Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, and honestly, it’s way more interesting than most people realise. Every year, Americans come together on the fourth Thursday of November to enjoy a big meal, spend time with family, and show gratitude. In 2025, Thanksgiving falls on November 27, and just like every year, millions of people will be travelling, cooking, and keeping up with long-standing traditions.
But before the holiday became what it is today, it had a very different beginning. The first Thanksgiving in 1621 was not a one-day feast, it was not in November, and it definitely didn’t look like the modern spread we see today.
From seafood on the menu to football traditions and giant parade balloons, Thanksgiving has changed a lot over the last 400 years.
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Thanksgiving Fun Facts
So, if you are curious about the real stories behind the holiday, check out these fun and surprising Thanksgiving facts that you will love.
1. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days
The 1621 celebration in Plymouth went on for three full days with feasting, games, and activities.
2. The first Thanksgiving wasn’t celebrated in November
Historians believe it actually took place in late September or October as a harvest festival.
3. There were around 150 guests at the First Thanksgiving
About 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag people joined the feast.
4. Only four women were present
Most women who travelled on the Mayflower did not survive the harsh winter, so very few were at the celebration.
5. The ‘first’ Thanksgiving may not have been the first
A similar feast happened in Florida in 1565, long before Plymouth’s gathering.
6. Turkey was not the star of the day in the First Thanksgiving
Seafood like mussels and clams made up most of the meal. People also ate ducks, geese, and swans.
7. The Wampanoag brought five deer
They arrived at the celebration with a generous offering of venison.
8. Native Americans used cranberries for dye
They used them as food, medicine, and even fabric dye, but no cranberry sauce because sugar was unavailable.
9. No potatoes at the first feast
Potatoes were not popular or common enough to be part of the meal back then.
10. Pumpkin pie didn’t exist yet
They ate pumpkin and squash, but they didn’t have the ingredients to bake pies.
11. You can live in a town called Turkey
Three U.S. towns named ‘Turkey’ are located in Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
12. The first Thanksgiving football game happened in 1876
Yale and Princeton kicked off the tradition.
13. The NFL’s Thanksgiving tradition began in 1934
The Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears, starting a yearly custom.
14. Parade balloons first appeared in 1927
They were filled with oxygen, not helium, and featured giant animals.
15. Americans eat 704 million pounds of turkey
That is more than 40 million turkeys each Thanksgiving.
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16. A president once changed Thanksgiving
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date earlier to boost holiday shopping. The public hated it and called it “Franksgiving.”
17. “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song
It was written in 1857 for children celebrating the holiday.
18. Americans eat a LOT on Thanksgiving
The average person consumes around 4,500 calories in a single day.
19. Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey over the bald eagle
He believed the turkey was a “more respectable bird.”
20. Strong winds once ruined parade balloons
In 1997, balloons like Barney and the Cat in the Hat were damaged mid-parade.
21. Thanksgiving is America’s second-favourite holiday
Only Christmas ranks higher.
22. Americans eat about 50 million pumpkin pies
Even then, apple pie is still the country’s favourite.
23. There are 34 cities named Plymouth
Many are named after the famous original settlement.
24. Thanksgiving travel breaks records
After Thanksgiving 2024, the TSA screened 3.08 million passengers, the highest ever.
25. Over one million people complete a turkey trot each year.
Around 1,000 turkey trots take place around the country the morning of Thanksgiving.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving may seem like a holiday filled with familiar traditions, but once you learn the real stories behind it, the day becomes even more meaningful. From the three-day harvest feast in 1621 to today’s football games, parades, and giant family dinners, Thanksgiving has grown and changed in so many ways.
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Difference between American Thanksgiving and Canadian Thanksgiving
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