Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and football – it’s packed with fascinating history and traditions that can spark conversations and entertain your guests. Here’s a quick look at 12 surprising Thanksgiving facts:
- The First Thanksgiving Feast: A three-day festival in 1621 with Pilgrims and Wampanoag sharing wildfowl, venison, and games.
- Thanksgiving Date Changes: President Roosevelt moved it in 1939 to extend the shopping season, leading to confusion before Congress fixed it as the fourth Thursday in November in 1941.
- Turkey vs. Eagle: Benjamin Franklin admired turkeys but Congress chose the bald eagle as the national bird in 1782.
- Macy’s Parade Origins: The first parade in 1924 featured live zoo animals instead of balloons.
- Turkey Pardon Tradition: JFK unofficially started it in 1963 by sparing a turkey.
- Original Feast Menu: The 1621 meal included wildfowl, venison, and seafood – no pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce.
- Plumbing Problems: Thanksgiving is the busiest day for plumbers due to clogged drains from food waste.
- Butterball Hotline: Over 100,000 calls each year help cooks with turkey prep questions like thawing and cooking times.
- Jingle Bells Myth: Despite rumors, it wasn’t originally a Thanksgiving song.
- Towns Named ‘Turkey’: Places like Turkey, Texas, and Turkey Creek, NC, have unique traditions tied to their name.
- Football Tradition: Thanksgiving football has been a staple since 1876, starting with college games.
- Native Perspectives: For many Indigenous people, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on colonization and honor their heritage.
Use these facts to host trivia nights, spark conversations, or enhance your Thanksgiving events. For pre-made trivia packs, visit cheaptrivia.com.
25 Little Known Facts About Thanksgiving – mental_floss on …
1. The Original Three-Day Thanksgiving Festival
Back in 1621, around 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag came together for a three-day feast in Plymouth. They shared wildfowl, corn, and games, marking one of the earliest peaceful gatherings between European settlers and Indigenous peoples.
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Up next: Learn how Thanksgiving’s date changed before Congress officially set it as the fourth Thursday in November.
2. Past Changes in Thanksgiving Dates
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt shifted Thanksgiving to November 23 to lengthen the holiday shopping season during the Great Depression. This decision, nicknamed ‘Franksgiving,’ caused a divide among states – some stuck with the traditional last Thursday of November, while others followed Roosevelt’s new date. Families ended up celebrating on different days, creating confusion. After two years of this split, Congress passed a resolution on December 26, 1941, officially designating Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November, a change signed into law by Roosevelt.
Curious about Benjamin Franklin’s unexpected suggestion for America’s national bird? Keep reading to find out!
3. Turkey vs. Eagle: National Bird Decision
There’s a popular tale that Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey over the bald eagle as America’s national bird. However, turkeys were never officially in the running. In 1782, Congress chose the bald eagle for its powerful symbolism, while the turkey eventually became a symbol of Thanksgiving.
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Up next, learn how the first Macy’s parade included live zoo animals.
4. First Macy’s Parade Used Zoo Animals
Back in 1924, Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day Parade featured live animals like elephants, camels, and bears borrowed from New York’s Central Park Zoo – this was long before the iconic character balloons made their debut. For event organizers, this early display shows how unexpected attractions can grab attention and leave a lasting impression. It was a spectacle that set the stage for the parade’s future as a must-watch event.
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Up next: find out how President John F. Kennedy officially pardoned the first turkey.
5. JFK Started the Turkey Pardon Custom
Thanksgiving traditions aren’t just about big meals and festive parades – the White House has its own unique ritual. On November 18, 1963, President John F. Kennedy decided to spare a turkey named Caroline during a Rose Garden ceremony. This act laid the groundwork for what we now know as the annual White House turkey pardon.
Curious about how Thanksgiving menus have changed since 1621? Keep reading to see how the original feast stacks up against today’s turkey-focused celebrations.
6. Original Thanksgiving Menu vs. Modern Meals
The 1621 Thanksgiving feast shared by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag looked nothing like the meals we enjoy today. Instead of turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, their table featured wild fowl like ducks and geese, venison, fish, shellfish, corn, squash, nuts, and native fruits.
Here’s a quick comparison:
- 1621 Feast: Wild fowl, venison, fish, shellfish, corn, squash, nuts, fruits
- Modern Feast: Turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie
Sweet desserts like pumpkin pie were off the menu back then due to the lack of sugar. Curious about more colonial harvest facts? Check out our weekly themed trivia subscription at cheaptrivia.com/products/weekly-trivia-subscription-service. Next week’s topic: why plumbers are busiest on Thanksgiving!
7. Why Plumbers Get More Calls on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving isn’t just busy for cooks – it’s a hectic time for plumbers too. The holiday feast often leads to clogged kitchen sinks and garbage disposals, thanks to fats, grease, oils, and fibrous food scraps.
Here are some tips to help prevent drain disasters:
- Skip the grease: Never pour grease or cooking oil down the drain – it can solidify and cause blockages.
- Use cold water: Always run cold water while operating the garbage disposal. It helps break down food particles more effectively.
- Be selective: Keep stringy vegetables and fibrous foods like celery or potato peels out of the garbage disposal.
Sharing these tips not only helps your customers avoid plumbing issues but also gives them fun, practical knowledge to share around the dinner table.
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8. Butterball Hotline Call Statistics
Every November, Butterball’s Turkey Talk‑Line handles over 100,000 calls from home cooks looking for help with their Thanksgiving meals. From simple cooking advice to solving unexpected kitchen dilemmas, this hotline has become a holiday staple.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common questions they receive:
- Thawing safety: 32%
- Cooking times: 27%
- Gravy preparation: 18%
- Temperature guidelines: 15%
- Leftover storage: 8%
These stats make for great trivia! Share them at your next holiday gathering or use them to kick off fun conversations. They’re sure to surprise your guests and keep the festivities lively.
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Next, learn how a popular Christmas carol originally began as a Thanksgiving tune.
9. ‘Jingle Bells’: No Verified Thanksgiving Origins
There’s no proof connecting "Jingle Bells" to Thanksgiving. It was introduced in 1857 as a winter song and eventually became a classic Christmas tune.
Check out Thanksgiving trivia packs and weekly subscriptions at cheaptrivia.com to keep your gatherings fun and festive. Coming up: U.S. towns named ‘Turkey’.
10. U.S. Towns Named ‘Turkey’
Did you know there are towns across the U.S. named "Turkey"? Each one has its own story and traditions tied to the name.
Take Turkey, Texas (population: 421), for example. Known as the "Turkey Capital of Texas", this small town hosts the annual Bob Wills Day celebration every April, drawing thousands of visitors. The town got its name in 1893 when settlers noticed wild turkeys roosting along Turkey Creek.
Then there’s Turkey Creek, North Carolina, established in 1889. Every Thanksgiving morning, the town holds the "Turkey Town Trot", a 5K race that brings runners from all over the state. The name comes from the wild turkeys that once roamed the area in abundance.
These fun facts could make for a great Thanksgiving-themed quiz night. Want more trivia ideas? Check out cheaptrivia.com/collections/thanksgiving-trivia-theme-packs.
Up next: Learn how football became a Thanksgiving tradition.
11. History of Thanksgiving Football Since 1876
Thanksgiving football has been a tradition since 1876, starting with college games and later evolving into high school rivalries and the NFL matchups we associate with the holiday today. It’s become a key part of Turkey Day celebrations, uniting fans around the game.
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For more Thanksgiving-themed trivia, visit: cheaptrivia.com/collections/thanksgiving-trivia-theme-packs. Coming up: A look at Native American perspectives on Thanksgiving.
12. Native American Perspectives on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving can often overshadow the heritage and experiences of Native American communities. For many Indigenous people, this holiday is a time to reflect on the history of colonization and its lasting effects. Consider these thoughtful ways to honor and include Indigenous perspectives in your celebrations.
- Acknowledge the land’s original inhabitants: Recognize the Native tribes who first lived on the land and the ongoing impact of European settlement. Share accurate historical accounts from local tribal nations.
- Support Native communities: Highlight Native-owned businesses or contribute to programs that support Indigenous cultural and social initiatives.
- Incorporate traditional foods: Include dishes like the ‘Three Sisters’ (corn, beans, and squash) in your meal, and provide respectful context about their cultural significance.
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Next, we’ll dive into some surprising Thanksgiving statistics you can share with your guests.
Thanksgiving Statistics
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times in the U.S., with peak traffic typically occurring on the Wednesday before the holiday, Thanksgiving Day itself, and the Sunday after. It’s also a great topic for trivia, offering plenty of conversation starters.
Travel Patterns & Numbers
In 2023, AAA reported that 55 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more by car during Thanksgiving week. This marked a 1.5% increase compared to 2022.
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Up next, take a look at how Thanksgiving traditions have changed over the years.
Holiday Customs and History
Across the U.S., communities celebrate the holiday in their own special ways. Many towns organize volunteer meal drives, where residents come together to prepare and deliver meals to those in need. Others host community turkey trots – fun runs that mix fitness with fundraising for local food banks and shelters.
Black Friday, now a major shopping event, actually started in Philadelphia in the 1960s. The term was coined by local police to describe the heavy traffic and crowds that packed the streets between Thanksgiving and the Army-Navy football game.
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These nationwide traditions have inspired countless local celebrations. Let’s dive into how different regions across the U.S. make the holiday their own.
Regional and Local Celebrations
Across the U.S., communities celebrate Thanksgiving with unique events that add a local flavor to the holiday.
In Plymouth, MA, the America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade has been a tradition since 1996. It features over 500 volunteers and floats showcasing historical reenactments. Detroit’s America’s Thanksgiving Parade, which dates back to 1924, attracts around 200,000 spectators along Woodward Avenue. In Dallas, the Turkey Trot 5K, started in 1973, brings together more than 10,000 runners each Thanksgiving morning. Meanwhile, Santa Claus, IN, lights up the night with its Festival of Lights Parade on Thanksgiving evening, transforming Main Street with dazzling holiday displays.
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Stay tuned for tips on using these fun facts to enhance your Thanksgiving festivities!
Conclusion
Use these Thanksgiving facts to host themed trivia nights – like "Historical Thanksgiving" or "Presidential Turkey Traditions" – to draw in more customers. For instance, venues such as Rubber Soul Brewing Co. have reported increases in customer visits after organizing regular trivia nights.
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