Many of you non-Canadians may be puzzled right now. “They celebrate Thanksgiving way up there??” you say.
“And they have the nerve to do it this weekend… BEFORE Halloween?”
“And so far away from Christmas?? Who the heck do those Northern wackos think they are???”
(I’ve bugged your phones so I know you’ve been muttering exactly that.)
Well, let me fill you in on our version of Thanksgiving. No, we didn’t have pilgrims in funny hats like the Yanks, but we have our own special history of this holiday.
It all started on a cold October night back in 1867, the year of Confederation … but also the year the official Royal Fur Trapper gave thanks for bagging an extra large beaver, which he promptly sold for two double-double coffees from Tim Hortons (yes, they’ve been around that long… but the drive-thru was for canoes only). He immortalized his catch on our nickel. For real.
Ever since that fateful night, Canadians from coast to coast to coast celebrate this weekend by gathering together for a traditional meal of roasted polar bear with a side order of moose antler jelly. Which we eat off the blade of a maple-smoked hockey stick. (Lacrosse stick, if you’re from Nova Scotia.)
It’s a time of reflection. Of giving thanks. For living in a land where love means ALWAYS having to say your sorry. A place where people look out for one another. Which is easy because there are so few of us. A place where surviving brutal winters hasn’t made us hard-hearted but soft headed.
All these things and more are remembered this weekend.
I am grateful for so many things, but wanted to say a special “merci” to all of you who drop by this twisted place, and to Mr. David Archuleta for, well, you know.
SnowAngelz: Canadian fans of David Archuleta 
TOfan!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the special lesson concerning your country’s amazing history regarding the Canadian Thanksgiving. Now I really do know everything (and more). ♪♫♪♪
Really though, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you ‘north of the US border-ers’. 😀
Saw ‘Meet the Mormons’ today…. heard ‘Glorious’…. it was glorious!!!
Happy Thanksgiving my friend!
Not to sound all Hallmarky, but you just brighten everything.
Oh gosh. I love everything about this blog, haha. From the “canoe traveling lady” up top to every word you wrote about our very unique Canadian Thanksgiving history and tradition..lol! Did I say I love this blog? So good.
I wish you and all my fellow Canucks a truly Happy Thanksgiving this weekend. Yes, so much to be thankful for. Special thanks to you for bringing many, many smiles over the years and allowing us to drop by and enjoy this wonderful, twisted place!
Have a Glorious weekend. 🙂
ya just got love this place. lol
This place just keeps me smiling. TOfan, you are a jewell!
LOLOL!!! You are just too funny TOfan :D. Wishing you and all my fellow Canadians a very Happy Thanksgiving weekend…enjoy your polar bear and moose antler jelly rotfl
Moose antler jelly!!!!!! I just laughed my quota for all of (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Very greatful to Deb, David, and all of you.
Stupid spellcheck. Grateful! And I am!
Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends and fellow Archies! Pass the moose antler jelly.
TOfan, you have a permanent “thank you” from me for sharing your brand of hilarity. I think our funny bones are related: Humor/Humour. Get it? 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving Tofan. Hope you’re enjoying the moose jelly. ( is there really such a thing ?)
Google is my friend. The exact recipe used in Canada seems to have been kept secret from the Internet, but I did find this one. After all a hart is a deer and a moose is a huge deer, so …
To make Harts-horn Jelly
Take the Brawn of six Cocks, being steept in Water, and shifted for 24 hours, then take a quarter of a Pound of Harts-horn, and boil these together two hours, then strain the Broath out into a Pipkin, and let it be cold, then take off the top and bottom. Return your clear Jelly into a clean Pipkin, and season it as your Chrystal Jelly before; only adding thereto a little quantity of Chainny; if it be too strong, add some Rhenish Wine, if too weak a small quantity of Ising-glass: You may put herein Majesty of Pearl, or if you please, Corral; after which set it on the Fire again for a quarter of an hour, more or less, according to the strength or weakness of your Jelly; then clarifie it with whites of Eggs, and run it throuhg your Bags as aforesaid, and preserve it in a Glass or Pipkin for your use; this Jelly is a great Cordial, very Restringent and strengthening to the back. It may be taken cold, or else dissolved, being heat again, and so drank.
From William Rabisha, The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, (London:1661).
wow, Miss. B. that is EXACTLY how I make it… tho’ I need a new Pipkin.
I’ll give you my spare Pipkin if you can send me some Chainny. Very hard to get Chainny here.
I guess the rest of us will just hope there are leftovers.
Lol…. You guys are a riot!!!!
Happy late thanksgiving wishes…. I have been crazy busy with the fam and been off line but ((((hug)))) all around !!!
^^^
Me!!!
I found two funny things for ODD David fans that I just had to post here. First is this picture of David and friends behind pumpkins:
Pumpkin face ftw! haha he can’t hide.
Second is the article in the BYU paper about the fake David Tinder account. I know someone should not be doing this but the “fake” David telling the girl he would meet he in the corn maze was hilarious.
The Tinder article from BYU news online:
http://universe.byu.edu/2014/10/14/david-archuleta-tinder-account-proves-fake1/
Miss B, thank you so much for posting the recipe for moose jelly. Being American, many of the ingredients are entirely unknown to me, but I’m sure it must be very tasty. 🙂
TOfan you are so believeable!! But then, much is true!! We have a lot to be thankful for as we are at this time each year, especially at this moment in history.
The visuals you create are well, cool! 🎃
SB 🍁
GrammyJ hilarious ! Thank you!!!