Tradition
What were wishbones used to predict in the 1400s?
Wishbones, usually from geese, were used to predict the weather. Wishbones were put in a cupboard to dry for several weeks. If they stayed white, it meant spring would arrive early. A deep blue or black wishbone was a harbinger of a long, cold winter.
What now extinct animal had a wishbone very similar to a turkey’s?
Tyrannosaurus rex had a wishbone, which is one reason scientists believe dinosaurs and birds are closely related.
What frozen product did Swanson’s introduce to use up a post-Thanksgiving turkey surplus?
In 1953, Swanson’s created a frozen turkey dinner they called “Swanson TV Brand Frozen Dinner.”
What Thanksgiving side dish is the most popular?
Mashed potatoes are the most popular side dish on Thanksgiving, followed by stuffing and rolls
What president declared that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided Thanksgiving would be the fourth Thursday in November instead of the last Thursday in November.
New York hosts the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. What midwestern city hosts the country’s second oldest Thanksgiving parade?
Detroit hosts America’s Parade, generally considered the second oldest Thanksgiving Day parade. (There is debate over this, especially in Detroit, where some local historians believe America’s Parade is older than the Macy’s parade.)
What is a tofurkey?
It is a vegetarian turkey, sold frozen and made from soy protein.
Can wild turkeys fly?
Yes, wild turkeys can fly. (Domesticated turkeys cannot fly.)
The term “Black Friday” was originally coined to describe what event?
The Gold Crash of 1869. Later, it was used to describe the 1929 stock market crash. The Philadelphia police started using the term with its current usage in the early 1960s. No one on the force wanted to work the day after Thanksgiving because of the traffic jams and overcrowded sidewalks filled with shoppers, not to mention the thousands of spectators attending the annual Army-Navy football game played that day
How can you tell if a cranberry is ripe?
A ripe cranberry will bounce like a rubber ball.
What American president declared Thanksgiving a holiday?
Abraham Lincoln was so enthused to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday that he decided it should be celebrated twice a year.
What park does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade begin in?
Central Park
Is turkey hunting more popular in Texas or Alabama?
Alabama. The state worked hard and succeeded in restoring the dwindling numbers of wild turkeys. Now there are two turkey hunting seasons in the state to manage the population.
What is a group of turkeys called?
A group of turkeys is called a rafter.
While many shoppers still go to the malls on Black Friday, others prefer to stay home and wait to shop on _________ Monday.
Cyber
What type of terrain do cranberries grow in?
Cranberries grow in bogs, acidic wetlands created by glacial deposits. Bogs consist of layers of sand, peat, gravel, and clay
What U.S. president said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
John F. Kennedy
There are two professional football teams that traditionally play games on Thanksgiving Day. Can you name one or both of them?
The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys always play games on Thanksgiving Day
What is a turducken?
It is a turkey stuffed with a duck
Do turkeys actually gobble?
Male turkeys gobble, while female turkeys only cluck.
What soup company invented the green bean casserole?
Campbell’s Soup Company published a recipe for the casserole in 1955. It sharply increased sales of their cream of mushroom soup.
People either love or hate what ingredient on sweet potatoes?
Marshmallows. Once considered very gourmet, marshmallows have since become commonplace. Their popularity varies by region.
What founding father wrote that he would have preferred the turkey to the eagle as the national bird?
Benjamin Franklin lobbied in favor of the turkey, writing, “Eagles are of poor moral character. Turkeys are a more noble bird.”
Do more people watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the football games on television?
Football games. Viewership was up for both the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October. What main dish do they traditionally serve for Thanksgiving dinner?
Turkey
What is a “turkey” in the sport of bowling?
Bowling three consecutive strikes is called a turkey.
What city has the busiest airport the week of Thanksgiving: Los Angeles, Atlanta, or Chicago?
Atlanta. It is expected that over 1.3 million people will pass through Atlanta International Airport Thanksgiving week.
What prayer is most commonly recited before eating on Thanksgiving Day?
The Lord’s Prayer
What months did Lincoln earmark for the Thanksgiving holiday?
Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a twice-yearly holiday to be celebrated in August and November. Eventually, the August Thanksgiving faded away
Plymouth, Massachusetts, has historically been credited as the site of the first Thanksgiving feast. Historians have found records of an earlier Thanksgiving in another colony. What’s the name of the colony?
Jamestown (now Virginia)
What do turkeys and squirrels have in common?
Both turkeys and squirrels eat a diet high in acorns.
Which can run faster, a wild turkey or a giraffe?
A giraffe can run 32 miles per hour. A wild turkey can run only 20 miles per hour
True or false: The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always the busiest air travel day of the year in the U.S.
Yes. According to TSA (Transportation Security Administration), the busiest air travel days of the year are the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday following the holiday.
What’s the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?
There is no difference in the U.S. There are true yams in Asia and Africa that are violet colored, very starchy, and grow up to five feet. The orange vegetable sometimes called a yam in the U.S. is actually a soft sweet potato.
Besides inspiring a hit Broadway musical, what founding father said, “No citizen of the U.S. shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
Alexander Hamilton