Thanksgiving Day is an amalgamation of three major activities: spending time with friends and family, enjoying football, and downing an extravagant feast. However, there's so much more to the holiday than a table all jampacked with mouthwatering Thanksgiving dinner that you'll happily have thirds of. A holiday like Thanksgiving that is so rich in history it's essential to know some of the facts you don't know about! If you are interested in learning some of the longstanding traditions and facts about the holiday, then you are about to unravel some of the many interesting facts associated with Thanksgiving!
Whether you are eagerly waiting for your mom to serve up some pumpkin pie recipe or feuding with your sibling over who gets the last bite of leftover stuffing, your day can become so much better with Thanksgiving Day facts! Thanksgiving is a blend of facts and myths: Some so-called origins of our rituals lack evidence, while many parts of the holiday have become solely commercialized. Here's a list of facts about Thanksgiving that we bet you didn't know about!

Do you know, A town Canceled Thanksgiving?

A frigid spell of cold weather in October led to the Connecticut River freezing, so settlers couldn't get their usual liquid sugar shipped timely from across the pond. Thus, the people in the area decided to cancel Thanksgiving celebrations for a week in 1705. The whole incident was so iconic that Rose Mill Powers actually wrote a poem on it in July 1908.

"Jingle Bells" Was Initially A Thanksgiving Day Song

"Jingle Bells" is about dashing across the snow to celebrate Thanksgiving, not Christmas! Shocker! Right? Before becoming a Christmas song, "Jingle Bells" was an 1857 song titled "One Horse Open Sleigh," and its composer, James Pierpont, deliberately made it a Thanksgiving Day song. But it became all rage around December 25 in 1859 the title was changed to "Jingle Bells" and the rest is history!

Every Year, Around 46 Million Turkeys Are Cooked!

On Thanksgiving Day, turkey is constant! So, 46 million turkeys being cooked on Thanksgiving is not a shocker! Although not all Americans celebrate the day, there are still millions of people who gather around with their families and devour one of the most memorable meals of the year! And for those who are unsatisfied with only one day of it, you get another chance to cook a turkey on Christmas! On that note, If you are new to the cooking world and want to try your hand at baking turkey for a holiday, don't fret! You can find a bunch of recipes on DayBreakWeekly. Plus, by using Thanksgiving voucher codes, you can get hefty discounts on all the ingredients you need to make the juiciest, most delicious turkey ever!

Historians Have No Evidence of Turkey Being Eaten on Thanksgiving

The first ever Thanksgiving Day meal happened in 1621 and lasted for three days dedicated to the celebration. Albeit turkey was available in abundance in the realm and a regular food source, it's probable that it wasn't actually the star of the holiday season and other "fowling" was served for the occasion. Instead, "swans, geese and ducks" are believed to have been served to the English settlers and Native Americans.

President Jefferson Refused to Declare Thanksgiving a Holiday

Presidents originally had to announce Thanksgiving as a holiday each year, up until Lincoln made it a national holiday in his tenure. However, Thomas Jefferson was adamant and refused to declare the event because he believed in the separation of church and state. Since Thanksgiving involved prayer and reflection, he thought designating it as a national holiday would contravene the First Amendment. He also believed it was better suited as a state holiday, not a federal one.

Colonists and Native American Didn't opt For Turkey

The colonist and Native Americans did not have turkey on the first Thanksgiving! Yes, it's true that today, you can't even think of striking turkey out of the Thanksgiving food menu, and it is basically the centrepiece of the dinner table. But sadly, there needs to be evidence of whether the turkey was even on the menu back in 1612. However, the guests did indulge in other delicacies like lobster, seal and swan. The Wampanoag also allegedly brought five deer to the celebration. If you also enjoy venison at your table, consider yourself ideally in sync with a time-hallowed tradition.

Many People Enjoy Thanksgiving Leftovers More!

The atmosphere on the T-Day is unlike any other: the kitchen is swarming with last-minute cooking. The dining table is set with the best china set, and a football match is playing on the Television. But according to a poll held in 2015, people enjoy leftovers more than Thanksgiving Dinner. So, don't feel any shame in devouring your leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes and yams because you won't be the only one doing so! In fact, order more ingredients for sidelines from TopVouchersCode to ensure you have enough to eat the next day or the day after! Happy Thanksgiving!