The Rural Voice, 1992-10, Page 31with," he explains. "In Canada, it's a
day to give thanks for the harvest,
but it doesn't sit within the context of
a story."
In short, our day lacks the
mythology the American celebration
has nurtured over the years. But is
that difference a bad thing?
Not according to Father Charles
Campbell of the Holy Name of Mary
Parish in St. Marys. He believes the
revered quality of Thanksgiving
hasn't been lost.
"We always celebrated
Thanksgiving, certainly in my
memory, in a much more religious,
home -valued, subdued but kind of
important time." And he discounts
the American fanfare of late
November, citing its connection to
another holiday season.
"My experience has been that we
don't celebrate it like the Americans;
(Thanksgiving in the States) is more
associated with Chr'stmas — it's
almost like the initial
rites of Christmas."
But Father Hardy
notes Thanksgiving
in the States still
holds true to its
religious origins. It's
more than just a
parade. "Thanks-
giving clearly has a
religious aspect for
Americans," he says.
"Even those who
would have no
religious faith as
such, would see some
aspect of why the
Pilgrim Fathers gave thanks."
Father Hardy draws attention to
declining religious ties in Canada as
a possible reason why interest in
traditional Thanksgiving celebrations
is sliding. He cites church
attendance in Canada falling to 25
per cent. In the States, it has
stabilized at around 43 per cent.
"This means that there is a lack of
sense of Thanksgiving, (with people
thinking) 'Well, who should I give
thanks to? Why? I go down and buy
my food at the supermarket, I don't
have to give thanks ... I earned that
money and the guy who's selling the
food, I don't have to thank him!' "
According to Jeremy Robson,
Village Supervisor of Fanshawe
Pioneer Village in London, the idea
of running to the market for food,
even 50 years ago, simply wasn't an
option.
"Up until World War II, all foods
came in, in season," explains
Robson, also a farmer. "Now, we
can get crops out of season!"
In the event of a poor harvest,
there were no grocery stores, no
outlets where people imported fresh
produce. Nowadays, it's an accepted
fact of life, adding "convenience" to
the list of ailments plaguing
Thanksgiving. But convenience
alone is not the problem: our
apathetic belief that food is always
abundant stems from an increasing
move to larger urban centres, leaving
our farm industry at a dangerously
low level. Fewer people are left
behind to work the land and falling
commodity prices, sky -rocketing
costs and a lack of government
support leaves more farmers and
industry workers wondering if there's
much point to saying, "Thanks".
Robson, however, is less subtle.
"You'd be amazed how few
people know where their food comes
from," he says, the disappointment
obvious in his voice. "It's more the
urbanization of the population. Most
people in the city these days are at
least two or three generations off the
farm."
That ignorance is damaging to the
farm industry, which is directly
linked to the idea of Thanksgiving:
without appreciation for what you
have, be it the food on the table or
the people around you, the giving of
thanks will fall by the wayside.
Again, Father Hardy draws
attention to showing a degree of
responsibility in how we look at
various aspects of life. "If you feel a
sense of responsibility, then you're
going to feel a sense of
thankfulness."
Father Campbell echoes that
thought, but adds one factor often
overlooked: the
selfishness of our
society. "I find our
children are very
selfish," he admits
with a certain
sadness. "(Not that)
they won't give you
the coat off their
back, but they are
totally self-centred
and unaware of
anyone else's rights."
Yet Father Camp-
bell is one of the
strongest defenders
of Thanksgiving as a
family-oriented gathering, dispelling
the notion the harvest isn't as popular
now as it was years ago. In fact, he
still believes Thanksgiving has a
positive influence. Even if one
particular encyclopedia cites it as
"the day most cottage owners close
up their cottages," Campbell sees
that as a good sign.
"It (closing the cottage) makes
that a family day. The family gets
together at the cottage," he reasons.
"It's associated with a celebration."
Campbell's assessment is a
reflection of changing times. We
live our lives at a faster pace and are
less inclined to look back on past
traditions. And unfortunately,
farming is no longer a way to make a
living, especially in a society that
places such a large emphasis on jobs
"When you talk about
Thanksgiving, the first question that I
hear is, 'What is there to be thankful
of?' " relates Bill Allen, director of
the Agricultural Representatives
Branch in Guelph. "I think the
farther away from the land you get,
then I think you lose that sense that
(this) food was dependent on a lot of
things beyond our control."
Allen speaks of the weather as one
of those "things". In past years, if
the weather co-operated, farm food
stores for winter would be that much
more bountiful, giving people more
reason to say "Thanks". However,
without having the advantage of
living on a farm or having some tie
to the land, the idea of food always
being in abundance could become
second nature.
OCTOBER 1992 27