10 interesting facts about Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the most cherished holidays in the United States, celebrated with family gatherings, feasts, and gratitude. But there’s so much more to Thanksgiving than turkey and pumpkin pie. Whether you’re a student looking to learn more for a school project or an adult seeking fun trivia for the dinner table, these 10 fascinating facts about Thanksgiving will give you a deeper appreciation for this memorable holiday.
1. The First Thanksgiving Wasn’t About Turkey
The original Thanksgiving feast in 1621 between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people was very different from what we eat today. Historians believe their meal included deer (venison), seafood like fish and shellfish, and seasonal vegetables such as squash. There’s no evidence turkey was on the menu at all!
2. Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday Thanks to a Woman
Ever wonder how Thanksgiving became a nationally recognized holiday? It’s all thanks to Sarah Josepha Hale, the writer of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” She campaigned for 17 years, writing letters to five U.S. presidents until Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
3. The First Macy’s Parade Featured Live Animals
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of the most iconic traditions, started in 1924. But did you know it originally featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo instead of the giant balloons we associate it with today? Elephants, camels, and even bears were part of the early festivities.
4. TV Dinners Were Invented Because of Thanksgiving
Ever wondered where TV dinners came from? The frozen meal industry owes its origins to a Thanksgiving mishap in 1953. A Swanson employee accidentally ordered 260 tons of turkey, far more than they could sell. To avoid waste, the company repurposed the extra turkey into prepackaged meals, giving birth to the TV dinner.
5. The Turkey ““ardon” Tradition Started as a Joke
The U.S. president “pardons” a turkey yearly, sparing it from becoming someone’s dinner. This quirky tradition began formally in 1989 with President George H.W. Bush, but its roots go back to when Abraham Lincoln jokingly spared a bird at the request of his son Tad.
6. Thanksgiving Is the Busiest Travel Holiday
Thanksgiving is the most heavily travelled holiday in the U.S. Millions of Americans hit the road or fly to reunite with loved ones. AAA estimates that nearly 54 million people travelled over 50 miles during Thanksgiving in recent years.
7. Football and Thanksgiving Are Peanut Butter and Jelly
Football has been a Thanksgiving tradition since 1876, when Yale and Princeton played their first holiday game. It’s impossible to imagine Thanksgiving without a slate of NFL games today. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys, in particular, are Thanksgiving staples.
8. Black Friday Originally Had Nothing to Do With Shopping
While Thanksgiving leads directly into Black Friday, the term “Black Friday” originally had nothing to do with shopping. It was first used in the 1860s to describe financial crises and stock market crashes. It wasn’t until the 1950s and beyond that it became synonymous with post-Thanksgiving shopping deals.
9. Benjamin Franklin Wanted the Turkey as the National Bird
Did you know Benjamin Franklin had a high opinion of the turkey? He argued it was a more “respectable” bird than the bald eagle, calling turkeys a “true original native of America.” Thankfully, the eagle ultimately won out, though turkeys still get their day in the spotlight during Thanksgiving.
10. Americans Eat an Astonishing Amount of Food on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about the feast. It’s estimated that Americans eat 46 million turkeys, 50 million pumpkin pies, and an average of 4,500 calories per person during the holiday. If you’ve ever needed an excuse for an afternoon nap, consider those calorie numbers your justification!
