October 11th 2026 - Thanksgiving
Canadian Thanksgiving is observed annually on the second Monday in October to align with the completion of the autumn harvest.
Rooted in early European harvest traditions alongside long-standing Indigenous harvest and winter-survival celebrations, it was officially declared an annual national holiday in 1879, with the current date fixed by Parliament in 1957.
Canadian Thanksgiving has deep roots in Christian and harvest traditions, though it has evolved into a largely secular civic holiday. In the mid-19th century, Protestant church leaders in Ontario and across the United Provinces of Canada heavily lobbied the government to establish an annual day of public prayer and thanksgiving to God for the autumn harvest.
The practice mirrors traditional European and Judeo-Christian harvest festivals, drawing on biblical themes of gratitude to God as the ultimate provider of life and sustenance (such as passages in Deuteronomy and Ephesians).
It’s safe to say that as long as humans have farmed, they’ve celebrated the harvest, offering thanks to their gods. By the time of the Hebrew Bible, this tradition was well established. For instance, Deuteronomy 16:10 says, “Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you.” This shows that the Jewish people were expressing their gratitude to God for a successful harvest, a tradition carried into Christianity.
In England, long before Christianity, harvest festivals were tied to the autumnal equinox rather than a fixed date, which is why Canadian Thanksgiving has a moveable date. The first Thanksgiving on what is now Canadian soil occurred in 1578, when English explorer Martin Frobisher held a feast in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving his perilous journey. For someone in Frobisher’s time, giving thanks to God would have been a natural expression of relief and gratitude.
Canadian Thanksgiving evolved from these early beginnings into what it is today: a time to give thanks for the harvest and to spend with family and friends, typically marked by a festive dinner celebration.
Rev. Deborah