Canksgiving

(it’s a working title)

Autumn. A time of color-changing leaves. A time for reflection and denouement. A time for elaborate dining rituals and familial obligations.

This year, Canksgiving (or Canucksgiving or even Thanksgiving) falls on the weekend of the 11th of October — the weekend containing the second Sunday of this month. This means, many Canadians will be taking time off of work to travel to far-flung places like, New Brunswick and Ontario. Maybe even The Yukon.

These migrating humans will congregate around their ancestral homesteads to sit around watching sporting events on their “televisions” — a kind of late 20th century entertainment medium. Most families will be watching such sports as “hockey” or even “football”. They may consume fermented malt and grape beverages. There might even be a humorous pumpkin-flavored varietal that the imbibers will insist is the best of its type they’ve ever tasted. They will be lying.

On Sunday, and/or maybe Monday as family tradition and configuration dictates, the Feast will occur. The family will arrange itself around the table festooned with all manner of riches and a hilarious centre-piece. There may be a special satellite table set a short distance away from the main sitting area for the children and at least one teenager who will not look very happy.

There will be turkey and stuffings. Potatoes and yams. Squashes and carrots. Maybe grandma will bring her cheesy cauliflower concoction. There will be cranberry sauce which will make children and child-like adults giggle when it makes the noise cranberry sauce makes when it emerges from its tin. Some people will make their own special cranberry sauce. It is essential. There will also be wine.

If you know know someone who may be from Canada, cut them a little slack this weekend. They are wrestling with powerful ancestral memories. Wish them luck.