Being Canadian, we celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend. I realized just how strange Thanksgiving in October was to Americans when my Instagram posts were met with question marks and puzzled faces. But why is Canadian Thanksgiving so much different than the Turkey Day of our neighbours to the south? Here are some of the fun facts I pulled together about my favourite food-related holiday of the year.

1. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. Most often, people hold their dinners on Sunday and Monday – though I’m never against the Saturday-Sunday-Monday turkey trifecta.

2. Canadian Thanksgiving began in 1578 (43 years before American Thanksgiving) as a feast to thank God for the harvest. However, it didn’t have a set date until 1957. We have a 3 day weekend, while most Americans have 4 days.

3. Though a dessert-table staple, pumpkin pie differs in Canada. Ours is spicy-sweet, with ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, while typical American pumpkin pie is sweeter and often contains custard. Or so I’m told. Correct me if I’m wrong (either sounds good!).

4. Forget football. We have the Thanksgiving Day Classic, which is a football double-header between Canada’s 4 CFL teams…but honestly? I had to Google what our CFL teams were (and what the Thanksgiving Day Classic was).

5. Americans have Black Friday. We have the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. In other words, shopping really isn’t part of our holiday.

So what does a typical Thanksgiving look like for the Oatmeal family? It changes a little from year to year, but overall, it goes a little something like this:

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Saturday morning, we’re up bright and early, putting finishing touches on whatever dessert I’ve made (I bring the non-pumpkin dessert, by request). We pack up the car, and head to Mr. O’s family cottage to meet up with aunts, uncles, cousins and whomever else decides to tag along. Snacks are on the table all afternoon, a good deal of time is spent outside soaking up the last bit of semi-warmth, and entirely too many cameras make an appearance for the annual family photo. Then we all head inside to eat (usually around 5). Turkey, stuffing (which is not the same as dressing, but doesn’t have to be inside the turkey to count), mashed potatoes, turnip and gravy fight for space on our plates. Seconds are devoured, then dishes are done to clear the way for dessert. This year, it was pumpkin pie, apple pie, and a new Turtles cheesecake Recipe I had to try. Then, entirely too full, we drive back home again to crash into bed.

One of the dozens of family photos taken this weekend

This whole thing repeats on Sunday, with Mr. O doing the cooking at Nana Oats’ house. This is a smaller affair, but still requires a 30lb turkey and all of the trimmings. We’ll eat, go around the table to tell what we’re most thankful for, then dive into more pumpkin pie and more pumpkin snickerdoodles.

No shopping, no parades, definitely no football. Just family, food, and some time to reflect on how blessed we are. Plus…we have a whole two months to recoup before the Christmas eating season begins!

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Here is my recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles which makes about 3 dozen cookies.


1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 cups flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ginger, nutmeg, cloves)

Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl, then beat in brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir in the wet ingredients, then cover and chill the dough for about 1/2 hour.

Scoop the dough into balls, and roll in a mixture of white sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes. They will still be soft when you take them out of the oven, but they will firm up and turn chewy once cool.