BET YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH THE BIGGEST TURKEY EVER WEIGHED… OR HOW FAST A WILD TURKEY CAN RUN.
Everyone at our THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION will have the answers, and more.
You may want to share this opportunity with your guests, as well. (See ???? and answers below)
In my family, just before almost any celebration, we take a few moments to talk about whatever holiday we are celebrating… and why. This feels like a ritual to me mostly because my kids have come to expect it.
All families have RITUALS. Organized religion can provide a framework with built in repetitive traditions. In their absence, other rituals may take on even greater importance. (Think bed-time stories, Sunday morning hug-fests or a hike after a large meal like the one usually served on Thanksgiving.)
These are the things most likely to be remembered.
A RITUAL is a routine… with meaning; Everyone gets some comfort from repetition.
Children especially, love the familiar expectations that come from holidays such as THANKSGIVING. And adults, recognize the value of using the holidays to reinforce the importance of family and community as well as transferring positive values to their kids. All in the name of “LOVE”.
So for Thanksgiving this year, along with the turkey, the trimmings and dessert, including Annabel and Aidan’s pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookies, we will share:
RANDOM FUN-FACTS ABOUT THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
1.How many millions of turkeys do you think Americans will eat today?
Answer. 46 million
2. Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
Answer: The pilgrims of Plymouth had enjoyed an especially good harvest in the fall of 1621. In honor of their good fortune, they planned a giant meal to celebrate and give thanks for all the food.
3.Who do you think came to that first Thanksgiving party?
Answer: 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wam-pan-oag Indians. The party lasted for three days
4. Why do you think were there no forks used to eat the first Thanksgiving meal?
Answer: Forks weren’t invented yet. The meal was eaten with Knives and spoons. Forks weren’t until 10 years later and didn’t become popular until more than 5o years later.
5. How much do you think the heaviest turkey on record has been?
Answer: According to the Guiness Book of Records, the fattest turkey ever, weighed 86 pounds/
6. How much do you think the average turkey for Thanksgiving weighs?
Answer: 15 pounds.
7. How much do you think our turkey weighed today?
Answer: 23 pounds
8. The people in which state eat the most turkey?
Answer: California
9.. What do you think was served at the first Thanksgiving?
Answer: Historians say that no turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving! What was on the menu? Deer or venison, ducks, geese, oysters, lobster, eel and fish. They probably ate pumpkins… but no pumpkin pies. They didn’t eat mashed potatoes or cranberry relish, but they probably ate cranberries.
10. Who did President Obama make the Grand Marshal of the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Disneyland while he was in office?
Answer: A lucky 45 pound turkey named COURAGE, mow called GRAND MARSHAL COURAGE, who was flown into Disneyland. He got “pardoned” to live out his life and not be eaten.
11. How fast do you think wild turkeys can run?
Answer: twenty miles an hour… when they are scared.
12. How fast do you think fat turkeys who sit around and wait to be eaten on Thanksgiving, can run?
Answer: Not very fast at all. Nobody really knows that answer.
13.What are female turkeys called
Answer: Hens
14. Do female turkeys gobble?
Answer: Nooo! Only male turkeys gobble.
15. What do you think is the best part of Thanksgiving?
Answer: Some say “lots of good food.” Most people just love that we all can get together to celebrate. Some people say “football games.”
16. Speaking of football games, How did the tradition of watching football on Thanksgiving start?
Answer: The NFL started the Thanksgiving Classic games in 1920 and since then the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted games onThanksgiving. In 2006, a third game was added with different teams hosting.
P. S. I’d love to hear how this fun-fact sharing was received by your family!
Email Dr. Linda
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Happy Thanksgiving, Linda,
Our family will share in your fun facts this Thanksgiving, albeit in three separate locations. We will all be together the week before New Year’s and the twins’ 17th birthday.
To add one funny to your list: from a friend;
Why did the turkey join the band?
He had the drumsticks. 😁
Best wishes to you and your family 💞
Linda T