Learning to Give Thanks: Thanksgiving at Our Monday Morning Assembly
Our Monday morning assembly explored the origins and meaning of Canadian Thanksgiving, inviting students to show appreciation through everyday acts of kindness.
At Monday morning's assembly, Johnathan Academy's principal shared the origins and meaning of Thanksgiving with students. As Canadian Thanksgiving approaches, the theme offers an opportunity to reflect on a simple question: how can we express appreciation in our everyday school lives?
Where Does Thanksgiving Come From?
Canadian Thanksgiving is closely connected with autumn harvests, sharing food, and giving thanks. Long before European settlers arrived, Indigenous peoples had their own traditions of gratitude for the land, harvests, and gifts of life. Understanding the holiday therefore calls for more than a single origin story and invites us to consider different cultural perspectives.
In 1957, the modern Canadian holiday was fixed on the second Monday in October. Canadian Thanksgiving in 2026 falls on Monday, October 12. Today, many families gather over the Thanksgiving weekend to share a meal and appreciate the people who support them.
Learning to Give Thanks
The assembly's Thanksgiving theme connects the history of a holiday with our daily lives. The care of our families, the guidance of our teachers, the help of our classmates, and the work of school staff all deserve our appreciation.
Gratitude can be a sincere thank-you or a thoughtful act of kindness. We encourage students to turn appreciation into small, meaningful actions this Thanksgiving.
Small Ways to Practise Gratitude
- Write a thank-you card: Thank a family member, teacher, or classmate, and mention something specific that made a difference to you.
- Reflect on three things you appreciate: Notice the support and kindness that can be easy to overlook.
- Help someone around you: Support a classmate, contribute at home, or respond to others with kindness and respect.
- Share a cultural tradition: Talk with family or classmates about how different cultures celebrate harvests, togetherness, and gratitude.
These are everyday suggestions students can try independently. A small action is a good place to start—and a habit we can carry beyond the holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Johnathan Academy students, families, and staff!
Further reading: The History of Thanksgiving in Canada — Canada's History
Cover artwork is a Thanksgiving-themed illustration.
