1. A Turkey Dinner
Turkey is the most common food served on Thanksgiving, but how exactly did this tradition originate? Turkey most likely was not served during the first Thanksgiving back in 1621. Although the exact origin of this tradition is unknown, the turkey's popularity had to do with availability, cost and a carryover tradition from England. In 1863 when Thanksgiving became a national holiday, Turkeys were fresh, affordable and big enough to feed the entire crowd. Cows were more useful alive than dead, and commercial beef wasn't widely available until the late 19th century. Rooster meat was tough and hens were more valuable for producing eggs than becoming the main dish. Among all the birds, turkey was ideal for a feast in the Fall because turkeys born in the Spring would spend about 7 months eating and growing to about 10 pounds by Thanksgiving. Turkeys were also cheaper than geese and chickens, and cost was an important factor for holiday shoppers.
2. Cranberry Sauce
Whether you love it or not, cranberry sauce has become quite the Thanksgiving commodity. While cranberries were present at the time of the first Thanksgiving, they were used for medicinal purposes and as dyes. Considering that sugar, a key component to cranberry sauce, was a luxury item during the time of the first Thanksgiving, making the sauce was quite expensive then. It is unclear when the first batch of cranberry sauce was actually made, but one thing we do know is that our modern-day canned cranberry sauce was developed by Ocean Spray in the early 1900s. How the sauce became widely used for Thanksgiving meals remains a mystery, but some say that cranberries officially became a part of the national Thanksgiving tradition in 1864 when General Ulysses S. Grant ordered cranberries be served to soldiers as part of their holiday meal.
3. The Wishbone
Another common Thanksgiving tradition is the breaking of the turkey's wishbone. The wishbone is an oddly-shaped forked bone located right between the neck and breast of a bird. According to legend, the Etruscans began the tradition. They believed chickens had fortune telling powers. In the event a chicken was killed for a meal, the sacred collarbone was saved to let dry in the sun. Tribe members were allowed to make a wish while stroking the drying bone. The Romans took many of the Etruscan customs as their own. Everyone wanted good fortune, so they fought over the bones, eventually breaking them. The tradition then spread throughout Europe and on to America. Just remember that the bone won't crack properly unless it's dry and brittle. The term "wishbone" didn't emerge until the mid-1800s, but the rules have stayed the same. Each person grabs an end and the one with the bigger piece gets his or her wish granted!
4. Turkey Pardoning
Turkey farmers have been sending presidents their best birds since the 1800s. Each Thanksgiving, the President pardons a turkey, sparing the bird from someone's dinner table and ensuring the rest of its days will be spent roaming a farm. Beginning in 1873 during Grant's presidency, a Rhode Island man named Horace Vose was responsible for selecting the noblest gobbler for the President's Thanksgiving dinner, a tradition he carried out for more than 25 years. In 1947, the National Turkey Federation took on the role of official turkey supplier to the President. That year, the White House also began holding a turkey receiving ceremony which many confuse with the beginning of the pardoning tradition. However, back then the turkeys were more likely destined for the dining room table than a farm.
So when did the pardoning begin? Tales date back to President Lincoln, when his son Tad begged his father to write out a presidential pardon for the bird meant for the family's dinner, arguing it had as much a right to live as anyone. In 1963, President Kennedy decided to send the turkey back to the farm it came from saying "We'll just let this one grow." President George H.W. Bush was the first to actually offer a turkey pardon. On November 14, 1989, he announced that year's bird had been granted a presidential pardon. He sent the turkey to Frying Pan Park in Herndon, Viginia, and with that, a tradition was born.
5. Thanksgiving Football Games
In 1934, G.A. Richards bought the Portsmouth, Ohio Spartans NFL team, moved them to Detroit and renamed them the Lions. Despite winning all their games but one leading up to Thanksgiving, the average turnout for the games was only around 12,000 people. At the time, various high schools and colleges were holding significant games on Thanksgiving. Although a risky decision, Richards decided to try to bring this same tradition to the NFL. He convinced the NFL to allow the Lions and defending World Champion Chicago Bears to play for the Western Division title on Thanksgiving Day. Richards used his considerable influence in radio to convince NBC that they should broadcast the game across the US through radio, which had never been done before for an NFL game. The game ended up being a huge success, with a sold out crowd of 26,000 fans and broadcast across the nation on over 94 different radio stations. Even though the Lions lost 19-16, the game was such a success that Richards fought to be allowed to continue having the Lions play on Thanksgiving Day and having it broadcast across the country. Hence, a tradition was born.
6. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Many of you probably watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV each year, while others actually line the streets to watch it in person. Company employees held the first parade in 1924, where live animals from Central Park Zoo were marched through New York City's streets. The event became so popular that the company decided to make it an annual tradition. In 1927, Macy's unveiled its first giant balloon character, Felix the Cat. The Mickey Mouse balloon wasn't introduced until 1934. When war struck in 1942, the parade was put on a hiatus until 1944 due to a national helium shortage and the balloons were donated to the U.S. government for World War II supplies, particularly scrap rubber. When the war ended, the tradition simply grew in popularity. Now approximately 3.5 million people arrive in person to see the floats each year and an additional 50 million watch the parade on TV.
Mission Bay wishes you a very happy Thanksgiving! Mission Bay offers Lake living at its finest with gorgeous lake view and lakefront homes at the Lake of the Ozarks. The development boasts an exquisite clubhouse with heated indoor pool and outdoor pool and hot tub for entertaining family and friends. Nearby is the new Woods Supermarket, lake front restaurants and just 6 minutes from Camdenton via the improved Highway 5.
Mission Bay wishes you a very happy Thanksgiving! Mission Bay offers Lake living at its finest with gorgeous lake view and lakefront homes at the Lake of the Ozarks. The development boasts an exquisite clubhouse with heated indoor pool and outdoor pool and hot tub for entertaining family and friends. Nearby is the new Woods Supermarket, lake front restaurants and just 6 minutes from Camdenton via the improved Highway 5.
