45 Fun and Surprising Thanksgiving Facts for Your Holiday Table
Lesser-known customs and historical tidbits offer fresh perspective on the feast.
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45 Fun and Surprising Thanksgiving Facts
Thanksgiving is more than just a meal—it’s a living tradition woven from history, family gatherings, culinary customs, sporting events, and vibrant parades. Want to wow your guests this year? Delight them with these fascinating and often quirky facts about America’s beloved November holiday.
1. The First Thanksgiving: A Three-Day Feast
The original Thanksgiving took place in 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth colony, Massachusetts, celebrated a successful harvest. The occasion lasted three days and featured not just food, but also games and sociable interaction between two cultures. The menu likely included venison, seafood, corn, and other locally available fare, rather than modern staples like pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce.
2. There Are Four U.S. Towns Named Turkey
Across the United States, four towns can boast the festive name Turkey: Turkey, Texas; Turkey, Arizona; Turkey, Louisiana; and Turkey, North Carolina. Residents of these towns receive outsized attention each November as the holiday approaches.
3. An Estimated 46 Million Turkeys Are Served Each Thanksgiving
The centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast remains the turkey. Every year, it is estimated that Americans prepare and serve around 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day alone, making it by far the most popular turkey-eating day in the country.
4. Football Is as Much a Tradition as the Feast
Thanksgiving and football go hand-in-hand. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys are best known for their annual Thanksgiving Day games. The Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game nearly every year since 1934, while the Cowboys started their tradition in 1966. These televised matchups have become almost as central to the holiday as the turkey dinner itself.
5. Abraham Lincoln Proclaimed Thanksgiving a National Holiday
While Thanksgiving celebrations predate the founding of the United States, it wasn’t until October 3, 1863, that President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, encouraging Americans to unite and give thanks during the Civil War.
6. The Average Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner Is Over $50
Planning to host Thanksgiving? According to recent estimates, an average Thanksgiving dinner for ten people costs around $53.31. This covers all the essentials, including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and dessert.
7. Not Everyone Cooks: Takeout and Restaurants Gaining Popularity
While many Americans cherish the tradition of home-cooked feasts, about 13% of Americans plan to order takeout or dine at a restaurant instead of cooking at home on Thanksgiving.
8. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Dates Back to 1924
The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in New York City in 1924, featuring Macy’s employees, floats, and live animals borrowed from Central Park Zoo. The parade quickly became an annual tradition, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators.
9. The Original Parade Route Was Six Miles
The inaugural route was much longer than it is today, stretching nearly six miles through Manhattan with about 250,000 New Yorkers lining the streets.
10. Macy’s Parade Introduced Balloons in 1927
Massive helium balloons became the parade’s calling card in 1927, with favorites like Felix the Cat and a toy soldier making their giant debuts. Today’s parade features over 22 balloons, new creations, and familiar favorites alike.
11. New Helium Balloons Join the Lineup Each Year
Each year, new characters make their aerial debut. For 2024, the parade welcomes fresh balloons including Minnie Mouse, Elf on the Shelf with Noorah, Dragon Ball’s Goku, and Marshall from PAW Patrol.
12. ‘Jingle Bells’ Started as a Thanksgiving Song
Surprisingly, the enduring Christmas tune ‘Jingle Bells’ was originally written for Thanksgiving in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, called ‘One Horse Open Sleigh.’ It didn’t become associated with Christmas until it was reprinted and retitled in 1859.
Thanksgiving: A Holiday of History and Tradition
Thanksgiving’s roots are both deep and complex, with rich stories, customs, and evolving meanings. From its colonial origins to its modern incarnations, the holiday offers much more than meets the eye. Explore some of the most intriguing facts about this American tradition to enrich your celebration—and your table talk.
Historic Moments and Firsts
- First Thanksgiving: In 1621, the feast celebrated the Pilgrims’ survival with the help of the Wampanoag tribe. Only about half of the original Mayflower passengers survived their first year in the New World.
- Second Thanksgiving: The second significant feast took place in 1623, marking the end of a dire drought.
- Official Recognition: The concept of a national day of giving thanks was formalized in 1789, when Congress asked George Washington to proclaim November 26 a Day of Public Thanksgiving.
- Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation: Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a fixed national event during the Civil War, hoping to foster unity.
- Presidential Pardons: Ritual turkey pardons by U.S. presidents have become part of the modern holiday spectacle, with the official tradition dating back to President George H.W. Bush in 1989.
Interesting Modern Thanksgiving Trivia
- Turkey Population: Approximately 46 million turkeys are prepared for Thanksgiving yearly.
- Pumpkin Pie Popularity: Pumpkin pie remains the number one Thanksgiving dessert, with Americans baking and buying millions of pies every year.
- Cranberries: Americans consume over 80 million pounds of cranberries during Thanksgiving week.
- First TV Dinner: The first commercial frozen “TV dinner” was invented in 1953 when Swanson overestimated its turkey orders and used the surplus to create frozen turkey dinners.
- Leftovers Rule: Many people look forward to leftovers as much as the main meal, relishing turkey sandwiches, soups, and casseroles for days after the feast.
Thanksgiving and American Culture
- Football Kickoff: Football games have been associated with Thanksgiving since the late 1800s, with Yale vs. Princeton playing the first Thanksgiving Day football game in 1876.
- Parades: Besides Macy’s, other cities host parades, spreading community cheer coast to coast.
- Travel Rush: Thanksgiving is one of the year’s busiest travel periods as families reunite across the country.
- Unity Across Traditions: While Thanksgiving’s origins are tied to early settler traditions, it has evolved to include families from all backgrounds, reflecting the modern American melting pot.
Fun Turkey Table Facts
- Fast Runners: Wild turkeys can run up to 20 miles per hour when startled.
- Presidential Turkeys: Each year, one lucky turkey is pardoned by the President in a White House ceremony, spared from the holiday table.
- Ben Franklin’s Favorite: Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey over the bald eagle as the national emblem, calling it “a true original native of America.”
- Sleepy After Dinner? Contrary to popular belief, turkey’s tryptophan content is not entirely to blame for post-meal sleepiness; the overall heavy meal is the real culprit.
Thanksgiving by the Numbers
| Stat | Number |
|---|---|
| Turkeys eaten per year on Thanksgiving | 46 million |
| Average cost for 10-person dinner | $53.31 |
| Amount of cranberries consumed Thanksgiving week | Over 80 million pounds |
| Pumpkin pies purchased | Millions |
| Percentage planning takeout/restaurant meal | 13% |
| Year Macy’s Parade began | 1924 |
| First TV dinner produced | 1953 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Thanksgiving
Q: When was the first Thanksgiving celebration?
A: The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in November 1621 by Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as a harvest festival.
Q: Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
A: Turkey became the traditional centerpiece due to its availability in North America and its suitability for feeding large gatherings, solidified over centuries of custom.
Q: Which football teams always play on Thanksgiving?
A: The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are famous for hosting Thanksgiving Day football games, a tradition they have maintained for decades.
Q: What are some alternative names for the holiday?
A: Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as Turkey Day or the Day of Gratitude, reflecting its culinary and cultural focus.
Q: What is the biggest Thanksgiving parade?
A: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is the largest and most famous, drawing millions of viewers and featuring giant helium balloons, marching bands, and floats.
Thanksgiving Around the United States
While Thanksgiving is celebrated nationwide, communities introduce their own local twists and unique customs. From fried turkeys in the South to butter sculptures in the Midwest, and vibrant community parades in small towns, the holiday’s spirit of gratitude is felt everywhere.
Quick-Take Facts to Share at Your Table
- Sarah Josepha Hale, author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” campaigned for Thanksgiving to become a national holiday for nearly 17 years.
- Frozen turkeys can be traced all the way back to the 1950s, when food innovation met the Thanksgiving rush.
- Thanksgiving Day is the busiest day of the year for hometown firefighters due to the increased number of cooking accidents.
- Pumpkin chunkin’ contests—competitions to see who can launch a pumpkin the furthest—are a fall favorite in some parts of the U.S.
- Americans consume more than 700 million pounds of turkey between Thanksgiving and the year’s end.
From Harvest Home to Today: The Meaning of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has come a long way from its origins as a colonial harvest celebration. Today, it’s a festival of gratitude that brings together family, friends, and communities of all backgrounds to reflect on their blessings, celebrate togetherness, and indulge in traditions both old and new.
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