The 4th of July is a time when Americans gather together to celebrate their victory over the British Empire during the Revolutionary War.
In most cases, it’s a time to celebrate American nationalism and all the things that make America what it is.
Because of how widely celebrated the 4th of July is in America, you may wonder if other countries celebrate the holiday, too.
Since Canada is one of America’s closest neighbors, you may wonder if they partake in the celebrations, too.
Here’s what you need to know about whether Canada celebrates the 4th of July.
Does Canada Celebrate The 4th Of July?
No, Canada does not celebrate the 4th of July.
Because the 4th of July recognizes America’s independence from Great Britain, it’s a holiday closely associated with that specific country.
Instead, Canada has its own Independence Day that it celebrates.
July 1st is Canada Day in which Canadians come together to celebrate all things Canadian.
It commemorates when Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain.
The British North America Act is responsible for it.
The Act united several colonies like New Brunswick, the Province of Canada, and Nova Scotia.
The new country had the name The Dominion of Canada.
The Act occurred on July 1st, 1867, which is why Canada Day is on that day.
In 1982, Canada finally became fully independent.
Canada Day started its own independence celebrations on July 1st, 1983.
While Canada doesn’t celebrate the 4th of July, they do celebrate their own independence on July 1st.
How Do Canadians Celebrate Canada Day?
Canada Day always falls on the first of July.
It’s a federal holiday, so most people get it off from work.
When the holiday falls on a weekend, the government will allow its workers to take that Monday off instead.
The only time Canada Day falls on the 2nd of July is when the 1st of July falls on a Sunday.
On that day, it’s typical to see similar types of celebrations as occur in the United States on the 4th of July.
The Canadian flag flies high almost everywhere.
Canadians also like to paint their faces with the colors of the flag, red and white.
Concerts and other live events are also standard.
Friends and families gather to watch parades and hold barbecues.
Firework displays are also common and tend to bring the festivities to a close at the end of the day.
Like Independence Day, there are a few go-to places to celebrate the holiday.
The biggest celebration happens in Ottawa which is the country’s capital.
In front of the parliament building, there are sometimes concerts or other events.
Huge firework displays are also common.
Another staple of Canada Day is having breakfast.
Many Canadians start the day off with a pancake breakfast covered in real maple syrup.
Others will make Canadian-specific food or color them in red and white.
Canada Day is very similar to Independence Day in America.
Canadians use some of the same methods to celebrate the day like gathering together and shooting off fireworks.
Both holidays also celebrate independence and nationalism.
While Independence Day occurs on the 4th in America, Canada Day occurs on the 1st.
Is July 4th A Regular Work Day In Canada?
July 4th is a regular day in Canada.
Although it may be a federal holiday in the United States, that is not the case in Canada.
That’s because, in Canada, the 4th of July is a foreign holiday.
As such, they don’t recognize it.
Everyone goes to work as usual.
There is an instance when some workers might choose to take the day off, however.
If their own Independence Day, July 1st, falls on a Friday, then they might take July 4th off, too.
That’s because it will give them a four-day weekend.
However, they don’t take it off to celebrate American Independence.
They just take it off because it gets them a four-day weekend.
Otherwise, the 4th of July is a standard workday for most Canadians.
Why Is Canada Day So Close To The 4th Of July?
Canada Day is close to the 4th of July because that’s when the country essentially formed.
Although it would further expand to incorporate more colonies and territories in the future, the first borders of modern-day Canada formed in 1867.
This marks when the British North America Act occurred.
It was officially signed on July 1st.
Had the Act occurred on September 1st, for example, then Canada Day would have fallen on September 1st instead.
It’s simply incidental that the government signed the act on July 1st.
While Canada could have chosen a different date to celebrate their independence, especially since they didn’t become fully independent until 1982, they wanted the holiday to coincide with the first steps towards Canada’s freedom.
That occurred on July 1st.
Canada Day is close to the 4th of July because that’s when the British North America Act occurred which laid the foundation for the modern-day country of Canada.
Is The 4th Of July More Celebrated Than Canada Day?
While July 4th may hold an important part of American hearts, that isn’t the case in Canada.
To Canadians, the 4th of July is just another day.
That’s because the Revolutionary War isn’t a part of their history.
They have their own history.
As such, they don’t celebrate the 4th of July.
Instead, they celebrate Canada Day.
This holiday is essentially their version of Independence Day.
It celebrates the moment when Canada was able to get complete control over its government without having to rely on Great Britain anymore.
It became its own country.
Because this is a part of their history, Canadians celebrate Canada Day with all the gusto that Americans celebrate Independence Day.
Much like Americans don’t celebrate Canada Day, Canadians don’t celebrate American Independence Day.
What Countries Don’t Celebrate Independence Day?
Not every country has a holiday celebrating its independence.
Some countries never had to undergo the horrors of colonization.
Others willingly joined certain nations and became a part of them.
Some have other versions of Independence Day that they celebrate instead.
While the United States takes its 4th of July celebrations seriously, here are a few countries that don’t have an Independence Day at all.
1. Nepal
Nepal is one of the oldest countries in South Asia.
Throughout its history, it has acted as a buffer.
During the time of colonization and expansion, it was an important buffer that separated Imperial China and British India.
Because of its role as a buffer, neither empire wanted to colonize it.
They preferred its role as a buffer.
As such, the country was never colonized by anyone.
It’s remained a sovereign nation since it was originally formed.
Nepal doesn’t celebrate Independence Day because it never had to win its freedom from another country.
It has remained independent and in charge of its own affairs from the beginning.
2. Thailand
Similarly, Thailand has also never had to win its freedom from another country.
It’s never had another country colonize it successfully.
As such, it has remained independent all on its own.
That said, Thailand does have its own national holiday to celebrate its people and history.
December 5th is its national holiday.
This is the same day as its king’s birthday.
King Phumiphon started the holiday in 2014, and the country has celebrated its National Day since.
When the crown eventually passes to another, it’s unknown whether the date of this celebration will remain the same.
The new monarch might change the holiday to their birthday, for example.
While Thailand celebrates a National Day, it doesn’t technically celebrate a specific date of its independence since it never had to win its independence from another country.
3. China
China has a vast and deep history riddled with conflict.
Empires have risen and fallen in the country.
Its borders have changed throughout the course of history, too.
However, China never experienced colonization from a foreign country in the sense that others did.
As such, it doesn’t celebrate a date it gained independence from anyone.
Instead, it celebrates a National Day that’s focused on all things Chinese.
The origin of the holiday traces back to the Chinese Revolution of 1949.
The Communist leader, Mao Zedong, formed the People’s Republic of China.
China underwent a civil war with the People’s Republic becoming the victors.
The defending Kuomintang ended up escaping to Taiwan.
The Republic of China crumbled and the People’s Republic of China took its place.
To commemorate this event, Chairman Mao formed National Day.
While National Day doesn’t celebrate the fight to win independence from a foreign power, it does, in a way, celebrate the fight to form a new type of government.
China doesn’t have an Independence Day, but it does have a very important National Day that the country celebrates.
4. Canada
As mentioned before, Canada has its own National Day which they celebrate instead of Independence Day.
Canada never had to fight for its independence like America.
Instead, it gradually won its independence with time.
The British North America Act was the primary source behind Canada’s independence.
It made Canada a self-governing entity, which allowed it to form its own parliament.
It also granted Canada the power to fund itself and defend itself.
This was a major step that took Canada out of the control of Britain and started its path towards complete self-reliance.
Since the act was finalized on July 1st, that’s also the date of their National Day.
Canada doesn’t have Independence Day, but it does have a National Day which commemorates the country’s first steps towards absolute freedom.
5. Denmark
Denmark also doesn’t have its own Independence Day.
It was another country that no one ever successfully colonized.
Part of the reason it remained independent was its history of Viking raids.
Denmark was one of the countries from which Vikings came and raided.
They also tended to raid one another on top of the areas around them.
Since the country often found itself in some form of war or another, other countries didn’t want any part of it.
Eventually, however, the country came together and formed a constitution.
Their constitution would become the basis for what the country is today.
June 5th is Constitution Day in Denmark.
It celebrates the moment when the constitution came into power.
Unlike other countries that had to fight for freedom from a foreign power, Denmark had to fight for its own freedom from within.
It celebrates its triumphs and all things Denmark on June 5th.
Does Canada Celebrate Halloween?
Yes, Canada does celebrate Halloween.
They celebrate Halloween on the same day that the United States celebrates it, the 31st of October.
Canada’s Halloween roots also stem from the same source as America’s.
It was the Irish who were responsible for bringing Halloween to the United States.
They celebrated the Celtic tradition of Samhain.
They modernized it by wearing costumes and eventually switched from carving Jack-o-Lanterns on potatoes to pumpkins because it was easier.
When Irish immigrants came to the United States, they brought these traditions with them.
Grocery stores saw an opportunity and started selling seasonal nuts and candies and masks.
As the popularity of the holiday grew, it eventually crossed the border into Canada.
In Canada, the concept of trick-or-treating formed with children going from house to house seeking sweets.
Today, Canada still celebrates Halloween with all the gusto that the United States does.
The two holidays are exactly very similar between the two countries.
Canadians dress up in different types of costumes.
The children go searching for sweets from door-to-door.
Adults throw parties.
One aspect that a Canadian Halloween differs from an American Halloween is that Canada has linked the holiday to charity.
They work with UNICEF which collects spare change that children gather during trick-or-treating.
Those giving out candy can donate spare change or larger amounts of money to the children.
The children then take it home with them where their parents donate the money to UNICEF.
In so doing, Canada has found a unique way to combine charity with a fun night.
It teaches children the benefits of charity and motivates them to give back, too.
Does Canada Celebrate The Queen’s Birthday?
Yes, Canada does celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday.
However, they don’t celebrate it on the same day that England does.
Traditionally, England celebrates the Queen’s birthday in June regardless of her actual birthdate.
Canada combines the celebration of the Queen’s birthday with Queen Victoria’s birthday on May 24th.
This holiday is known as Victoria Day and is still celebrated to this day.
The holiday started in 1901 after Queen Victoria’s death.
The Canadian Parliament chose to commemorate her birthday as an official holiday because the Queen had done much to make Canada its own country.
Canada did practice celebrating the ruling monarchs’ birthdays alongside England initially.
They celebrated the monarch’s birthday the same as England did.
When George VI had his official birthday celebrated in June, despite having been born in December, Canada also celebrated it in June.
That changed when Queen Elizabeth II became sovereign.
She also had her official birthday celebrated in June despite having been born in April.
Instead of following England’s example, Canada chose to celebrate her birthday on the same day as Victoria Day.
They made the change in 1957 and have followed through with it since.
While Canada does celebrate the Queen’s birthday, they do so on Victoria Day instead of on the day that England observes it.
Does Canada Celebrate Bonfire Night?
Although Canada has its roots in England, like America, it does not celebrate Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night.
Guy Fawkes Night occurs every November 5th and commemorates the failed attempt to blow up the Parliament building by Guy Fawkes and his conspirators.
In England, it’s also called Bonfire Night because most of the citizens celebrate the holiday by lighting bonfires and gathering around them.
Canada doesn’t celebrate Bonfire Night because that’s not a part of their history.
It’s a foreign holiday like Independence Day is in the US.
Conclusion
Canada does not celebrate the 4th of July.
To them, it’s just another day.
Instead, they celebrate the 1st of July which is their National Day called Canada Day.
Canada Day features many of the same activities common on the 4th of July like fireworks and concerts.
Canada does share some of the same holidays as the United States and England but does not share some of the more regional holidays like Bonfire Night.
NEXT: Does England Celebrate The 4th of July? (Explained)
