Thanksgiving: Fun Facts You Never Knew

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that makes you feel all warm and cozy. It’s a day for gratitude, great food, and spending time with family and friends—what’s not to love? But there's a lot more to Thanksgiving than just turkey and stuffing. Let’s dive into some fun facts about this special day that you probably haven’t heard before!

The Real Story of Thanksgiving

We usually think of the first Thanksgiving as a peaceful meal between the Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621. But did you know it wasn’t even called “Thanksgiving”? The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag shared a meal, but it was really more of a harvest celebration. And actually, there may have been other “thanksgiving” feasts before this one, like a meal held by Spanish settlers in Florida way back in 1565!

Turkey Wasn’t Always the Star of the Show

At the first Thanksgiving, they probably didn’t even eat turkey! Instead, they ate deer (venison), seafood like mussels and lobster, and corn-based dishes. So next time you see that big roasted turkey, remember that the Pilgrims had a very different kind of dinner!

Making Thanksgiving a National Holiday

Did you know it took one determined woman to make Thanksgiving a national holiday? Her name was Sarah Josepha Hale, and she’s also famous for writing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” For almost 30 years, she wrote letters to politicians, including President Abraham Lincoln, asking them to make Thanksgiving official. Finally, in 1863, Lincoln agreed and made it a holiday during the Civil War. Talk about never giving up!

The Birth of TV Dinners

Have you ever eaten a TV dinner? Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is partly to thank for those! In 1953, the Swanson company had way too many frozen turkeys left over—about 260 tons! A salesman had the idea to package the turkey with some sides in a tray, and that’s how the TV dinner was born. Pretty creative solution for extra food, right?

The Macy’s Parade and the Giant Balloons

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is super famous, but did you know it originally didn’t have any balloons? The first parade in 1924 featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo—like camels, elephants, and even lions! The balloons that everyone loves today didn’t appear until 1927, and Felix the Cat was the very first one. Now, those huge balloons are a big deal, and they even need special handlers to manage them!

Turkey Myths Busted

You know that sleepy feeling after eating a big Thanksgiving meal? People often blame it on the tryptophan in turkey, but guess what? Turkey doesn’t have any more tryptophan than chicken or beef. The real reason you feel so tired is probably because of all the carbs in the stuffing, potatoes, and pie—not to mention a little too much food! After a feast like that, who wouldn’t want a nap?

Presidential Turkey Pardon

Have you heard about the President pardoning a turkey every year? This tradition officially started with President George H.W. Bush in 1989, but there’s a fun story that it goes back much earlier. Apparently, Abraham Lincoln’s son, Tad, had a pet turkey that he begged his dad to save. Now, every year, two lucky turkeys get a free pass and get to live out their lives on a farm.

The Biggest Thanksgiving Dinner Ever

Think your family’s Thanksgiving dinner is big? Think again! The largest Thanksgiving dinner ever was held in 2011 in Orange County, California, where they served over 28,000 meals to homeless and needy families. It took 800 volunteersto make all that food. Now that’s the true spirit of Thanksgiving—giving to others!

Canned Cranberry Sauce—Love It or Hate It

Let’s talk about one of the weirdest Thanksgiving foods: canned cranberry sauce. Did you know that Americans eat more than 5 million gallons of the jiggly sauce every Thanksgiving? Some people love it, and some people can’t stand it, but either way, it’s become a big part of the holiday tradition.

Thanksgiving Around the World

Thanksgiving isn’t just an American thing! Other countries have their own versions of it. In Canada, they celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. In Germany, they have a similar harvest festival called Erntedankfest. Even Japan has a holiday called Labor Thanksgiving Day, where they give thanks for hard work and the community.

Wrapping It Up

Thanksgiving is about more than just the food (even though the food is awesome). It’s a day to think about what we’re thankful for and share time with people we care about. Whether you love pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, or just watching football after dinner, Thanksgiving is about coming together and celebrating the good things in life.

So this year, when you’re passing the mashed potatoes, why not share some of these cool facts? You might just impress everyone at the table with your Thanksgiving trivia!