by Deborah Rogers –
Moving to Canada brought a few new traditions into my life, including Thanksgiving. Over the years I’ve asked many colleagues, acquaintances and friends about their traditions, trying to understand what was at the heart of this October holiday, and how my family could start to create our own ways of celebrating. Some of the customs were easy to pick up – yes please, pumpkin and pecan pie; some needed tweaking – let’s substitute Tofurkey for that traditional bird; and some were very hard to enact – how to have a tableful of extended family when they are all 7,000 kilometres away?
What we have been very happy, and yes, grateful, to adopt is the way that this holiday doesn’t rely on purchasing power or frantic preparations. We love to share a meal together, enjoy the seasonal produce, and remind each other of all the many things we have to be thankful for, not least of which is making Canada, and its traditions, our home.
Thanksgiving this year will be particularly special. At the end of September I became a Canadian! Yes, I’m official now, having completed the citizenship process with an online ceremony and oath swearing. It’s been 15 years since we emigrated here and fall always makes me think about our first months of adjustment. We couldn’t quite believe the scale of everything: the trees and mountains; the dark night skies; the first big storm that blew through, throwing driftwood up onto the beaches. Everything seemed super-sized!
It’s an especially beautiful time of year on the Saanich Peninsula and this year’s late summer is an added bonus. There’s still time to enjoy the outdoors and all the bounty from our local farms. We also get to anticipate crisp fall mornings, dew on the grass and pulling out our favourite boots and sweaters. It’s a great time of year to be grateful!
I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, however you chose to spend it.
Photo by Janis Jean Photography. Clothing provided and styled by Ecotopia Naturals.
For more, visit www.ecotopianaturals.com. Shot on location at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse.
