You may think you know everything about Thanksgiving — turkey, cranberries, genocide, mashed potatoes — but there’s more to this infamous holiday than meets the eye.
- The U.S. president pardons a turkey on Thanksgiving every year.
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George H.W. Bush was the first president to pardon, or release, his turkey in 1989. He realized his 50-pound turkey was looking a little anxious and felt bad. Some turkeys pardoned by their respective presidents have gone on to become grand marshal in Disney’s annual Thanksgiving parade.
- In the lead-up to Thanksgiving, there’s a 24/7 helpline for homemakers struggling with their turkey.
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Since a lot of people only make a turkey once a year, it’s pretty common to make a mistake. The Butterball Turkey Talk Line is here to help, however. During the Thanksgiving season, they answer almost 100,000 calls. Need help? Call or text 1-800-BUTTERBALL.
- Turkeys have been to outer space — despite their inability to fly.
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In 1968, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ate thermo-stabilized turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce on the moon, making them the first people to eat on the moon.
- TV dinners were inspired by a Thanksgiving mishap.
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If I’m thankful for anything this year, it’s those microwavable, 98¢ dinners you can find at almost any store. Luckily, we’ve got a Swanson brand employee to thank for that. An accidental order of 260 tons of Thanksgiving turkeys led salesman Gerry Thomas to come up with the idea of filling 5,000 aluminum trays with turkey, creating the massive TV dinner industry.
- There are 33 U.S. cities for hardcore Thanksgiving fans to celebrate.
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The U.S. Census has found four U.S. cities named Turkey in Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana. Additionally, there are eight other cities named Cranberry in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. I’m sure the grandest celebrations happen in the 42 cities named Plymouth, ranging from Delaware to California.
Now that you’ve got enough trivia for the full 4,500-calorie meal, enjoy your Thanksgiving break and post-turkey nap!