Ten Things You Should Know About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a special time to gather with friends, family, in-laws and in some cases out-laws.  So if you want to impress the gang or just fill in an awkward moment of silence as you pass the cranberry sauce, I put together a list of Thanksgiving facts that might surprise you:

1)      The very first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 at Plymouth Rock.  Much like today, there was a crowd of hungry pilgrims to feed.

2)      Sara Josepha Hale, a Boston magazine editor, lobbied for Thanksgiving to be declared a national holiday.  She didn’t know she’d end up in the kitchen.

3)      It was during the Civil War in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November be officially observed as Thanksgiving.

4)      In 1941, a joint congressional resolution appointed the fourth Thursday in November as the official holiday.  Exactly how many Thursdays are there in November anyway?

5)      The cornucopia derived from the ancient Greeks who customarily filled a curved goat’s horn with fruit and grain to symbolize abundance.

6)      Turkeys are native to North America and have been gobbling around for more than ten million years.

7)      Benjamin Franklin thought that, instead of the eagle, the turkey should be our National Bird.  He was outvoted—something we can all be thankful for.

8)      If you’re plucking turkey feathers, just remember that an adult turkey has over 35,000 of ‘em.

9)      A perfectly ripe cranberry will bounce so take careful aim when you throw one at a rowdy guest.

10)   On January 31, 1957, our northern neighbor, Canada, got into the act when they appointed the second Monday in October as their official Thanksgiving holiday.

Memorize these facts and amaze the masses.  Oh yeah—one last thing—don’t forget the pumpkin pie!  Happy Turkey Day to all!