This year, a couple in Vancouver is changing up their Thanksgiving dinner plans. Instead of the usual elaborate spread with a turkey and all the trimmings, they will be enjoying a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce to-go, while eagerly anticipating a Blue Jays baseball game, according to Helen Vlahos. Vlahos and her partner, Wolf Schneider, were in Toronto for a family occasion over the weekend when they made this decision.
The Blue Jays are set to compete in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, a significant achievement as they have not reached this stage since 2016. With Game two scheduled for Monday, the timing coincides with Thanksgiving, prompting many fans to shift their dinner plans from the dining table to watching the game on TV.
Vlahos and Schneider are planning to return to Vancouver just in time to settle in on their couch for the game on Sunday. Even though their original holiday plans were low-key, Schneider mentioned that their day would not have looked much different if they had combined a big celebration with the game.
Before heading home, the couple managed to make a quick visit to the Blue Jays’ official merchandise store in downtown Toronto on Saturday to purchase their Schneider jerseys as a promise they made to each other if the team made it to the championship series.
The series will move to Seattle for Game 3 on Wednesday and Game 4 on Thursday, with a potential Game 5 on Friday if necessary. Toronto would host Game 6 on Oct. 19 and Game 7 on Oct. 20 if needed. The winner of the ALCS will advance to face the National League champion in the World Series. The Blue Jays haven’t claimed victory in the Fall Classic since 1993.
Fans across the country are rallying behind the Jays ahead of the playoffs, with some opting to attend the game over traditional Thanksgiving festivities.
Kohlman Zarowny and his six-year-old son, Kai, are on a special trip to Toronto from Lloydminster, Alta., to catch the game live at the Rogers Centre downtown. The game and a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame have taken precedence over their usual holiday traditions this weekend.
A survey by Rogers revealed that nearly half of Canadians would choose to skip Thanksgiving dinner to attend a Blue Jays game this weekend, with 52 percent of Gen Xers preferring the game over dinner. The survey, conducted between Oct. 6-8, sampled 1,503 online Canadians and cannot be assigned a margin of error due to the non-random sampling method.
For Nicole La Fleche from Sudbury, Ont., spending time with her father watching the baseball game is a cherished tradition. She values the opportunity to bond with him over the game, making the holiday a special time for their family.
This Thanksgiving, families like La Fleche’s will be gathering around the dinner table with the game on, blending turkey and baseball into a unique holiday experience.
