Thanksgiving trivia that just might surprise you

As you sit around the table this year, ask your dinner guests if they’ve heard any of these fun Thanksgiving trvia facts. If these fun tidbits aren’t enough for you read more Thanksgiving trivia. 

 

Thanksgiving’s Origins

 

By the fall of 1621, only half of the orginal number of Pilgrims had survived.  The rest decided to celebrate in gratitude that they had made it to that point.

 

Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada.  But there it falls in October instead of November.

 

The beverage of choice at the first Thanksgiving (and on the Mayflower) was beer

 

The first Thanksgiving lasted three days (given the amount of leftovers we have now, maybe we should consider adding back those two days!)

 

From 1777 to 1783 all Thanksgivings were celebrated in December except for in the year 1782.  In that year, it was celebrated on the 28th of November.

Some people believe many of the ideas for the way Thanksgiving is celebrated came from the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.  This Biblical holiday was (and is) celebrated in the autumn, after the crops had been harvested.

 

There was no set day for Thanksgiving until 1941 when President Roosevelt set it as the 4th Thursday in November.  Before then, celebrations had been held as early as August and as late as late December.

 

There is no significance in the choice of a turkey as a Thanksgiving bird.  They were simply the most abundant bird at the time of the first few celebrations.

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Thanksgiving Trivia for Today

 

About 45 million turkeys are sold annually for the Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.

 

That means about 535 million pounds of the big birds appear each year at Thanksgiving tables.

 

The average American consumes about 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day.

 

91% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

 

On the West Coast of the U.S., Dungeness crab is a common alternate main dish instead of turkey.  Other common main dishes across the country include goose and ham. Italian-American families typically serve a baked pasta dish like lasagna along with the turkey.

 

More than 40 million green bean casseroles are served on Thanksgiving.

 

There are three places in the United States named after Thanksgiving’s traditional main course ? Turkey, Texas; Turkey Creek, La.; and Turkey, N.C.

 

See how many of your Thanksgiving guests know these turkey day facts.  Create a Thanksgiving trivia game to play while dinner cooks, or during halftime of the traditional Thanksgiving Day football games. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!