Turkey Day is rapidly approaching, collegiettes. Before we know it, we will be packing a bag and heading home for a much-needed break from our classes. Thanksgiving is a great time for catching up with our families and friends, but in case there is a lull in dinner conversation, here are some facts that are sure to dazzle your guests:
1. Thanksgiving was not declared an official national holiday until 1941, which was 320 years after the first “thanksgiving” meal in 1621.
2. The first Thanksgiving took place over the course of three days and was between the settlers in Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag Indians.
3. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade used to be called the Macy’s Christmas Parade because when it began in 1924, Thanksgiving was not yet an official holiday.
4. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October.
5. According to the National Turkey Federation—yes, that is a real thing—approximately 12% of Americans do not eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
6. Out of all the U.S. states, Minnesota produces the most turkeys.
7. The first meal that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ate on the moon was turkey.
8. The largest pumpkin pie ever made weighed 2,020 pounds and was over 12 feet long in diameter.
9. European settlers decided the name “turkey” for these birds because the taste reminded them of a bird that was typically imported from Turkey.
10. Benjamin Franklin once wrote a letter to his daughter expressing his wish that the turkey would be the official bird of the United States, instead of the bald eagle.
Were any of these facts particularly surprising to you? Let us know if you have any Thanksgiving fun facts of your own and keep in touch with us @hercampusqu. Enjoy the upcoming break, everyone!