WESTLAND, Mich. –– With turkey at the center of Thanksgiving, it's easy to overlook the myriad oddities that make it a unique holiday Americans love. But if we look beyond the hours spent on meal preparation involved and the debates between white and dark meat, what might we find? We did a little fact hunting and came up with six reasons Thanksgiving isn't your average American holiday. From turkey trivia to historical holiday moments, these facts will change how you look at Thanksgiving.
1. The first TV dinners were Thanksgiving leftovers.
In 1953, Swanson had over 260 tons of frozen turkey leftover from Thanksgiving. To use up these leftovers, the company scooped turkey, potatoes, peas, and corn-bread into aluminum trays. The meals could be frozen and heated when ready to be consumed, and the concept of families eating around the dinner table was forever changed.2. The first Thanksgiving football game.
The history of Thanksgiving football originates with the Detroit Lions, who hosted the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day in 1934. The Lions lost 19–16, which isn't surprising by today's standards, though they were a second-place team in 1934. Today, only two NFL teams––the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys––host Thanksgiving football games each year, while a third game with no fixed opponents shifts between the rest of the NFL teams each year.3. Tryptophan in turkey doesn't make you sleepy.
It's not the tryptophan in Turkey that is making you sleepy, it's your potatoes––and every other side dish replete with carbohydrates. Eating a huge plate of simple carbs and washing it down with alcohol will make you want to take a post-meal nap, but turkey won't.4. A turkey can grow to be the size of a large dog.
The heaviest turkey ever served on Thanksgiving was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog. However, this is uncommon, as most turkeys weigh in at 11–24 pounds. We're still trying to figure out how someone fits an 86-pound turkey in their oven.5. Americans consume 690 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving, the turkey takes center stage in American homes, so it's not surprising the nation consumes 690 million pounds of it in one holiday. To give you an idea of how much turkey that is, imagine the weight of 172,500 new Ford cars.6. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days.
Americans generally take one day to celebrate Thanksgiving, unless you count the weekend after as a continuation of that celebration. Either way, today's Thanksgiving holiday doesn't hold a candle to the pilgrims' celebration. Over the course of three days, new inhabitants of American partook in plenty of good eating, games, dancing, and shooting to celebrate their arrival.
When you're at the table with family and friends for Turkey Day this November, test their holiday knowledge and see if they're aware of these six reasons Thanksgiving isn't your average American holiday. If you're traveling for Thanksgiving this year, make sure you plan accordingly and use our Thanksgiving travel tips to avoid traffic. Stop by our dealership to take car of any car repair or auto service your vehicle may need.
North Brothers Ford, located at 33300 Ford Rd Westland, MI 48185, is proud to be one of the premier dealerships in Southeast Michigan committed to exceptional customer service! Stop by or give us a call at (888) 806-7163, our knowledgeable sales team will be happy to help!
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