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THANKSGIVING LEGENDS AND ODDITIES

Thanksgiving
Tucked away between the two monster sized holidays of Halloween and Christmas, Thanksgiving receives far less attention. But Thanksgiving is a very important holiday, especially to Americans with their busy lives. It is a time to kick back and relax, watch football games, go to movies, visit with love ones and enjoy a large family feast. Also, it's time for us to give thanks for the things bestowed upon us and America. There is no nation in the world that has more to be thankful for than America.

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The Thanksgiving Story
The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.

The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.

Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.

Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.

This "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year. But in 1623, during a severe drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain. When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends. It wasn't until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed.

On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives".

October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair.

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving.

It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies' Magazine, and later, in Godey's Lady's Book. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated between the Pilgrims and the Indians in 1621.That first feast was a three day affair. Life for the early settlers was difficult. The fall harvest was time for celebration.  It was also a time of prayer, thanking God for a good crop. The Pilgrims and the Indians created a huge feast including a wide variety of animals and fowl, as well as fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest. This early celebration was the start of today's holiday celebration. Like then, we celebrate with a huge feast.

Today, most of us enjoy Turkey with "all the trimming". The "trimming" include a wide variety of foods that are a tradition for your family. Those traditional foods often replicate the foods at the first Thanksgiving feast. While others, are traditional ethnic or religious group's recipe, or a special food item that your family always serves at Thanksgiving dinner. Then, to top it off, pumpkin pies, apple pies, an even mince meat pies are bountiful around the table.

The American traditions of Thanksgiving revolve around a huge and lavish meal, usually with Turkey as the centerpiece. For those who do not like Turkey , a Roast or Prime Rib is common. As tradition has it in most families, a special prayer of thanks precedes the meal. In many homes, family members will each mention something they are very thankful for.

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Thanksgiving Trivia

• Did you know? Potatoes were not part of the first Thanksgiving. Irish immigrants had not yet brought them to North America .
• After the first Thanksgiving, the observance was sporadic and almost forgotten until the early 1800's. It was usually celebrated in late September or October. In 1941, Congress made it a national holiday and set the date as the fourth Thursday in November.

Turkey Trivia

(1.)  Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for over 10 million years.
(2.) In Mexico, the turkey was considered a sacrificial bird. As an article of tribute Montezuma received 365,000 turkeys per year from his subjects.
(3.) The American Indians hunted wild turkey for its sweet, juicy meat as early as 1000 AD. Turkey feathers were used to stabilize arrows and adorn ceremonial dress, and the spurs on the legs of wild tom turkeys were used as projectiles on arrowheads. They also shared a place in their folklore. The Navajos tell of an enormous hen turkey that flew over their fields bringing them corn and teaching them how to cultivate their crops. The Apache Indians considered the turkey timid and wouldn't eat it or use its feathers on their arrows.
(4.) Benjamin Franklin was displeased when the bald eagle was chosen over his proposed "original native" turkey as a national symbol. He said the turkey is a more respectable bird and a true original native of America.
(5.) Until 1863, Thanksgiving day had not been celebrated annually since the first feast in 1621. This changed in 1863 when Sarah Josepha Hale encouraged Abraham Lincoln to set aside the last Thursday in November "as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer."
(6.) Turkey eggs are pale creamy tan with brown speckles, and twice as large as chicken eggs. They hatch in 28 days. A baby turkey is called a poult and is tan and brown.
(7.) Domesticated turkeys (farm raised) cannot fly. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances at up to 55 miles per hour. Wild turkeys are also fast on the ground, running at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.
(8.) A large group of turkeys is called a flock.
(9.) Only male turkeys (toms) gobble; females (hens) make a clicking noise. The gobble is a seasonal call during the Spring and Fall. Hens are attracted for mating when a tom gobbles. Wild toms love to gobble when they hear loud sounds or settle in for the night.
(10.) Turkeys have great hearing, a poor sense of smell, but an excellent sense of taste. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult.
(11.) Turkeys are fed mainly a balanced diet of corn and soybean meal mixed with a supplement of vitamins and minerals. On average, it takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30-pound tom turkey.
(12.) Mature turkeys have 3,500 or so feathers at maturity.
(13.) The Guinness Book of Records states that the largest dressed weight (cooked, with dressing) recorded for a turkey is 39.09 kg (86 lb.) on December 12, 1989.
(14.) In 1999, about 273 million turkeys were raised in the United States. An estimated 276 million turkeys will be raised in 2000.
(15.) More than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten during Thanksgiving.
(16.) The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds. A 15-pound turkey typically has about 70% white meat and 30% dark meat.
(17.) Americans feast on approximately 535 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving.
(18.) Last year 2.74 billion pounds of turkey were processed in the United States.
(19.) Californians are the biggest turkey eaters in the country. They eat three pounds more turkey than the average American consumer.
(20.) Ninety percent of American homes eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Fifty percent eat turkey on Christmas.
(21.) The good old-fashioned turkey sandwich is the most popular way for Americans to prepare the fowl, accounting for 44 percent of consumption.
(22.) North Carolina produces 61 million turkeys annually, more than any other state. Minnesota and Arkansas are number two and three.
(23.) When U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to eat their first meal on the moon in their historic 1969 voyage, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all the trimmings.

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Top 10 Reasons College Students Look Forward to Thanksgiving Break

10. You'll know that your turkey is a Butterball rather than a Grade E yet semi-edible fur ball.

9. Your mother will not be serving your mashed potatoes and stuffing with an ice cream scooper.

8. Pumpkin pie is a great alternative to green Jello.

7. After your eighth glass of cider, your emergency dash to the bathroom will not be delayed by having to line the seat with toilet paper.

6. Clean underwear, comfortable bed, access to a car, bedroom larger than a 12x14 cell.. OK, even if it is for only four days.

5. To eat your meals the only trek you'll have to make is from the couch to the kitchen, rather than the dorm to the dining hall...in below freezing weather.

4. Instead of listening to "when I first started teaching here..." you can be entertained by "when your mother was your age.." and "during the Depression we weren't lucky enough to have brussels sprouts. Hell, all we could afford was the sprout!"

3. You can eat your corn steamed with butter rather than popped in your microwave

2. You'll know the hair in the shower drain is your own.

1. You won't be eating your Thanksgiving meal off a tray!

Thanksgiving Jokes

• The pro football team had just finished their daily practice session when a large turkey came strutting onto the field. While the players gazed in amazement, the turkey walked up to the head coach and demanded a tryout. Everyone stared in silence as the turkey caught pass after pass and ran right through the defensive line. When the turkey returned to the sidelines, the coach shouted, "You're terrific!!! Sign up for the season, and I'll see to it that you get a huge bonus." "Forget the bonus," the turkey said, "All I want to know is, does the season go past Thanksgiving Day?"
• What key has legs and can't open doors?
  A Turkey.
• Gobbler said, "Doctor, help me! I can't stop acting like a turkey!"
  "I see," said the doctor. "How long have you had this problem?"
  "Let me think a second. Mom laid the egg in 1954..."
• What did the mother turkey say to her disobedient children?
  If your father could see you now, he'd turn over in his gravy!
• If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
  Pilgrims!
• Why did the turkey cross the road?
  It was the chicken's day off.
• If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?
  Their AGE
• Why can't you take a turkey to church?
  Because they use such FOWL language
• What are the feathers on a turkey's wings called?
  Turkey feathers
• What's the best dance to do on Thanksgiving?
  The turkey trot
• Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?
  Yes - a building can't jump at all
• What do you get when you cross a turkey with an octopus?
  Enough drumsticks for Thanksgiving
• How can you make a turkey float?
  You need 2 scoops of ice cream, some root beer, and a turkey
• What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?
  Plymouth Rock
• Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
  The outside
• Why did they let the turkey join the band?
  Because he had the drumsticks
• Why did the police arrest the turkey?
  They suspected it of fowl play
• What's the key to a great Thanksgiving dinner?
  The turKEY
• What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
  Boy! I'm stuffed!
• Where did the first corn come from?
  The stalk brought it
• Why did the Indian chief wear so many feathers?
  To keep his wigwam
• What happened to the Pilgrim who was shot at by an Indian?
  He had an arrow escape
• How did the Mayflower show that it liked America?
  It hugged the shore
• Just before Thanksgiving, the holding pen was abuzz as Mother Turkey scolded her younger birds. 'You turkeys are always into mischief,' she gobbled. 'If your grandfather could see the things you do, he'd turn over in his gravy.
• An industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding to perfect a better turkey.
  His family was fond of the leg portion for dinner and there were never enough legs for everyone.
• After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was relating the results of his efforts to his friends at the general store get together.
  "Well I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!"
  They all asked the farmer how it tasted.
  "I Don't know" said the farmer.
  "I never could catch the darn thing!"

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George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

G. Washington (his actual signature)

Note: Shortly after the Thanksgiving Proclamation was written, it was lost for 130 years. The original document was written in long hand by William Jackson, secretary to the President, and was then signed by George Washington. It was probably misplaced or mixed in with some private papers when the US capitol moved from New York to Washington, D.C. The original manuscript was not placed in the National Archives until 1921 when Dr. J. C. Fitzpatrick, assistant chief of the manuscripts division of the Library of Congress found the proclamation at an auction sale being held at an art gallery in New York. Dr Fitzpatrick purchased the document for $300.00 for the Library of Congress, in which it now resides. It was the first official presidential proclamation issued in the United States.

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Last Update: Monday June 18, 2007 11:53 A.M.

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