10 Interesting Facts About Thanksgiving for Kids
Thanksgiving is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States and Canada, filled with turkey feasts, family traditions, and football games. But why exactly do we celebrate Thanksgiving? And where did some of the standard traditions come from? We’ve gathered some fun and little-known Thanksgiving facts that kids (and the young at heart) will love learning about. Keep reading for a mix of history, fun trivia, and surprising stories to make your holiday even more special!
What Is Thanksgiving and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Thanksgiving is a holiday on which people give thanks for the blessings in their lives. The tradition can be traced back to the early 17th century when Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered for a harvest feast to celebrate a successful growing season. Since then, it has evolved into a holiday about gratitude, family, and delicious food!
Now, here are some cool Thanksgiving facts to impress your friends and family at the dinner table:
1. The First Thanksgiving Didn’t Have Turkey
That’s right! The very first Thanksgiving feast back in 1621 didn’t feature turkey. Instead, the menu included deer, fish, and shellfish like clams and mussels. There were also plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. The turkey became a central dish much later as the holiday evolved.
2. Benjamin Franklin Wanted the Turkey as the National Bird
Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, thought the turkey was a more suitable symbol for the United States than the bald eagle. He even called the bald eagle “lazy” and said the turkey was a much more “respectable bird.” Imagine a turkey on the dollar bill instead of an eagle!
3. There’s a Turkey That Gets Pardoned Every Year
Every Thanksgiving, the President of the United States “pardons” one lucky turkey, sparing it from being part of the feast. This turkey is then sent to live on a farm or at a sanctuary. The tradition started in the 1940s, and now the pardoned turkey sometimes even gets to attend parades!
4. Abraham Lincoln Made Thanksgiving a National Holiday
While people celebrated Thanksgiving on and off for centuries, it wasn’t an official holiday until President Abraham Lincoln declared it so in 1863. He set it for the last Thursday in November during the middle of the Civil War to bring the country together in unity and gratitude.
5. More Than 50 Million Turkeys Are Eaten Every Thanksgiving
Turkeys are the undisputed stars of Thanksgiving dinner. It’s estimated that families across the U.S. cook and eat over 50 million turkeys yearly on Thanksgiving. That’s enough turkeys to line up from New York to Los Angeles and back again!
6. The First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Featured Real Animals
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an iconic American tradition, began in 1924. But here’s a fun twist—back then, the parade didn’t have the gigantic balloons we see today. Instead, it featured live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, including elephants, camels, and even lions!
7. Black Friday Isn’t Just About Shopping
Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, and the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. But do you know why? Historically, it was the day stores “went into the black” (turned profitable) after a year of sales. Black Friday is now one of the busiest shopping days of the year, with over 150 million Americans participating!
8. Pumpkin Pie Wasn’t Always a Thanksgiving Dessert
Pilgrims didn’t have ovens, so traditional pumpkin pie wasn’t on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. Instead, they might have hollowed out pumpkins, filled them with milk, honey, and spices, and baked them in hot ashes. Modern pumpkin pie became a Thanksgiving staple much later in the 18th century!
9. Football on Thanksgiving Goes Back to 1876
Watching football on Thanksgiving has become as traditional as turkey! The first Thanksgiving football game was played in 1876 between Yale and Princeton. Today, the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day games attract millions of viewers and have become a holiday ritual for many families.
10. Canadians Celebrate Thanksgiving Too—But in October!
Thanksgiving isn’t just an American holiday—Canada has its own versiono. Known as Canadian Thanksgiving, it’s celebrated on the second Monday in October. While it shares many similarities with the U.S. version, Canadians might include dishes like maple desserts or tourtière, a French-Canadian meat pie.
Surprise Bonus! 3 Funny Thanksgiving Facts
If you thought those facts were cool, here are three funny ones to bring some laughs to the table:
- The Largest Turkey Ever Weighed 86 Pounds – That’s heavier than most kids!
- Thanksgiving Eve is the Biggest Bar Night of the Year – It even outshines New Year’s Eve for some adults!
- Turkey Wasn’t Turkey’s Original Name – The bird’s original name was “Guinea Fowl,” but early settlers mistakenly thought it came from Turkey, the country.
