This year, a Vancouver couple is shaking up their Thanksgiving tradition. Instead of the usual elaborate feast with Turkey and all the trimmings, Helen Vlahos and her partner, Wolf Schneider, will be enjoying a simple takeaway turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce while tuning in to a highly-anticipated Blue Jays baseball game.
The couple, who were in Toronto for a family gathering, deemed the baseball game more significant than a grand turkey dinner. The Blue Jays are set to compete in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, marking their first advancement to this stage since 2016. The second game is scheduled for Monday.
Given the overlap between the games and Thanksgiving, many fans are opting to shift their dinner plans from the dining table to their TV screens. Vlahos and Schneider intend to return to Vancouver just in time to settle onto their couch for the game. While their holiday agenda was initially intended to be low-key, Schneider expressed that even if they had planned a grand celebration, the day would have unfolded similarly with the game as the focal point.
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. Schneider revealed that they had made a pact to buy the shirts if the Jays reached the championship series, a promise they fulfilled after delaying the purchase for a considerable period.
The upcoming games will transition to Seattle for Game 3 and Game 4, with Game 5 on Friday if necessary. Toronto is poised to host Game 6 on October 19 and Game 7 on October 20 if the series extends. The victor of the ALCS will proceed to face the National League champion in the World Series, a feat the Blue Jays haven’t achieved since 1993.
This time around, fans across the country are rallying behind the Jays before the playoffs, with some opting for game attendance over traditional Thanksgiving engagements.
Kohlman Zarowny and his six-year-old son, Kai, have embarked on a special trip from Lloydminster, Alta., to Toronto for the game at the downtown Rogers Centre. Their holiday celebrations have been replaced by the excitement of the Jays game and a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A recent survey by Rogers indicated that nearly half of Canadians would forgo Thanksgiving dinner to attend a Blue Jays game this weekend, with 52 percent of Gen Xers prioritizing the game over the traditional meal.
Additionally, the report highlighted that Sudbury resident Nicole La Fleche sees the baseball game as an opportunity to bond with her father, making it an essential part of their Thanksgiving celebration. The game will undoubtedly be a backdrop to their family time and shared meal during the holiday.
