Thanksgiving Day celebrates the sharing of food and thanking of God for the year’s bountiful harvest and family health. The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving can be traced back to two events. The first Canadian appearance of the holiday dates back to 1578. Martin Frobisher and his crew came together for a communal meal to thank God for reuniting the crew after they were separated due to bad weather. The second appearance dates back to 1606. Samuel de Champlain organized the Order of Good Cheer to boost settler’s spirits after a dreadful winter. The feast included entertainment and was open to everyone including aboriginals. It continued as a weekly tradition followed by an annual tradition every autumn season.
Under British rule, the holiday differed in theme and dates until 1957, when the Canadian Parliament declared the official date of Thanksgiving celebrations to be held on the second Monday of October. This date coincides much better with the actual date of Canadian harvests due to the arrival of winter.