Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. As with so many times of the year, it arrives ahead of our American friends’ observation of the occasion. (Please don’t take offense, my tongue was firmly in my cheek as I wrote that last sentence.) My eldest sister lives in Utah, so I have a habit of pointing that out to her every year. What is a younger brother for, if not to bother older siblings, of which I have two?

In Canada, the holiday is a relaxed celebration with customs like an enormous meal, usually turkey, and spending time with close family members. The traditional Thanksgiving CFL football classic is also a part of the festivities.

This year, instead of a traditional homemade meal, I’m microwaving a frozen TV dinner after I take a walk with my dog to enjoy the beautiful fall season. My children are five hours away and unable to join us this year, which means the two of us are celebrating the holiday alone. With luck and some careful planning, though, we hope to enjoy their company for Christmas.

I much prefer the Canadian celebration over the observance in the USA. I spent a year and a half in Hawaii and found the observance south of the border a little too over the top. The holiday in that country signifies the beginning of the Christmas season, with chaotic stores and streets during Black Friday sales.

I like to avoid crowds, so I stayed away from stores the week before and after the holiday. Unfortunately, Canadian merchants have adopted American marketing strategies, so the lunacy in this country convinces me to do a lot of my holiday shopping online.

In my opinion, the more sedate observance in Canada is far superior to what goes on in America. Of course, this is nothing more than my preference and you are welcome to disagree, vehemently if you are so inclined. Although I am grateful for past blessings and those I have yet to receive, the holiday reminds me of the approaching winter. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating; I don’t like winter. Of all four seasons, it is the one I would gladly do away with, if that were possible.

The older I get, the more I appreciate Thanksgiving and Christmas. They were important celebrations in my childhood that I remember with fondness. If our mother was ambitious and luck was on our side, our Thanksgiving meal included delicious cottage cheese verenyky with onion butter sauce and lots of sour cream, delectable fresh baked cinnamon roles, and her fantastic pumpkin pie. The best part of the day, however, was time spent as a family which, I confess, I did not fully value as a youngster.

May we fill this day with happiness, surround ourselves with loving family members, enjoy delicious food, and realize that a holiday such as this should be cherished and remembered. Happy Thanksgiving.