Surprising Thanksgiving Fun Facts

Thanksgiving comes with a century of surprising facts behind the traditions. Whether you need a Thanksgiving trivia round or just want to wow the table, here are the Thanksgiving fun facts that explain how the holiday got its shape — and the numbers behind America's biggest meal.

Turkey by the Numbers

Roughly 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving in the United States, and the National Turkey Federation has been sending a bird to the White House since the 1940s. The presidential pardon, though, only became an annual tradition in 1989 under George H. W. Bush — the same year the first 'official' pardoned turkey was spared. The average Thanksgiving meal packs around 3,000 calories and 150 grams of fat.

The Parade & Football

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924 — but the first giant character balloon didn't float down the route until 1927. Thanksgiving football is older still: the first intercollegiate Thanksgiving Day game was played in 1876, and the NFL's Thanksgiving slate began in 1920 with the Akron Pros. The Detroit Lions have hosted every year since 1934, and the Dallas Cowboys joined the tradition in 1966.

A Few More to Wow the Table

The word 'cornucopia' comes from the Latin for 'horn of abundance.' The first Thanksgiving in 1621 lasted three days and had no cranberry sauce (sugar was scarce). Jellied cranberry sauce — the kind that keeps the can's ridges — debuted in 1912, years before sliced bread was invented in 1928. And 'Friendsgiving' only entered common use in the 2010s, though the potluck-with-friends idea is far older.

Use Them for Trivia

Thanksgiving trivia questions and answers make an easy post-dinner game — split the table into teams and keep it light. Pull a few of these fun facts onto a card at each place setting, or turn them into a 'guess the number of cranberries' jar for the kids. The best Thanksgiving activities turn the history into a game.