Under the Fuzzy Green Hat

Did you know? Today is Canadian Thanksgiving. In honour of my favourite holiday, here are some turkey-flavoured Thanksgiving tidbits:

• Originally, Canada didn’t have its own separate day of giving thanks. Instead, the United States’ version of the holiday was simsubbed across the border.

• Despite the popularity of America’s Thanksgiving among Canadian audiences, the CRTC ruled that the holiday was “too angry” for our nation, and subsequent celebrations were embargoed. This decision grew into a long-standing schism between the two nations’ cultures, eventually resulting in Canadians not being able to watch Hulu, listen to Pandora, or watch embedded clips of The Daily Show.

• Hululess and bored, Canada created its own entertainment, through Degrassi, hockey, and burning down the White House.

• Finally, the Government of Canada caved in to popular demand. Through a loophole in Canadian content legislation, Canadian Idol was born.

• The CanCon loophole also resulted in the advent of Canadian Thanksgiving. In honour of this, canned corn has become a staple of Canadian Thanksgiving dinners nationwide.

• Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of every October. Any later than that, and the harvest would turn to ice. (For similar reasons, Saskatchewan refuses to celebrate Daylight Saving Time.)

While there’s much more history behind this noble and spectacular holiday, this brief lesson should give you the basics you need to impress your Canadian friends and family at dinner tonight.

And above all: give thanks. Taking thanks would just be un-Canadian.