Sunday, October 11, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Canadian Style

Post originally published October 12th 2008.

Monday is Thanksgiving here in Canada. For my American readers, there are a few differences between the two holidays. Here are the observations of a geek whose lived on both sides of the border.

1. It's colder here, thus harvest ends earlier, so we are thankful earlier. At least that's the official explanation. I think the real reason is that we get being thankful out of the way before winter hits and we turn into a nation of whiners.

2. It's not quite the same extended celebration. It is a more low key holiday than it's American counterpart.

3. No good sales the day after. Oh Black Friday, how I miss you.

4. No pilgrims.Other than that, pretty much the same. Including numerous pre-school projects involving turkeys and children dictating what they are thankful for. When I went to pick up Spud's artwork I noticed a group of moms gathered around the various turkeys and they were snickering a bit. Most of the lists were pretty sweet. Kids were thankful for family, friends, food, pets etc. Then I looked at Spud's turkey and I began to understand the snickers.

Spud is thankful for:
1. Larry Boy
2. Movies
3. Cowie.

Cowie? What the heck is a cowie? So I asked Spud.

Turns out Cowie a small stuffed cow he got in a Happy Meal once.So Spud, let me get this straight. I threw up for nine months straight while carrying a nine lb breech baby, have a four inch scar for the rest of my life, spent four months calming a colicky baby, changed 6000 diapers or so and gave up sleep for the first year of your life and you are thankful for a 14 cent toy given to you by a soul-less corporation in order to further hook you on it's trans-fat laden crack?

Alrighty then.

So I tried another tactic,"Spud, I'm thankful for you.""

OK Mommy. Can I watch a movie now?"

Happy Thanksgiving to me.

5 comments:

a Tonggu Momma said...

Happy Thanksgiving, my dear. And Canuck K tells me that y'all also have very different taste in foods. Like, for some strange reason y'all don't eat deep fried anything with your Thanksgiving dinner. Do you know we once even deep fried our turkey? It's amazing that I can still fit in my jeans.

Tez said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Darling!

Knittinchick said...

A Tonggu Momma's version of Thanksgiving sounds intriguing... fried goodness at T-day... hmmm... but do they have "Smarshmallow Salad" aka 24 hour salad like we do?

Knittinchick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nicole said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry, but the turkey thing made me laugh. The things kids say. Ooh! The darndest things!

Seriously, I once heard that you don't really appreciate your mother until you become a mother. Then I realized, I have two boys. I shall NEVER be appreciated! I am only going to be the horrible mother-in-law. Sigh. Mothers of boys - we need to stick together.