SS - Thanksgiving Jeopardy

Thanksgiving Foods

100

What is the most popular main course served on Thanksgiving Day?

Ham

Turkey

Roast Beef

Turkey, often leading to the holiday being nicknamed "Turkey Day".

200

What is the most popular Thanksgiving dessert?

pecan pie

apple pie

pumpkin pie

1. Pumpkin pie - 29%

2. Apple pie - 20%

3. Pecan pie - 14%

300

What is the most disliked food at Thanksgiving?

Turkey

Cranberries

Green bean casserole

1. Cranberry Sauce — 30.51%
2. Turkey — 29.11%
3. Green Bean Casserole — 27.52%

400

What is The loose red skin attached to the underside of a turkey’s beak called? 

wattle

snood

hood

          

The Wattle, there is also a similar red growth hanging from the top of the beak called a snood. Both can change color & size depending on the turkey's mood. 

500

What is the best way to tell if a cranberry is ripe?

See if it bounces

The cranberry is hard

The cranberry is soft

The best way to tell if a cranberry is ripe is the "bounce test": a ripe, firm cranberry will bounce when dropped due to an internal air pocket

600

What percentage of Americans prefer Thanksgiving leftovers to Thanksgiving dinner?

90%

66%

10%

Roughly 66% of Americans prefer Thanksgiving leftovers to the original dinner, with some surveys finding this figure as high as 70% or even 79%

700

How much did the world's most expensive Thanksgiving dinner on record cost? **DOUBLE points awarded for the correct city**

$7,000

$50,000

$181,000

New York City’s Old Homestead Steakhouse served the world’s most expensive Thanksgiving dinner at $181,000, including some of the world’s richest ingredients — headlined by two free-range, $145-per-pound gold-painted, gold-dusted and gold-flaked turkeys — but also equally rich experiences, like a $50,000 seven-day SeaDream Yacht Club Cruise for two, with luxurious owner’s suite accommodations.

800

What is the number of calories consumed on an average person's plate on thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberries, cornbread, rolls, pumpkin pie....

3,000

1,000

500

Americans take in an average of between 3,000 to 4,500 calories at their Thanksgiving celebrations, according to estimates by the Calorie Control Council.

Thanksgiving Traditions

100

What is the number one Thanksgiving tradition of most Americans?

Going shopping

Watching the parade

Gathering with family & friends

The number one Thanksgiving tradition for Americans is gathering with family and friends to share a large feast. It is a key element of the holiday, symbolizing gratitude and togetherness.

200

In 2024, approximately how many people viewed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on their tv from home?

1 million

100 thousand

31.5 million

The 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade set a new record for viewers across all platforms, including NBC and Peacock. This is a 10% increase from 2023.

300

What is a popular Thanksgiving Tradition practiced when people sit down to eat Thanksgiving dinner?

Argue with each other

Play games on their phones

Say what you are grateful for

A popular tradition is giving thanks by going around the table to share what everyone is grateful for. Breaking the wishbone is also a common and beloved post-meal activity.

400

What other country celebrates Thanksgiving, although not on the same day as Americans?

Mexico

Canada

Greenland

Canada is the other country that celebrates Thanksgiving, though it falls on the second Monday of October, earlier than the American holiday.

500

What is the name of department store known for their extravagant Thanksgiving? 

Macy's

Target

Walmart

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

600

Which city's Thanksgiving Day Parade ends with Santa Claus getting a key to the city?

Pittsburgh

New York

Detroit

Detroit

700

Which city holds the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the America?

Philadelphia

Detroit

New York

First held in 1920, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade has a legacy as the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in America (Macy's didn't start until 1924). The parade was created by Gimbel Brothers Department Store for the children and residents of Philadelphia.

800

What is the number of turkeys consumed every year at Thanksgiving? (Remember there are approximately 347.28 million to 347.968 million in the US.) 

1 million

46 million

12 million

46 Million according to the National Turkey Federation and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association. This equates to roughly 1.4 billion pounds of turkey for the holiday. 

Thanksgiving History

100

What are the names of the two ship the Pilgrims boarded to start their journey to Plymouth, Massachusetts?

Mayflower and Speedwell

Nina and Pinta

Freedom of the Seas and Icon of the Seas

Mayflower & Speedwell. The journey was originally planned for both ships to travel together, but the Speedwell proved to be unseaworthy, forcing passengers to transfer to the Mayflower.

200

According to historical documents, what was on the menu for the first Thanksgiving?

There are only two surviving documents that reference the original Thanksgiving harvest meal. They describe a feast of freshly killed deer, assorted wildfowl, a seafood and fish, nuts and berries, and a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge.

300

Who president named Thanksgiving as a holiday?

Abraham Lincoln

George Washington

George Bush

Abraham Lincoln is credited with designating Thanksgiving as a national holiday through a proclamation in 1863. He declared the last Thursday in November as a day for national Thanksgiving, though it was officially established as a federal holiday later by Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

400

What was The year of the first Thanksgiving?

2023

1621

1774

1621

500

What is the number of days the first Thanksgiving celebration lasted?

1 day

14 days

3 days

The event spanned 3 days of feasting and activities with the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe.

600

What seafood was served on the first Thanksgiving?

Lobsters

Clams & Oysters

Mussels

Fish & eels

The first Thanksgiving included shellfish like lobster, clams, and mussels, as well as fish such as eels and bass

700

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, but what year was it first observed as a national holiday? 

1873

2023

1995

1873

800

When was the Macy's first Thanksgiving parade?

1915

1920

1924

1924

Thanksgiving facts

100

What is a popular crop that the Pilgrims did not know that the Wampanoag taught them to grow?

Indian corn

Rye

Barley

Wheat

Corn (Maize): Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to successfully cultivate the native corn, which grew better in the New England soil than English grains. They also shared their knowledge of other native crops like squash and beans, & taught the Pilgrims to use a fish as fertilizer to improve the poor New England soil.

200

To date what movie holds the record for the highest-grossing weekend in Thanksgiving history?

Wicked

Moana 2

Frozen 2

Grossing $221 million across North America in 2024, “Moana 2” shattered box office records with the biggest five-day opening of all time — including the biggest Thanksgiving debut ever.

300

Female turkeys do not make a "gobble" sound, only male turkeys do.

True

False

You probably associate turkeys with a “gobble” sound, but only male turkeys actually emit that call—which is why they’re known as gobblers.

400

Who was the first President to official grant pardon a turkey on Thanksgiving in 1989?

Donald Trump

George H.W. Bush

Barak Obama

The tradition of US President receiving turkeys as gifts traces back to the 1870s. However, the first official turkey “pardon” was granted by George H.W. Bush.

500

Cranberries are harvested in bogs.

True

False

True

600

Which President refused to celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday?

Thomas Jefferson

Abraham Lincoln

Franklin Roosevelt

Thomas Jefferson's decision was based on his belief in a strict separation of church & state, and that the federal government should not endorse religious practices like a day of thanksgiving. 

700

How many pounds of glitter are sprinkled on Macy's Thanksgiving Parade floats and costumes in 2024? 

300 lbs

150 lbs

75 lbs

In 2024, approximately 300 pounds of glitter were used on the floats & costumes for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This was part of a larger effort that also included 2,000 gallons of paint & 200 pounds of confetti.

800

What is The speed that turkeys can run when scared?

5 mph

50 mph

25 mph

When scared, wild turkeys can run at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. This is a crucial escape mechanism, and they can also burst into a short flight at high speeds if needed. 

Thanksgiving Trivia

100

What state raises the most turkeys?

Colorado

New York

Minnesota

• Minnesota: Leads in the number of turkeys raised, producing approximately 32 million birds in 2024. While Minnesota produced the most birds, North Carolina produces a higher total weight due to its larger average turkey size.  

200

Wild turkeys have made a major comeback from near extinction and can now be found across 49 states. What US state do turkeys not live in?

Florida

Georgia

Alaska

Wild turkeys live in every US state except Alaska. Thanks to conservation efforts, wild turkeys have made a major comeback from near extinction and can now be found across 49 states.

300

What is the US state that produces the most cranberries?

Wisconsin

Massachusetts

Oregon

New Jersey

The leading cranberry-producing states are Wisconsin (5.3M), Massachusetts (1.8M), Oregon (560K) & New Jersey (520K). Wisconsin is the top cranberry producer in the country, accounting for more than half of the nation’s total output.

400

What is the amount of NFL games played on Thanksgiving?

1

0

15

3

The Detroit Lions have played at home on Thanksgiving every year since 1934 -- except when games were paused from 1939 to 1944 during World War II. The annual holiday tradition expanded to add a home game for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s. In 2006, the NFL added a third game with no specific host team to the prime-time window. 

500

There is a popular myth that states Benjamin Franklin wanted a different bird, not the bald eagle, as the national bird of the United States. What bird did he want as the national bird?

Hawk

Seagull

Turkey

The myth was that Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be chosen as the national bird. Franklin's actual stance: Franklin did not propose the turkey to replace the eagle as the national symbol. His proposal for the Great Seal did not include any birds. 

 

600

What caused about 1/2 of the Pilgrim population to die off in their 1st year living in New England?

eating corn and beans for the first time

undercooked turkey

sickness and starvation

About half of the Pilgrim population died in their first year due to a combination of factors, primarily a devastating epidemic of disease & harsh conditions of their first winter. The long voyage left them weak and ill, & they arrived too late to prepare for the winter, leading to starvation, lack of shelter, and scurvy. 

700

How many passengers were there on the Mayflower?

30

102

500

There were 102 passengers & 30 crew that set sail on the Mayflower in September 1620 - some of them were fleeing religious persecution in England, but others were travelling to America to set up new commercial ventures.

800

What Native American tribe joined the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving in the autumn of 1621?

Cherokee

Navajo

Wampanoag

At least 90 Wampanoag joined 52 English people at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, to mark a successful harvest emembered today as the “First Thanksgiving”.