Thanksgiving in Canada

Thanksgiving comes to Canada much earlier than it does in the United States. We have to get it over with before the huge snowfalls come and lock us in our igloos. By the time the United States gets around to having Thanksgiving, Canadians have started the yearly snowshoe trek from our summer homes in the plains to our winter homes in the forests, where the trees will protect us from the marauding polar bears and wolves. 

Even though the border with the United States is less than 50 km away, the weather and the level of sophistication in Canada is much lower. We still eat seal meat and dress in skins of animals. hunting for seals through the thick ice is a national pastime. We have learned to love fish and blubber instead of steaks and vegetables.

My family is a bit better off. We live in a three story igloo but, as with all of my neighbours, we are forced to live in one room in order to share the warmth of the tiny whale oil lamp, the only source of heat in the long dark winter. We've only been attacked by a polar bear once. I was able to fend off the bear with a sharpened whale bone. Unfortunately the bear died but we were happy to share the meat with our neighbours on Thanksgiving. The Americans have turkey, we have polar bear meat, sometimes walrus meat, too.

Well, that's my blog for today. if you are thinking of coming to Canada, remember to bring your snowshoes and skis. Our one week of summer is very short, third week in July usually. For visits at any other time, remember to dress for warmth not for style. 

Thanks for reading! Oh, and remember not to believe everything you read on the Internet. :)