What’s Your Thanksgiving Knowledge? Turkey Day Trivia and Fun Facts

Thanksgiving is a truly American Holiday. Families across the country gather together for a time of reflection, giving thanks, memory making, and of course, the feast. Most people know the origin of Thanksgiving, but many do not know all the trivia and fun facts associated with this Holiday. This article shares some fun Thanksgiving trivia and facts to share with your guests and some questions sure to stump everyone!

There are so many interesting facts associated with Thanksgiving, most of which are new to people. Check out this list and learn about some new facts and people associated with this American Holiday.

1. The Continental Congress proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving in the United States in 1777.
2. Abraham Lincoln was the first to declare Thanksgiving a public holiday in 1863.
3. The United States is not the only country that celebrates Thanksgiving. Here is a list of other countries that take the month of November (some October) to celebrate Thanksgiving: Germany, Grenada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, Norfolk Island, and Puerto Rico.
4. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest turkey weighed in at a whopping 86 pounds!
5. Thanksgiving Day is the busiest travel day of the year.
6. Jingle Bells was originally a Thanksgiving song composed for children to sing in a Boston Sunday School celebration.
7. The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was in 1924. 400 Macy employees marched from Convent Ave. to 145th St. in New York City with animals from Central Park Zoo.
8. Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.
9. The state of California consumes the most turkey.
10. Approximately 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving every year.
11. Most of our traditional Thanksgiving favorites were not a part of the first Thanksgiving: potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie.
12. Pumpkin Pie is the most popular pie for Thanksgiving, and over 50 million are made every year.
13. Green bean casserole was created in 1955 by Campbell Soup and has since become a popular Thanksgiving side dish. Campbell’s sells over $20 million worth of cream of mushroom soup for Thanksgiving meals.
14. In 1939 President Roosevelt permanently moved Thanksgiving from the last week of November to the second to last Thursday. He did this to improve the economy and give people more time to shop for Christmas.
15. The first Thanksgiving Feast took place in 1621 and lasted for three days.

Trivia questions and fun facts are a great way to start new traditions and fun conversations at any dinner table. So while you’re waiting on the Turkey to pop or gathered around the table, see how many people you can stump with these facts! From all of us at Assisting Hands Home Care, we wish you and your family and Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

Written by: Lauren Foster