Impress Your Family At The Upcoming Thursday Holiday!
By: Heidi Wagenbach
Family get-togethers can always be a little awkward, especially if you’re around relatives that you only see maybe twice a year. Not to worry, I have some great conversation starters about Thanksgiving that will steer clear of sensitive topics and will make for a memorable night as you stuff yourself… much like the turkey baking in the oven.
#1
There are 3 cities in the U.S. that are named Turkey, located in Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana.
#2
“Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song, titled “One Horse Sleigh.” The lyrics were quickly related to the Christmas season and so, the song was changed two years later to a wintery classic instead.
#3
Thanksgiving leftovers influenced the creation of the first-ever TV dinner. In 1953, the company Swanson was stuck with way too much turkey and no idea how to utilize it. They hired salesman Gerry Thomas, who was inspired by airplane meals, and quickly sold the leftovers packed in aluminum trays.
#4
Bars sell booze wildly the day before Thanksgiving in the U.S., even more than New Year’s Eve or the Superbowl. (I can think of a few reasons why…)
#5
Thomas Jefferson canceled Thanksgiving during his presidency (because according to historians, he said this holiday was “the most ridiculous idea ever conceived” and he did not wish to mix the church with the state, his position actually convincing other politicians he was atheist. Jefferson argued these claims by stating that “days of thanksgiving [are] expressions of religion… [that] were remnants of Britain’s reign over the American colonies”). Franklin Roosevelt attempted to change the date due to the Great Depression (moving the holiday a week ahead), leaving everyone confused and calling the entire ordeal “Franksgiving.”
#6
The original Thanksgiving was meant for the Puritan Pilgrims to fast (or not gorge on a huge meal), reflect and meditate, giving thanks to their harvest. (Side note: they also didn’t have any forks at the meal… imagine trying to eat your dinner with nothing but a spoon!) On the same note, the celebration in 1621 lasted for three days with over 150 people.
#7
The Pilgrims’ menu consisted of venison, duck, goose, oysters, eel, and fish, alongside pumpkins and cranberries.
#8
The average American eats around 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving (and about 230 grams of fat). We also consume 46 million turkeys and 80 million pounds of cranberries.
#9
Calling all football fans: the Detroit Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year since 1934.
#10
If you have any difficulties cooking your turkey, there’s a hotline (1-800-BUTTERBALL), where experts are available every hour to help with any emergencies or questions. They get an average of 100,000 calls during Thanksgiving.
I hope this blog was entertaining and interesting. Even though the holiday season seems a bit dimmer due to some worldly circumstances, there’s no doubt that seeing friends and family will lighten the mood. So while you’re staying safe, having fun, binging a bit of delicious food, reference some of your newfound knowledge to your relatives. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it, because I know I definitely learned a few new things.
Happy Thanksgiving from Classic Cooking Academy!
Sources:
11 things you probably didn’t know about Thanksgiving
Thomas Jefferson’s Complicated Relationship with Thanksgiving
26 Amazing Things You Probably Don’t Know About Thanksgiving History
15 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Thanksgiving