11-26-2025 1:41pm

What is older Thanksgiving in Canada or the USA?

John Williams Editor

Spotsylvania Gazette

Here’s a clear and concise explanation of how Thanksgiving began in the United States and Canada, and why the two holidays—though similar—developed from different origins.

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Origins of Thanksgiving in the United States

1. The 1621 Harvest Feast in Plymouth

The most commonly cited origin is the 1621 harvest celebration shared between:

English Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony (present-day Massachusetts)
Wampanoag people, led by Ousamequin (Massasoit)

It was a three-day feast marking the colony’s first successful harvest.

This event was not called “Thanksgiving” at the time—it was a harvest festival, a common European tradition, combined with Native food contributions and diplomacy.

2. Days of Thanksgiving Were Religious

Before the national holiday existed, English colonists often held “Days of Thanksgiving”—not feasts, but religious days of prayer following events like:

A good harvest
Survival after hardships
Victory in battle
Safe arrival after a long journey

3. Becoming a National Holiday

The holiday gradually became secularized and nationalized:

1789: George Washington proclaimed the first national day of thanksgiving.
1863: Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving an annual national holiday during the Civil War, aiming to promote unity.
1941: Congress officially fixed the date as the fourth Thursday in November.

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Origins of Thanksgiving in Canada

Canada’s Thanksgiving traces back to different historical events and earlier dates than the U.S holiday.

1. Early European Thanksgivings (1578)

The earliest known Thanksgiving-like celebration in Canada occurred in:

1578, when explorer Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in Newfoundland
Purpose: to give thanks for surviving the journey across the Northwest Passage
This predates the Pilgrims by 43 years.

2. French Influence (1600s)

French settlers under Samuel de Champlain held harvest feasts with First Nations peoples:

These were communal meals of thanksgiving.
Some formed the “Order of Good Cheer,” a social and food-sharing tradition.

3. Becoming a National Holiday

Canada’s Thanksgiving evolved through various dates:

1879: Declared an official holiday, usually celebrated in November.
1957: The date was fixed as the second Monday in October, tied more to the earlier Canadian harvest season.

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Key Differences Between the Two Thanksgivings