Thanksgiving Days - Yes in the Plural

Grandpa G is Thankful for JMH

Did you all know that the first Canadian Thanksgiving event was celebrated on The Rock in 1578?  Trust our Newfie friends to come up with an excuse for great food, friends, family and a little foot stomping music.  I went digging for the history because I realized that I didn't know much about how the Canadian Thanksgiving came into being.  I am however well versed in the American tale and can trace a turkey using my hand as the base shape embellishing it with the appropriate tail feathers and the red dangly thing under it's beak.

But all protestations about my own basic education aside, I was quite happy to learn that for about 100 years Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving days based on events that transpired for which they were truly grateful.  They declared Thanksgiving days because the cholera outbreak was over, wars ceased, and health was restored to leaders.  These days fell throughout the year because that's how life and thankfulness unfolds.  Stuff happens all year for which we could technically declare a thanksgiving day.

Our extended family goes through a ritual every Thanksgiving which involves every person at the table having to state one thing they are thankful for.  According to the matriarch, which by the way is not me,  we must engage in this thankfulness exercise; it is not optional.  Although the matriarch is a great big softie who cries every year when we do this, she still rules this exercise with an iron-fist.  No one gets to opt out and she will withhold dessert until full cooperation has occurred.

When I rewind the year in my mind, I can think of lots of days that stand alone as thanksgiving days.  They wouldn't be of the epidemic ending variety, but they would be days that were wonderful gifts from a loving God.  They range from the day when the rainbow settled over the swake, to the day when the heron visited, and the day JMH was born.  There are so many more, and I really like the idea our country started with so I am going to make note this coming year of my personal thanksgiving days.  And, because I love a party I will have to figure out how to celebrate my personal thanksgiving days Newfie style.

P.S if you want to read a bit more about Canadian Thanksgiving, go to Get to Know Thanksgiving