Thanksgiving festivities are taking a unique turn for a couple in Vancouver this year. Instead of the traditional lavish spread featuring a turkey and all the trimmings, Helen Vlahos and her partner, Wolf Schneider, will be opting for a simpler option: takeaway turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce. Their dinner conversation will be replaced by the excitement of watching the Blue Jays baseball game.
The couple, who were in Toronto for a family gathering over the weekend, emphasized that watching the Blue Jays play in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners was a top priority for them. This marks the first time the Blue Jays have reached this stage since 2016, with Game two slated for Monday.
With the games coinciding with Thanksgiving this year, many fans, including Vlahos and Schneider, are planning to enjoy the holiday in front of their TV screens rather than at a dining table. Despite their original intention to keep the holiday low-key, Schneider mentioned that even if they had planned a grand celebration, they would still have gathered to watch the game together.
Before heading back to Vancouver, the couple made a quick stop at the Blue Jays’ official merchandise store in downtown Toronto on Saturday to purchase their Schneider jerseys, a promise they had made to each other in anticipation of the team’s success.
The series will soon shift to Seattle for Game 3 and Game 4, followed by potential games in Toronto for Game 6 and Game 7. The ultimate ALCS champion will go on to face the National League champion in the World Series. The Blue Jays’ last World Series victory dates back to 1993.
Across the country, fans are rallying behind the Blue Jays as they head into the playoffs, with some enthusiasts opting for attending the games over traditional Thanksgiving plans.
Kohlman Zarowny and his six-year-old son, Kai, are among those who have chosen to prioritize the game over their usual holiday celebrations. They have traveled from Lloydminster, Alta., to Toronto for a boys’ trip, combining the Jays game with a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A recent survey by Rogers revealed that nearly half of Canadians would forgo Thanksgiving dinner to attend a Blue Jays game, with a majority of Gen Xers choosing the game over a traditional holiday meal.
For Nicole La Fleche from Sudbury, Ont., the baseball game serves as a bonding opportunity with her father. Their Thanksgiving tradition involves watching the game together while enjoying a meal, blending family time with the excitement of baseball.