10 Canadian customs that make Canada a unique and perfect place to study, live and/or work. You will love Canada!
Every country in the world is distinct and unique, and one of the reasons why each place is different from the rest lies in the people who call it home. Interacting with local people when traveling or living abroad for a while enriches our experience, allowing us to learn tremendously!
Canada is a multicultural country, thus its traditions are rooted in different cultures, especially the French and British, as a result of migration flows that have taken place throughout history. Are you interested in learning about some of its special characteristics? The following are some highlights. Let’s go!
1. Canada is an open society
Overall, people are rather tolerant, polite and unbiased. They are also characteristically community-oriented, so volunteering or charity work are frequent.
Canadians value honesty and they often empathize quite a lot with others. They are also highly respectful of other people’s privacy – a great example to follow!
Last but not least, Canadians do not generally like to be compared to, or lumped together with, U.S. Americans.
2. A different Thanksgiving
Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, instead of in November, the month in which it is celebrated in the United States. Since it is further north than the USA, crops are harvested earlier due to the weather, and therefore Thanksgiving is celebrated earlier.
It makes for a special day in which Canadians gather as a family to enjoy a hearty dinner to commemorate the traditional fall harvest, and express gratitude for blessings in their lives, taking turns while seated at the table.
For dinner, turkey stuffed with cranberry sauce, vegetables, corn or zucchini, and for dessert: pumpkin pie. Yummy!
3. Leaving your shoes in the entrance is a nice gesture
This is a widely observed social habit in Canada. You will notice how people take off their shoes when entering any residence (if you don’t do it, in many cases, they will ask you to do it). The reason is to avoid walking indoors with the same shoes that you have walked in the street; anyway, it is not frowned upon to wear indoor shoes.
4. Favorite sports: Ice Hockey and Lacrosse
Sports play an important role in the lives of Canadians, standing as a key aspect of the country’s culture. If you enjoy sports, you’re in for a treat!
The national sports are ice hockey and lacrosse, which is played in the summer. Since they are young, Canadians learn to play hockey, as both schools and universities run ice hockey leagues where students are fully engaged. The National Hockey League (NHL) attracts millions of viewers – are you in?
Skiing and snowboarding also excel as Canadian traditions. After all, given the vastness of Canadian mountains, who wouldn’t want to hit the slopes?
5. The Alberta Stampede
The Stampede is a festival held in July in Calgary. It is one of the most famous Canadian traditions, where many Canadians come dressed in typical cowboy attire. The festival features races, games, exhibitions, rodeos and parades. It is a typical western movie party. Yeehaw!
Canada is also well known for its year-round festivals. Highlights include the Montreal Jazz Festival, one of the most important jazz festivals in the world, and it’s super cool! Another major event is held in Quebec: the Winter Carnival. It takes place at the end of January, packed with parades, color, sleigh races and shows. Of course… dress warmly!
6. How do they greet each other?
The most familiar way to greet friends is with a short hug. In Canada, two kisses on the cheeks, commonly seen in Europe, are not the way to greet each other; unless it is the French Canadians, who sometimes do greet with two kisses. If you are first introduced to someone, a firm handshake with eye contact is common.
Generally, Canadians are quite open to new people and, because they welcome a large influx of people from different parts of the world every year, they take an interest in other cultures. They even greet and smile at strangers (especially when you go to the mountains).
It is very common in stores and on the bus to say “hello” and “thank you”. You will notice how everyone says, “thank you!” or “thank you driver!” when getting off the bus.
7. Tipping is a must
Tipping when eating at restaurants, or when going out for a drink, is habitual and almost compulsory.
The minimum expected is 15% of the total bill, although it is common to tip more when the service has been outstanding. Not tipping, or tipping below the minimum, is regarded as disrespectful, or it could suggest that the service has not been adequate.
They may ask you what went wrong or what you didn’t like… Keep in mind that salaries in the hospitality industry, in general, are not very high and are complemented by tips.
Tipping is also common in other types of businesses, such as hairdressers, delivery drivers, cab drivers and masseurs.
8. Wearing comfy clothes is quite common
Straight to the stereotype, what do you picture when you think of Canada? We know! The typical lumberjack wearing a plaid shirt.
The truth is that Canadians love to be comfortable and tend to dress casually. Usually, they wear a T-shirt and jeans, or they wear casual clothes, as if they were going for a run or doing yoga all the time.
In winter, they wear thick coats, snow or water boots, hats (here called “toque”), gloves and scarves to protect themselves from the cold.
9. Garage sale!
Although they’re more common around the spring and summer months, you’ll find them all year round (usually on weekends). People take out stuff they don’t use anymore, like home accessories, instruments, books or clothes, and lay them out in the yard for sale. Sometimes they advertise in advance, sometimes you just walk around the neighborhood and stumble upon one – you might find some really cool stuff!
It is also common to find boxes in front of certain houses with a “Free stuff” sign. Feel free to help yourself to anything you need when you encounter this sign.
10. They care about the environment and healthy living.
Generally speaking, Canadians are quite concerned about the environment and, as such, recycle plastic, paper/cardboard, packaging and organic waste. If you are not already doing so, you are advised to make a habit of disposing of your garbage in the appropriate container.
Similarly, they tend to live a very healthy lifestyle and love sports, especially outdoor activities such as yoga, jogging, hiking, skiing/snowboarding, etc. If you enjoy sports, you’ll fit right in!
Many people prefer to bike or walk to work or school. This way, instead of using polluting cars, they save money and get some exercise. Win-win!
Did you enjoy this post? You now have the opportunity to experience these and other traditions in Canada first-hand. We encourage you to ask us for more information.Contact us
