I'm wondering where the Canadians who caught the Plymouth-pilgrim-helpful natives motif went to school. My elementary schooling in NS never suggested those items, except in reference to other people's celebrations. We were told it was a harvest festival, a time for thankfulness for the bounty of fields and gardens. Also, our churches (united, presbyterian, methodist, that I know for sure) decorated the altars with heaps of produce and breads and thanked God for his having given us all these goodies (and I suppose for holding off on the unseasonable frosts, droughts, six-inch hailstones and the like).

Turkey wasn't always the meal of choice, though I think it's a great meal, one U.S. custom I'm happy to see Canadians mimic. ;-D When I was a kid (in the dark ages, mind), it was more likely to be ham or venison.

This weekend it's gonna be a fat domestic duck with wild picked-em-myself cranberries, squash, parsnips, carrots, potatos and greasy duck gravy. (Falls over from cholesteral overdose...)