Canadian Thanksgiving

Oh, sweet Canada! So sweet, people know you as the the land of Maple Syrup. Famous for its beautiful scenery, warm hearted people, spectacular ski slopes, and freezing cold winters. Canada is a culturally diverse country that shares English and French traditions, the best of both worlds. Although it has similar Hofstede cultural dimensions to those in the U.S, it still maintains its uniqueness. Let’s take a minute to thank this country and honor their national Thanksgiving holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October.

Canada has the highest economic freedom and one of the most prosperous countries in the world due to its one of a kind system that combines private and public businesses. Its nominal GDP is of $1.6 trillion ranking it in 10th place, and for the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) it ranks in 15th place.

Their economy is not the only aspect that is booming, they are raising some of the smartest individuals in the world. Half of Canada’s residents have college degrees, which makes it the world’s most educated country in the world – important aspects to know if you find yourself doing business with a Canadian or a Canadian company. Having knowledge about this beautiful country comes in handy when interacting with a native. Canada is rated one the happiest country in the world – so enjoy these facts about Canada’s Thanksgiving celebration. Canadian Thanksgiving has been celebrated since 1578 after Martin Frobisher left England and reached Canadian land. However, later during the seventeenth century when the French explorer Samuel de Champlain and his settlers reached Canadian land – the tradition of hosting feasts for the locals, natives and their animals began. In 1870, Canadian Thanksgiving became an official holiday celebrated on November 6th. It was later changed to avoid falling during the week of Remembrance Day.  So now, it is celebrated by most on the second week of October.

• Canadian Thanksgiving is a time to visit both family and friends. Some people, especially in Quebec, don’t observe the holiday. Many employees work and go to the office on Thanksgiving.
• Turkey, ham and chicken are typically enjoyed on this holiday, usually paired with stuffing, corn, gravy and fall vegetables like pumpkin, squash and sweet potatoes. Canadian pumpkin pie for dessert is known to be a little spicy!
• Many Canadians use this holiday to take advantage of the good weather and participate in walks or hikes.
• Black Friday (when retail holiday sales begin in the U.S.) has not typically been part of the Thanksgiving celebration.

Enjoy this cultural knowledge about this beautiful, multicultural country, and celebrate the land of Maple Syrup.

 

---

Sharon Schweitzer and Sophie Echeverry co-wrote this post. Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., is a cross-cultural trainer, modern manners expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre and the Intercultural Communication Institute, she serves as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. She is the resident etiquette expert on two popular lifestyle shows: ABC Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend and CBS Austin’s We Are Austin. She is regularly quoted by BBC Capital, Investor’s Business Daily, and Fortune. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, now in its third printing, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2015. She’s a winner of the British Airways International Trade Award at the 2016 Greater Austin Business Awards and the 2017 New York City Big Book Award for Multicultural Nonfiction.

Sophie Echeverry is the corporate marketing manager and event coordinator at Access to Culture. Born and raised in Colombia, she’s a 2018 graduate with a B.B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Hult International Business School in San Francisco, CA. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

---