Ian...

From my memories dating to 1958 or so

Turkeys had small breasts.
Sage was almost 30 percent of our dressing (we never said stuffing don't know why)
Mom cooked, Dad carved and did nothing else ever...now he's really handy at 83, I have to kick him out of the kitchen.
We always had both apple and pumpkin pie both made from scratch including pumpkin

Most of our relatives lived on farms and you got what they in the pantry, but often a goose not a turkey, or 3 or 4 chickens.

If there were no cranberries it wasn't right. We always had them in 2 or 3 ways.
(When I'm north we spend 2 days before out picking cranberries in the bogs - big outdoor bonfire at the camp to keep warm)

Thanksgiving in Canada is the day in October the Argos play the TiCats, or the 2nd Monday in October. We usually eat the 'big' meal on Sunday and Monday is football and a day off, except in PEI where they are diggin praties.

John Conley
Musica est vita