Thanksgiving Rocks!

November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving Fun Facts 

• Originally Thanksgiving was really just a three-day long “party” that followed the autumn harvest where folks shared meat, bread and beer … the three food groups.

• The first observed Thanksgiving was celebrated by Plymouth Pilgrims in the fall of 1621, giving thanks for those pilgrims that survived the journey over on the Mayflower (40% of them were children).

• Joining in the feast of 1621 were the Wampanoag, including the chief, Massasoit and 90 other tribesman. They were honored at the feast for helping the pilgrims survive by teaching them the skills of cultivating the land.

• Dates of the holiday bounced around for years until President Roosevelt signed a bill that made the official holiday on the fourth Thursday of November.

• Why turkey? Well, back in 1621 turkey was plentiful, so just like any good pilgrim they used what they had on hand. Imagine if they only had fields of soybeans, then folks would be lining up for blocks of tofu (let's here if for tofurkey).

• There wasn’t just eating going on, there were games too – gee, sounds familiar to today’s football extravaganza!

• Wild turkeys have great vision and hearing. They are also very speedy 20 mph and with flight can reach 50-55 mph – dang! Those pilgrims really had to work for their meals. Maybe this was a precursor to the reason why lots of folks go out and exercise a ton before filling up on turkey and stuffing.

• Last but certainly not least, integral to the thanksgiving feast was a little known drink called BEER! Pilgrims rock.