MAIN Holiday Thanksgiving Canada Thanksgiving 2025

The second Monday in October marks Canadian Thanksgiving Day.

This year, Canada celebrates their Thanksgiving Day on Monday, October 13, 2025.

While an American Thanksgiving is always firmly scheduled on the last Thursday of November, Canadians are free to choose any day (or opt to feast for all three days!) over a long and leisurely three-day Thanksgiving weekend in October.

Much like in the U.S., the Canadian holiday expresses the same heartfelt gratitude for life's abundance, and is celebrated with close friends and family.

The roots of the festivities go back to early Thanksgiving feasts that the first English settlers enjoyed with Indian tribes. The holiday become official in 1859, beating the US by several years as Abraham Lincoln only declared Thanksgiving officially in 1863.

A Thanksgiving - Oktoberfest celebration rolled into one: colorful parade floats, marching bands
and beer are a part of the big Thanksgiving Day parade in Kitchener-Waterlloo, Ontario,

Today, a Canadaian Thanksgiving might include French, British, and other traditions that had been brought by immigrants to the New World.

Like the American tradition, the horn of plenty - the cornucopia - also symbolizes the abundance that Canadians enjoy from farms and fields from coast to coast.

Tourists should note that while traveling in Canada, the day is a federal holiday with most banks and post offices closed on Monday. Call ahead to check opening hours of shops and restaurants, although many will remain open, especially near major tourist areas.

As long as you're in Canada, why not take an opportunity to share a Thanksgiving feast with a Canadian family? It's one of the country's most beloved traditions. And, especially if you're an American, you can claim to have celebrated TWO Thanksgiving Days this year!

Happy Holidays!

also see > How to Cook a Turkey | Christmas in Canada

More about Canadian Thanksgiving around the Web:

Thanksgiving Canada - Wikipedia entry on the holiday in Canada with a complete overview of its history & origins, related references and Thanksgiving food resources.

Canadian Thanksgiving - Kid-friendly content about the holiday including its origins, how its celebrated and a practical reason why it's observed earlier than an American Thanksgiving.

CanadaInfo - Thanksgiving - More on the history of the holiday, with little known facts and trivia, related links.