different significant events (e.g. the cessation of war, see also Canadian Heritage website, s.v. "Proclamation and Observance of General Thanksgiving Days"). In 1879, the government began to issue annual proclamations for the celebration. The date of the holiday fluctuated between the American date and a Monday in October. In 1957, another proclamation fixed the latter date as that of Canadian Thanksgiving (see Canadian Heritage references).