Thanksgiving

Today is the Sunday of the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. The actual celebration of "Thanksgiving" is tomorrow, on Monday. It is a traditional holiday celebrated to give thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year. 

As with all holidays, Thanksgiving has an interesting origin. It has roots in the Indigenous traditions, in which they celebrated with communal feasts for the fall harvest long before European settlers arrived. It is officially recognized as a statutory holiday in most provinces reflecting Indigenous and European customs, emphasizing gratitude for the bounty of nature and the importance of community. 

At one time Thanksgiving was celebrated on a Thursday in November. It was changed in 1957 to the second Monday in October. That way Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving didn't overlap. This year Thanksgiving has arrived before the harvest is done. I understand that the harvest yields are really good, which is amazing considering the interesting weather that occurred this summer. 

Thanksgiving originated as a day to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and blessings of the last year. Now it has morphed into another holiday that is a day off work, with pay. No school for the kids and a long weekend for most people. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in most provinces. It is a discretionary holiday in the Atlantic provinces with exception of the positions in the federal government which recognize the holiday.  

In the US, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It is the most traveled holiday in their country. They celebrate in a huge way, which includes parades, parties and football games. The very next day "Black Friday" a shopping frenzy begins. 

There is a large communal garden in Brandon which has already been harvested. At the end of the season, everyone that had a garden is asked to bring vegetables, and they have a "boil". I am not sure what a boil is, but I think it is just like it sounds. This garden area is phenomenal. For $15 a season you can rent one of the 200 spots that are 10'X20' or a raised garden box. Water is available and included in the cost. So many families get the most out of their area by putting in structures for the plants to crawl. What a great place for those that care to garden or appreciate the opportunity to offset grocery costs with fresh vegetables. 

Many families will honor Thanksgiving with a feast. Their family will gather together over turkey and pumpkin pie. Some families will have ham. I have already purchased a ham, cut it up and boiled the bone and made soup. The smell from turkey or ham cooking is heavenly. Even the beloved Rosie's Farm Stand has prepared for Thanksgiving by having extra homemade buns ready for families. 

I am making one of my generalizations in saying, I think that from time to time, we can be guilty of focusing on what we want, instead of what we have. During the Thanksgiving weekend we are more aware of giving thanks and being thankful. Wouldn't that be a nice little habit to get into for the rest of the year! 

PS:

I am by no means someone that makes soup on a regular basis. I don't make soup from a recipe; I just use broth from a chicken or a ham. For some reason I thought I should share my "Ham Soup" recipe. Here goes. 

Ham Soup Faye Style

Cover the ham bone with lots of water. Don't be afraid to add all of the fat that comes with the ham. Bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of hours. Pick off the ham and add to the broth. Let it set, cool in the fridge. It makes it easier to skim off the congealed fat. 

                                                  

Add to the broth:

1 tin pork and beans

Onions to taste or half of a package of onion soup mix

1 cup of tomato juice or a tin of tomato soup

Chopped fresh tomatoes

Pepper, salt with caution

2 large tbsp of salsa or your own seasonings

Simmer until vegetables are soft.

Add macaroni. I have no clue how much; it depends on how you like the consistency of your soup. Simmer until macaroni is soft.