12 Thanksgiving Facts To Share At The Dinner Table

For many people living in the United States, a certain holiday is just right around the windy November corner. This means that school would be off for some days and that there would be some more cozy mornings of sweet, sweet dreams. Now, who doesn’t want some of that?

This federal holiday is known as Thanksgiving or American Thanksgiving, which is different from the Canadian Thanksgiving and it usually happens on the fourth Thursday of November. The event began as a day of thanksgiving and a harvest festival, along with a Thanksgiving dinner. The first Thanksgiving celebration was a three-day harvest festival shared by the Plymouth settlers and Wampanoag Native Americans that took place in 1621.

And just like any other holiday, Thanksgiving is no different because this day is typically celebrated with a feast of delicious food, shared with friends and family. But… when friends and family reunite, we know that questions, discussions, and conversations are going to be popping up left and right. Ooh, will you have space to breathe or what? Who knows. So, before everything gets out of hand, why not break the ice with a dozen trivia facts that will make them ask, "How did you know that?"

Giphy / Peanuts

To learn more about Thanksgiving, download Beelinguapp now and read stories like A Brief History of Thanksgiving and Cooking Our Thanksgiving Feast With Grandma in your target language like French, Spanish, German, Korean, and more.

1. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 as a three-day harvest festival with 50 pilgrims and 80 Wampanoag Native Americans.
2. The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1924 and it featured live bears, elephants, monkeys, and camels from the Central Park Zoo.
3. James Pierpont wrote "Jingle Bells" in 1857 under the original title "One Horse Open Sleigh" for children celebrating Thanksgiving. It was formally changed to "Jingle Bells" in 1859.
4. For more than 35 years, the Turkey Talk-Line or Butterball hotline has been taking calls. Each year, they receive over 100,000 calls. Feel free to call 1-800-BUTTERBALL for your turkey concerns!
5. Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of "Mary Had A Little Lamb," convinced President Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
6. In 1939, President FDR moved Thanksgiving up one week to increase sales during the Great Depression. This period was nicknamed “Franksgiving” until it was moved back in 1941.
7. Thanksgiving was celebrated at Westminster Abbey in 1942 for the American troops stationed in the area.
8. Plumbers are very busy on Black Friday. Roto-Rooter reports it as one of the busiest days due to clogged drains and garbage disposals.
9. In 1989, George H. W. Bush became the first president to officially pardon a turkey. Since then, pardoned turkeys have even served as grand marshals at Disney parks.
10. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is referred to as "Drinksgiving" or "Blackout Wednesday," known as one of the year's biggest drinking days.
11. According to a 2015 Harris Poll, many Americans claim the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers!
12. The American Pie Council reports apple pie is the favorite. Your "Pie Personality" might be:
    • Apple Pie — Independent, realistic, compassionate
    • Chocolate Pie — Loving
    • Pumpkin Pie — Funny and independent
    • Pecan Pie — Thoughtful and analytical