Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

Turkey became popular in the 1800s because it was plentiful, large enough to feed a family, and featured by early magazines and writers.

What was actually served at the first Thanksgiving?

According to historical accounts, the 1621 feast included venison, shellfish, berries, wild fowl, and pumpkins.

Which U.S. president made Thanksgiving a national holiday?

Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 during the Civil War.

Why is it called Blackout Wednesday?

The night before Thanksgiving is one of the year's biggest bar nights, earning the nickname "Blackout Wednesday" or "Drinksgiving"

Is stuffing the same as dressing?

Stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked separately. Regional influences determine what term people prefer.

40 Surprising Thanksgiving Facts (History, Food, and Trivia)

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published September 19, 2016Updated November 15, 2025

Think you know everything about Thanksgiving? Think again. From what was included in the first feast to crazy modern statistics, Thanksgiving is full of surprising stories, quirky traditions, and fascinating facts you never learned in school. Get ready to impress your friends and family with Thanksgiving knowledge that is as rich as a slice of pumpkin pie.

Turkey Biology and Animal Facts

Turkeys Have a Wattle and Snood
The red flap under a turkey's chin is called a "wattle." The droopy thing over its beak is a snood. These are more than just decoration; they can show what mood the turkey is in. For example, a male turkey can make his snood change size depending on whether he is calm or ready to attract a mate. Researchers have found the females prefer males with longer snoods._[27]
Turkeys Can Blush
A turkey's skin can either turn blue, a vivid red, or white when they are excited, frightened, or attracting a mate. Their "blushing" helps communicate dominance, fear, or "hello, there!"_[14]

Turkeys are amazingly fast and have super-powered vision. Meanwhile, we have trouble getting off the couch

How Fast Can a Turkey Fly?
Wild turkeys are surprisingly athletic can fly up to 55 MPH and run up to 20 MPH.Domesticated turkeys, however, cannot fly because they have been selectively bred for Thanksgiving dinners._[27]
Turkeys Have Two Stomachs
One stomach is for digesting; one is for grinding. Turkeys don't have teeth, so one stomach (the gastric or "true" stomach) softens the food with gastric juices. The second stomach (the gizzard) breaks down the food. Sometimes, the food can go back to the glandular stomach if more digestion is necessary._[16]
Turkeys Can See UV and Have Superior Vision
Turkeys can perceive colors outside the spectrum of what humans can see, including UV light. They also have a 270 degree field of vision (humans have about a 180 degree field of vision)._[10]
Only Male Turkeys Gobble
Female turkeys make softer clucks, purrs, and yelps. The males are the real gobblers. Their gobbles can be loud, dramatic, and are designed to get attention._[16]
Turkeys Have 5,000-6,000 Feathers
By comparison, a hummingbird has about 1,000 feathers. Male turkeys also have about 18 tail feathers that they beautifully fan to attract a mate. If the feathers in the fan aren't even, it is an immature male._[27]
Thanksgiving Dinner and Food Facts

The Night before Thanksgiving is the Biggest Drinking Night of the Year
Known as "Blackout Wednesday" or "Drinksgiving," this night is even bigger than St. Patrick's Day or New Year's Eve. College students returning home, families escaping dinner prep, and visiting out-of-town visitors gather for one giant pre-feast party._[18]
Stuffing vs Dressing Depends on Location
People who cook the bread side-dish separately from the turkey or live in the South tend to call it dressing (even if they do end up putting it in the turkey) People who cook it in the turkey or live elsewhere, tend to call it stuffing. Linguists love this debate because it is one of the few food terms that almost perfectly matches cultural geography._[24]

TV Dinner image showing sections and turkey

Heat, Eat, and Repeat!

The First TV Dinner Was a Turkey-Related Accident
In 1953, Swanson overestimated frozen turkey sales by 260 tons and repackaged the extra meat into the first TV dinners. Swanson was originally going to turn the extras into dog food, until an employee suggested copying an airline tray design in which to put the leftovers._[3]
Turkey Doesn't Make You Sleepy. Overeating Does
It's a myth that the tryptophan in turkey makes you sleepy. The carb overload is the real culprit (and possibly visiting with relatives). Turkey does contain tryptophan, but no more than a chicken does._[12]
Americans Eat Approximately 80 Million Pounds of Cranberries During Thanksgiving Week Alone
That's about 20% of all cranberries eaten yearly in the United States._[17]
The Largest Pumpkin Pie Ever Baked Weighed 3,699 Pounds
The recipe called for 1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin, 2,796 eggs (233 dozen), 109 gallons of evaporated milk, 525 pounds of sugar, 7 pounds of salt, and 14.5 pounds of cinnamon. It was over 20 feet in diameter and took a forklift to lift it._[23]
Frying Turkeys Can Explode
The National Fire Protection Association warns that deep-frying turkeys can create explosive fireballs. They say to please "Cook the turkey, not your home."_[8]
A Ripe Cranberry will Bounce
The air pockets in the cranberry that allow to bounce are also a sign of firmness._[4]

The average Thanksgiving dinner contains over 3,000 calories, which is more than most people eat in a day

Americans eat Roughly 535 Million Pounds of Turkey on Thanksgiving
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that's over 46 million turkeys._[19]
Minnesota Produces More Turkeys Than Any Other State.
Minnesota produces about 40 million turkeys per year, which is more turkeys than Minnesotans._[26]
About $550 Million Worth of Thanksgiving Leftovers Will Be Thrown Out In One Day
In the United States, about 320 million pounds of food will be thrown out this Thanksgiving. This is equivalent to 267 million meals._[9]
Unexpected Thanksgiving Facts & Traditions

There were no pumpkin pies at the 1621 feast
The pilgrims lacked flouer and ovens, so they hollowed out pumpkins and cooked them over ashes to make stewed pumpkin._[16]
"Black Friday" is the Busiest Day for Plumbers
Black Friday is the busiest day for Roto-Rooter, a major plumbing service. They are called in to clean up “overwhelmed” sewer systems._[3]
"Black Friday" Originally Meant Profit, Not Chaos
Retailers hoped holiday shopping would take them from the "red" into "the black"
_[13]
Thanksgiving Can Fall Between November 22-28
The date changes depending on the year, which is why the holiday feels early some years and agonizingly late other years._[11]
There are Multiple "First" Thanksgivings
While Plymouth in 1621 is the traditional story, at least 12 places in the U.S. claim to have hosted the first Thanksgiving, including sites in Texas, Florida, Maine, and Virginia._[4]
Squanto was Vital to the Pilgrim's Survival; And His Story is Intense
He spoke English and crossed the Atlantic several times, often as a captive. His farming knowledge is what saved the colony._[15]

Plot Twist: The buckled hat image was invented by 19th century artists who wanted to give the pilgrims a more distinguished look

Pilgrims Did Not Wear Buckled Hats
Buckles did not come into fashion until later in the 17th century, and the pilgrims usually saved their formal black and white colors for Sunday._[7]
The Earliest Thanksgiving Was in 1541
This is when Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his expedition held a thanksgiving mass in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas panhandle (though scholars debate whether this ceremony matches later "Thanksgiving meanings")._[11]
Lincoln Made Thanksgiving a National Holiday in 1863
Before that, presidents like Washington and Adams declared occasional days of Thanksgiving, but not annual ones._[4]
Not Everyone Wanted Thanksgiving
Some states thought the national government was exercising too much power in declaring a national holiday. Additionally, southern states were hesitant to observe what was largely a New England practice._[11]
The Pilgrims Did Not Call Themselves Pilgrims
They called themselves Separatists or Saints because they wanted to become completely separate from the official Church of England._[22]
Thanksgiving in Pop Culture

Thanksgiving is a popular movie setting
Famous movies that take place during Thanksgiving include Charlie Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" (1925) "Knives Out" (2019); "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947); "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (1987); "Rocky" (1976); "The Humans" (2021); "Spider-Man" (2002); "Addams Family Values" (1993); and, of course, "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (1973)._[5]
America's Oldest Thanksgiving Parade Began in 1920
The oldest parade isn't Macey's. It is Philadelphia's Gimbels Parade (now the IKEA Parade)._[11]

Jingle Bells was first published in 1857 as “One Horse Open Sleigh”

"Jingle Bells" was Originally a Thanksgiving Song
The classic holiday tune was originally written for Thanksgiving, and it was also one of the first songs to be recorded on a phonograph in the late 1800s. (Sorry, Maria Carey!)_[21]
A "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" won an Emmy in 1974
It won for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming." Charles Schulz accepted the award._[2]
Sarah Josepha Hale is Considered to be the "Mother of Thanksgiving"
For seventeen years, she campaigned for a national holiday. She also wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb."_[4]
Modern Thanksgiving Traditions

Over 50 Million Americans Travel for Thanksgiving.
It's consistently ranked as the second most popular American holiday, behind Christmas._[6][21]

The Snoopy balloon has been in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade more than any other character

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Began in 1924
Early versions feature animals from the Central Park Zoo. Snoopy is the parade's longest-running character._[25]
The Average Thanksgiving Now Costs $952
Food and Drinks: $285; Decor: $83; Miscellaneous, such as new clothes, car repairs: $291; Travel: $293_[20]
The First College Thanksgiving Football Game was in 1876
On November 30, 1876, Yale defeated Princeton 2-0 in Hoboken, New Jersey._[11]
Thanksgiving Blends Many Traditions
It combines European harvest festivals, Puritan customs, New England traditions, and Native American influences._[11]
You are now ready to save Thanksgiving dinner conversations!
Feel free to start correcting your cousins, impressing your aunts, and shining at small talk. If your family starts a fight at the table about stuffing vs dressing, just recite a fascinating fact from this list. They'll never see it coming._[1]