Canada and the United States may have one large border and a lot of similarities in pop culture, but Canada still retains many traditions that Americans envy.
Healthcare peace
If you suddenly need to go to the doctor or hospitalize yourself in Canada, it will cost you absolutely nothing. You can simply walk into the doctor’s office or emergency room with a government-issued card instead of fearing a huge bill.
Americans envy us because one injury or illness in the States can rack up thousands of dollars of medical expenses that could cost you your whole life savings.
October Thanksgiving
Canadian Thanksgiving occurs in October, so we get to celebrate the autumn harvest when the weather is still nice and warm. Additionally, it helps space out fall festivities just right, preventing families from becoming bogged down with holiday traffic and consecutive travel days.
Americans are jealous of this logical calendar because their Thanksgiving in late November starts a mad rush of holidays that leave them completely drained before winter has officially started.
Boxing Day
Canadians don’t have to wake up at 4:00 AM on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, to deal with insane crowds. We have our very own nationally recognized statutory holiday, the day after Christmas.
Boxing Day (December 26) grants every Canadian a guaranteed day off to recover from the craziness, binge on leftovers, catch some World Junior Hockey Championship games and window shop Christmas sales at their leisure without using up vacation time.
Long weekends
Whenever a Canadian statutory holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next Monday automatically becomes a paid holiday.
If a holiday falls on a weekend in the U.S., it’s at the employer’s discretion whether they want to observe the holiday on Friday or Monday. So Canadians will never have a major holiday go unused because of how it lands on the calendar.
May Two-Four
Canada officially welcomes summer over the Victoria Day long weekend in mid-May. Known fondly as the “May Two-Four” weekend (a delicious play on words on both Queen Victoria’s birthday of May 24 and a regular 24-pack of beer), it is celebrated across the country.
North of the border, Canadians hit the cottage a week or two before Americans fire up their grill for Memorial Day weekend. Campgrounds open up, grills get fired and there’s fireworks galore.
Superior snacks
No snack aisle is more mythical than Canada’s because of its fearless flavor combos like all-dressed chips and ketchup chips you can’t get in the US. Sour, smoked, and perfectly salted, these snacks triumph over regular varieties, garnering cult followings.
Americans are jealous of our snacks. They will pay outrageous shipping costs to order bags online, because American companies won’t sell us these amazing flavours. It makes popcorn and movie nights way better.
Maple candy
Dumping steaming, fresh maple syrup over pristine, winter snow to form edible, chewy candy rolls of delight is a tradition we all grew up with. This fun, outdoor activity transforms a simple harvest into a holiday celebration in neighborhoods and backyard sugar shacks everywhere.
Americans don’t have this Canadian tradition that offers such an innocent, hands-on, and tasty connection to nature.
Light pockets
Eliminating the heavy copper penny years ago made everyday grocery shopping easier and helped empty cash registers. Swapping them out for durable, easily distinguishable dollar coins allows physical currency to be counted, sorted, and handled fast.
Some Americans envy this commonsense solution, as their government continues to spend millions unnecessarily printing useless pennies, while keeping American pockets endlessly full of bulky, worthless change.
Quiet places
Canada doesn’t have that loud, overly aggressive customer service grating on your nerves everywhere you go, nor do they guilt you with meaningless small talk while you shop.
Canadians interact with each other in stores and public places with a calm, quiet civility that respects your space but is still polite. If you’re an introverted American, you will definitely envy this practice.
Ice rinks
Come winter, parks and vacant lots around town magically transform into gleaming public patches of homemade ice. Community volunteers maintain these outdoor rinks where anyone can gather to play hockey or skate at night under the moon and stars.
It’s something winter-loving Americans envy because U.S. cities seldom provide open-to-the-public, free, well-maintained outdoor ice, so parents are forced to pay exorbitant fees.
Safe streets
Walking around downtown areas, suburban streets, or even parks after dark is one of the safest and most tranquil experiences you can have. Crime rates in Canada are low enough that citizens can enjoy their cities at any time of day or night without fear of constantly looking over their shoulders.
Americans everywhere envy that kind of safety because where they live, walking alone at night means walking on high alert, taking certain routes and living in fear.
Banking safety
Fear of seeing your hometown bank collapse or losing your savings altogether evaporates up north. Canadian banks are extremely regulated and are held to high standards, so banks remain stable and secure even when the economy isn’t doing great.
Americans who have to worry about regional banks collapsing or unexpected fees creeping into their monthly statements envy how safely financially secure Canadians can be.