The Origins Of Some Beloved Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving will be celebrated on November 28 this year (Credit: Emma Howard/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ Flckr)

Thanksgiving, celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November, is one of the most anticipated holidays in the United States. The tradition dates back to a harvest feast shared by early European settlers and Native Americans in 1621. The holiday, which will be observed on November 28 this year, is centered around delicious food and various fun traditions. Here is a brief history of how some of these customs began.

Turkey and cranberry sauce

The inaugural feast is thought to have featured geese. However, today's Thanksgiving dinners are centered around turkey. Some historians believe turkeys were chosen because they were cheaper and easier to raise than geese or chickens.

Turkey is the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving meals (Credit: Freepik/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

The idea of pairing the bird with cranberry sauce is believed to be the brainchild of General Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War Union leader ordered the condiment to be served to soldiers as part of their holiday meal in 1864.

Turkey trots

Many Americans start Thanksgiving morning by participating in fun runs known as "turkey trots." The first turkey trot was started in 1896 by six friends in Buffalo, New York. Now in its 128th year, it is North America's oldest consecutive footrace. This 5-mile (8 km) event draws over 14,000 runners each year and also serves as a fundraiser.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1924 to celebrate the opening of the company’s new store in New York City. It was initially intended as a one-time event. However, the parade was so popular that Macy's made it an annual tradition. This popular event now attracts over 3.5 million spectators in person and more than 50 million television viewers worldwide.

Football

The Detroit Lions (in blue) began the Thanksgiving Day NFL game tradition (Credit: Dave Hogg/ CC-BY-2.0/ Wikimedia Commons)

Thanksgiving football games were started by the American Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA) in 1876 to draw attention to college football. The Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) adopted the tradition in 1934 to attract more local fans to live games. Their first match against the Chicago Bears sold out two weeks in advance. Since then, the Lions have played every Thanksgiving except during World War II (1939-1945). The Dallas Cowboys joined the tradition in 1966, and the two games have since become a beloved holiday ritual.