The History of Thanksgiving (Encore)

Food Traditions

Thanksgiving is synonymous with turkey, but the Pilgrims' feast included a variety of foods. They ate geese, ducks, swans, lobster, deer, fish, oysters, and even passenger pigeons, which are now extinct. Turkeys became popular because they are native to North America and large enough to feed many guests. 1

The first frozen TV dinner was designed to be a Thanksgiving turkey dinner. It was created by the Swanson company in 1954 after they massively overestimated the demand for turkey in 1953.

--- Gary Arndt

Root vegetables like turnips and onions were common, but there were no potatoes or cranberry sauce at the first Thanksgiving. 1

   

Parades & Sports

Football and parades are integral to modern Thanksgiving celebrations. The NFL has hosted Thanksgiving games since 1920, with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys being traditional teams. Parades, especially the Macy's parade in New York, have been a tradition for over 100 years, originally sponsored by department stores to promote the Christmas season. 2

The Macy's parade balloons were introduced in 1928 to replace zoo animals, which were the original parade attraction.

--- Gary Arndt

The National Turkey Federation has given turkeys to the White House since 1947, with the first official turkey pardon by Ronald Reagan in 1987. 2

   

Global Reach

Thanksgiving is not exclusively American; it is celebrated in various forms around the world. Canadians celebrate it in October, a tradition brought by American loyalists. In Norfolk Island, Australia, it was introduced by American whaling ships in the 19th century. 2

Japan has a thanksgiving which was adopted during the American occupation after World War Two.

--- Gary Arndt

Liberia also celebrates Thanksgiving, particularly among the Amero-Liberian population, descendants of freed slaves who migrated there. 2