What does Thanksgiving mean to you when you’re living in the UK? Well, first off, the British don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so don’t get too excited about eating Turkey and Pumpkin Pie. You also won’t get a 3 day weekend, nor will you watch heaps of American football on television, although you can always stream it online if you are a die-hard fan.
So, what are you going to do? Well, if you’re anything like my Canadian teachers in London this past weekend, you’ll figure out a way to have your pie and eat it too. Loads of them blogged about their Thanksgiving feasts and the struggles they had in finding turkey (they couldn’t) and pumpkin (some did, some didn’t). The Canadians seemed to want to be around each other, so they had fabulous dinner parties in their various flats and accommodations and posted pictures on facebook and their blogs for all to see. I’m sure they talked to their families at home and used skype to feel more connected.
You see, the holidays can make you miss your life “back home” even more, so it’s important to gather your new friends and family together and carry on the traditions you have in Canada or the USA. 4th of July in London? Sure, why not? Canada Day in London is a huge event in Trafalgar Square, and while Canadians are generally received a bit better than Americans in Europe I’m sure there are Americans out celebrating Independence Day on July 4th every year.
To help you understand what other Canadians and Americans do in London, here are some of my favourite blog posts from this past weekend:
Heather’s “International Celebrations” post - a frank and honest account of Heather’s second Thanksgiving abroad.
Amie’s “Success” post - including loads of images of her Thanksgiving feast in London with other Canadian teachers & TA’s with Classroom Canada.
Erika’s “How Thanksgiving Transpired” post - her 2nd Thanksgiving away from Canada and Erika is feeling all grown-up.
Questions? Comments? Wanderings? Please share your thoughts below!
Victoria Westcott
kikimoo
