Today we celebrate that magical fall holiday known as Thanksgiving.
Or, to be more specific, today Canadians celebrate that magical fall holiday known as Thanksgiving.
Or, to be even more specific, today people in central and western Canada celebrate Thanksgiving, while those living on the east coast have an optional but not statutory holiday. (Unless you work in a company that is federally regulated, in which case you have the day off regardless of which province you work in.)
Hmm…When you put it that way, it doesn’t sound quite so magical anymore.
Like Victoria Day, Canadian Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is better enjoyed if you don’t attempt to understand its logic. It dates back further than the American version (1578), but the Canadian government didn’t give the official proclamation fixing the date as the second Monday in October until 1957. Oh, except for that one time in 1872 when the Government declared a Thanksgiving holiday in April to celebrate the fact that the Prince of Wales had recovered from an illness.
But hey, I’m not about to complain about a long weekend. Instead, I’m going to enjoy a pumpkin-flavoured drink, kick some leaves down the street, and give thanks for some beautiful Canadian music.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. Lead singer Tamara Lindeman’s voice has a hint of Joni Mitchell.
2. The lowest string on the guitar, usually an E, sounds like it’s been lowered all the way to C, which gives this track a heartier rumble than most folk songs.
3. The title is the best musical reference to ingredients since parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Recommended listening activity:
Starting a leaf collection.