Friday Fun: Thanksgiving Fun Facts!

written by Kate H.

It’s November! In my family, November is just another word for Thanksgiving. It’s a time of delicious food, long-lasting traditions, and most importantly, quality family time. Here are some fun facts about Thanksgiving to share with your family and friends to help you get in the spirit of giving thanks or just to give you a good laugh!

About the Bird

Only male turkeys (toms) gobble; females (hens) cackle.

Turkey Talk-Line Hotline answers all turkey questions from November to December.

Minnesota produces the most turkeys of any state.

Wild turkeys can actually fly for short distances at up to 55 miles per hour and run up to 20 miles per hour. However, domesticated, or farm raised, turkeys cannot.

Presidential Involvement

The very first Thanksgiving took place in 1621. However, President Abraham Lincoln officially named it a US holiday in 1864.

Thanksgiving has always been the fourth Thursday of November, with one exception. In 1939, towards the end of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it to the third Thursday in hopes to boost the economy by allowing shoppers more time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas to buy gifts.

Benjamin Franklin wanted the USA’s national bird to be a turkey.

Miscellaneous

The day after is the busiest day for plumbers; meal prep and cleaning can clog disposals.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was once called Macy’s Christmas Parade in 1924, and it was their first debut as “world’s largest store”.

Forks were not used at the first Thanksgiving. The pilgrims used spoons and knives.