Thanksgiving 2017: Fun Facts For Turkey Day

HOUSTON, TX — Thanksgiving day is the one American holiday where the entire thought process is devoted to eating until you pass out as the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions, or some other NFL team runs hither and yon across the grassy field for 60 minutes.

We know about the turkey and stuffing, and the gravy and potatoes, and of course the pie.

But most don't think about the things they don't know about America's first holiday, and there is a ton of cool Thanksgiving Fun Facts fro WalletHub.com that is just sitting there, waiting for your to randomly use.

For instance, most of us learned early in our childhood that the Pilgrims came here aboard the Mayflower, and came ashore at Plymouth Rock in 1620,and it ind of stopped right there.

These days, we also know or think we know,or just have an opinion that:

• The Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving Day
• There are at least two parades in TV before any of the games begin.
• Fried Turkey is awesome.
• That someone will make the same green bean casserole they always make.
• That hardly anyone will eat the sweet potatoes and cranberries.
• You will be stuffed and asleep before 3 p.m., if you feast early.

But you didn't know Thanksgiving was not always a national holiday.

Seriously, you did not.

In fact, it was President Abraham Lincoln who in October 1863 proclaimed the day of feasting a national holiday.

Here are a few more cool facts about Turkey Day you may not know:

• 1989 was the first year a president officially pardoned a turkey. Thank You Bush 41.
• There are four towns in the U.S. with the word “Turkey” in them: Turkey Creek, Arizona; Turkey City, Texas; Turkey Creek Village, Louisiana; Turkey Town, North Carolina.
• The average Thanksgiving meal has 4,500 calories. To burn it all off would take more than 10 hours on a treadmill.
• The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal that feeds 10 people: $49.78
• Tamales instead of Turkey? In Texas maybe, but outside of the Lone Star State, 70 percent of Americans would say no way, Jose.

Family is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast, along with the turkey of course, 39 percent of Americans think a properly prepared bird makes the meal perfect, while others salivate over stuffing, pumpkin pie or the mashed potatoes.

One thing is for sure, Americans know it was a great meal when there are plenty of leftovers.

Check the handy list of Thanksgiving trivia here.

Image: Getty Images

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