Is there any relationship between Canadian Thanksgiving and Columbus Day?
According to wikipedia as well as several other sites on Canadian Thanksgiving, the origins of Canadian Thanksgiving is traced to English Explorer Martin Frobisher, who celebrated his safe arrivsal to Newfoundland in 1578. On January 31st, 1957, Canada declared the 2nd Monday in October to be Thanksgiving. While Columbus day has been celebrated since 1869 by various groups it was not made a U.S. federal holiday until 1971. That they fall on the same day is a coincidence. Thanksgiving in Canada In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The United States later set aside the same day as the federal holiday of Columbus Day. Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest. The roots of the Canadian holiday are different than those of the United States of America. The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlemen
