I’ll be the first to admit that I actually don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. With my extended family halfway across the world, there was never a reason for my immediate family to throw a large feast. Besides, my family doesn’t even eat turkey; we typically make a chicken curry on Thanksgiving and feast on that. Given all of this, Thanksgiving was never a big holiday for me. Recently, though, I’ve discovered my passion for food and baking, and I’m now using the holiday as an excuse to bake more pies. In the spirit of Thanksgiving and my love for food, here’s a brief history of why people eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
To begin, the Pilgrims never actually ate turkey. There are records of “fowl” being present at the Plymouth feast, but it was likely duck or goose. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the turkey grew in popularity. They were practical for farmers due to their availability and large enough to feed many, but they still were not part of the Thanksgiving tradition.
Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol) and Sarah Jospeha Hale (Northwood) greatly inspired the turkey dinner with illustrative turkey feasts in each of their respective books. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday and soon Thanksgiving and turkey became synonymous. Even in the 20th century, turkey was still prevalent on dining tables everywhere as turkey became more affordable.
Thanksgiving is a special time of year for many but please remember to celebrate safely! Feast on some turkey and spend time with family members. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.