Thanksgiving is a time for gathering friends and family from near and far together. It can be a challenge to teach kids about Thanksgiving while respecting historical and cultural accuracy. Plus, everyone wants to avoid topics of tension during the holidays. So, if you need some kid-friendly and no-stress conversation starters around the Thanksgiving table? Check out some of these fun facts to share!
Facts About the First Thanksgiving
Turkey Time! Not so fast. At the original Thanksgiving, there were likely no turkeys on the table site. Experts from Smithsonian Magazine say it’s more likely that duck or goose was served. Venison was probably the other main meat served. Another Thanksgiving staple they didn’t have at the first Thanksgiving was pumpkin pie. The early colonists wouldn’t have had the butter or wheat flour to make the crust.
Other foods likely included are lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast.
No Forks. Did you know Pilgrims didn’t use forks? They used spoons, knives, and their fingers. Your kids will likely be huge fans of using their fingers to eat, too!
A Three-Day Party! The first Thanksgiving lasted three whole days and was in October, not November like it is now.
Historical Facts about Thanksgiving
Abraham Lincoln first declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Sarah Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She also authored the famous nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
A Presidental Pardon. George H. W. Bush was the first president to officially grant an individual turkey a pardon in 1989, a fun condition that continues thirty years later!
Cranberries. Cranberries got their name because people thought the stem of a plant looked like a crane. Native Americans used these delicious red berries for more than food! Cranberries make a great red clothing dye and heal wounds.
Macy’s Day Parade. The annual Thanksgiving Day parade tradition began in 1924 and involved a menagerie of live animals like camels, bears, and elephants. The giant helium balloons replaced the live animals in 1927. To fill the 15 balloon floats, it takes 300,000 cubic feet of helium — that’s 3.4 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Interesting and Fun Thanksgiving Facts
Say Thanks to Feel Better. It is scientifically proven that expressing gratitude makes you feel better. So this Thanksgiving, invite everyone to share or silently write down what they are grateful for! Need some tips for the kids? Check out our blog Tips on Teaching Kids Gratitude.
How MUCH turkey? More than 90% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day, 50% percent stuff their turkeys, and people serve more than 40 million green bean casseroles. Americans eat roughly 704 million pounds of turkey each year!
Hens and Toms. A female turkey is a hen and makes a clucking sound. A male turkey is known as a Tom and gobbles. At maturity, the average turkey shows off 3,500 feathers.
A Lot of Toilet Flushing! The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers. Probably from all those guests using your bathroom!
Footballs and Turkeys. Every year, more than 30 million people watch football on Thanksgiving. The tradition began in 1876 when the Intercollegiate Football Association began holding its annual game on Thanksgiving day.
Now you know some fun Thanksgiving Facts to start a fun, family-friendly conversation over dinner this year! And unlike sports or politics, hopefully, these facts are something everyone can agree on!
Updated November 1, 2023, by L. Elizabeth Forry
