Photo by timsackton
Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. It is a day for people to give thanks for the blessings in their lives, and is often celebrated with family gatherings, feasting, and parades.
The origin of Thanksgiving in the United States can be traced back to the 1620s, when a group of English Pilgrims arrived in what is now Massachusetts and established a colony at Plymouth. The Pilgrims struggled to survive in the harsh new environment, and were aided by the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, who taught them how to farm and hunt.
In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag celebrated a three-day harvest festival to give thanks for the bounty of their crops and the success of their colony. This event is often considered the first Thanksgiving.
The celebration of Thanksgiving became an annual tradition in the United States in the 19th century, and was officially designated a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated with many traditional foods, including turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and is a time for families and friends to come together and give thanks for the good things in their lives.
Thanksgiving Facts and Stats
First Thanksgiving feast:
1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts
Number of days that the first Thanksgiving lasted:
President that declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in the US:
Percentage of all annual turkey consumed in the US that is eaten on Thanksgiving:
Percentage of Americans that eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day:
Number of green bean casseroles served on Thanksgiving:
Percentage of all annual cranberries consumed in the US that are eaten during Thanksgiving:
Number of Americans that will travel 50 or more miles for Thanksgiving:
The biggest bar night of the year in America:
Year of the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
(Wayyyyy more Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Facts here)
Thanksgiving dinner in 2021 is estimated to cost 14% more than it did in 2020
(Turkeys cost 18% more YOY)
Bonus: Did you know that in 1939, FDR actually changed the official date of Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday in November….the change only lasted 2 years.
See Also: Interesting Black Friday Facts and Stats