Thanksgiving is a time for feasting, family reunions and giving thanks. It’s about “sharing and caring,” added eighth grader Anish Maddipoti. Here are some interesting facts about Thanksgiving.

The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate Thanksgiving. The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, organized the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621. He invited the friendly neighboring Wampanoag Natives. The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days. Lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast.  

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States? That doesn’t stop nearly 280 million turkeys from being sold for Thanksgiving celebrations. Each year, the average American eats somewhere between 16-18 pounds of turkey. Surprisingly, Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States each year.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.  In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that Thanksgiving would take place on November 23rd rather than November 30th. The president was trying to spur economic growth and extend the Christmas shopping season. However, Congress passed a law on December 26, 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. Although Thanksgiving is widely considered an American holiday, it is also celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada.  

As you can see, there is more to Thanksgiving and its history than just eating turkey and being thankful!