This year, Thanksgiving dinner is taking a unique turn for a couple in Vancouver. Instead of the usual spread of turkey and trimmings, Helen Vlahos and her partner, Wolf Schneider, are opting for a takeaway turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce. Their dinner table chatter will be replaced by the excitement of a highly anticipated Blue Jays baseball game.
Vlahos and Schneider, who were in Toronto for a family event, deemed the baseball game more significant than a traditional Thanksgiving feast. The Blue Jays are set to compete in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners, marking a significant milestone for the team’s fans.
As the games coincide with Thanksgiving, many enthusiasts are shifting their holiday plans to accommodate the baseball excitement. Vlahos and Schneider plan to rush back to Vancouver just in time to settle in front of their TV for the game. While they intended for a low-key celebration, Schneider noted that whether feasting or not, watching the game together remained their priority.
Before heading back home, the couple indulged in a visit to the Blue Jays’ official merchandise store to pick out their Schneider jerseys, fulfilling a promise made should the team advance. The championship series is poised to move to Seattle for subsequent games, with fans nationwide rallying behind the Blue Jays in their pursuit of the World Series.
Excitement for the games has prompted fans like Kohlman Zarowny and his son to forego their traditional Thanksgiving festivities in favor of witnessing the action live. A recent survey revealed that a significant portion of Canadians would opt for a Blue Jays game over a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, showcasing the team’s widespread support across the country.
For many, like Nicole La Flèche from Sudbury, Ontario, the baseball game presents an opportunity to bond with family. Sitting down to dinner while the game plays in the background has become a beloved tradition for La Flèche and her father, illustrating the unique ways in which sports bring families together.