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12 Thanksgiving Traditions Explained

Thanksgiving traditions

There are many Thanksgiving traditions we enjoy, yet often participate in them without knowing their origins.

For instance, why do we eat turkey?

Why do we watch a parade with giant inflatable character balloons? 

And when did Friendsgiving become a thing?

Keep reading for 12 popular Thanksgiving traditions, and you might just be the smartest person at the table this year.

 

#1 The Original Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving traditions

Most of us are familiar with the story of the first Thanksgiving.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, the Pilgrims invited their Native American allies to a celebratory feast, which is considered the first Thanksgiving.

However, did you know that the first Thanksgiving actually lasted 3 whole days?¹

And while we traditionally recognized the Pilgrims’ meal with the Native Americans, many historians believe this was not the first meal of this type in the Americas.

According to History.com, “In 1565, nearly 60 years before Plymouth, a Spanish fleet came ashore and planted a cross in the sandy beach to christen the new settlement of St. Augustine. To celebrate the arrival and give thanks for God’s providence, the 800 Spanish settlers shared a festive meal with the native Timucuan people.”²

 

#2 Thursdays Are for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving traditions

Thanksgiving is officially celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November – but that came after a fight.

While Thanksgiving had been celebrated on the last Thursday of November since President Lincoln was in office, President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to change things up in 1939, hoping to boost holiday sales by giving shoppers an extra week. 

He moved Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November, which meant it fell on the third Thursday rather than the fourth.

People were not happy with his decision and referred to it as Franksgiving.

Ultimately, Roosevelt’s plan failed after his rivals and Thanksgiving traditionalists compared him to Hitler.

Time explains, “By the end of 1941, Roosevelt had signed a bill officially sticking Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, whether or not it was the last Thursday of the month.”³

 

#3 Thanksgiving Meal Traditions

Thanksgiving traditions

Today’s typical Thanksgiving meal usually includes a turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce.

But this is not what the first Thanksgiving meal looked like – or even what it looks like in different parts of the country today.

The first Thanksgiving dinner included corn, venison, and wildfowl.

Not turkey.

Today, some places in America have their own versions of Thanksgiving dinners, such as Hawaiian luaus with a main dish of pig or New England states enjoying lobster instead of turkey.

 

#4 Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving traditions

Back to the turkey…

While turkey hasn’t always been on the Thanksgiving menu, it is now synonymous with the holiday.

According to the History Channel, almost 90 percent of Americans eat turkey, whether roasted, baked, or deep-fried on Thanksgiving.⁴

 

#5 Turkey Pardons

Thanksgiving traditions

One of the stranger Thanksgiving traditions is the annual public turkey pardoning ceremony.

“Beginning in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United States has ‘pardoned’ one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement.”⁵

In addition to presidential turkey pardons, many state governors pardon turkeys.

 

#6 Thanksgiving Parades

Thanksgiving traditions

The very first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in 1924.

Instead of the giant inflatable character balloons we see today, this first parade had live circus animals.

The animals were replaced as the parade began introducing the iconic character balloons in 1927.

Another interesting tidbit about Macy’s Thanksgiving Day balloons: “From 1929 to 1931, Macy’s would release the balloons at the end of the parade. Those who found the balloons could return them to Macy’s for an award. The practice ended when a balloon got caught in a plane’s propeller when a pilot was trying to catch it.”⁶

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has taken place every year except the 3 years during WWII.

Today, it has about 50 million television viewers and typically has 3.5 million on-site spectators.⁷

 

#7 Football Games

Thanksgiving traditions

It’s not uncommon to fill up on turkey and sit back and watch a big rivalry game on TV.

This tradition goes way back. 

The first Thanksgiving game was between Harvard and Yale on Thanksgiving Day, 1876.

After this game, it became a tradition to have rivals play against one another on the holiday.

Once the NFL was founded in 1920, they began hosting Thanksgiving football games.⁸

 

#8 Volunteering

Thanksgiving traditions

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular days of the year for Americans to volunteer.

In fact, many volunteer organizations wind up having as many volunteers as they do the people they are serving.

Sometimes, organizations even have to turn volunteers away.⁹

When you get the urge to volunteer to express your gratitude this Thanksgiving, consider donating or signing up to volunteer after the busy holiday season.

 

#9 Turkey Trots

Thanksgiving traditions

One of the most popular Thanksgiving traditions, the turkey trot (aka an outdoor race), got its start in Buffalo, New York, on Thanksgiving Day in 1896.¹⁰

Turkey trots are now the most popular day for races in America and “[draw] nearly a million participants to more than 1,000 different events across the country.”¹¹

 

#10 Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving traditions

I cannot imagine Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.

But desserts were not on the original Thanksgiving table.

Based on the journals from Pilgrim colonists, historians believe that the Mayflower’s sugar supply had shrunk significantly in 1621 by the time they had their Thanksgiving feast.

That means there were not any of the desserts we’ve come to associate with Thanksgiving.¹²

 

#11 Thanksgiving Travel

Thanksgiving traditions

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is typically the busiest airport day of the year. 

NerdWallet reports, “In 2021, 2022, and 2023, it was the busiest single day of the entire year at U.S. airports, based on TSA passenger data. Last year, more than 2.9 million people crossed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Compare that to Thanksgiving Day, when just 1.5 million people (slightly more than half of Sunday’s figures) were at an airport.”¹³

 

#12 Friendsgiving

Thanksgiving traditions

Today, it is becoming quite common for people to celebrate Friendsgiving rather than or in addition to Thanksgiving.

According to the New York Post, “Seven in 10 young Americans prefer ‘Friendsgiving’ over a traditional Thanksgiving. […] A poll of 2,000 Americans – aged 18-38 – found 68 percent say celebrating Friendsgiving is their preferred method of engaging in the autumnal celebration.”¹⁴

 

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SOURCES

  1. https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
  2. https://www.history.com/news/thanksgiving-history-trivia-facts
  3. https://time.com/3603622/fdr-moved-thanksgiving/
  4. https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
  5. https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
  6. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/holidays/see-how-thanksgiving-day-parade-balloons-have-changed-over-the-years-and-other-fun-facts/4882894/
  7. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-trivia.html
  8. https://www.history.com/news/why-do-americans-watch-football-on-thanksgiving
  9. https://dcist.com/story/18/11/21/if-you-havent-already-signed-up-to-volunteer-on-thanksgiving-its-probably-too-late/
  10. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/best-turkey-trots-america/
  11. https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20862856/how-the-turkey-trot-became-the-most-popular-race-in-america/
  12. https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
  13. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/busiest-travel-days-thanksgiving
  14. https://nypost.com/2019/11/18/most-young-people-enjoy-friendsgiving-more-than-thanksgiving/

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