Thanksgiving is a time-honoured American holiday filled with feasts, gatherings, and a sense of gratitude for all of life’s blessings. Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, people celebrate this holiday associated with roasted turkey, spiced pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce. While the meal includes a variety of classic dishes, turkey reigns supreme as the star of the table. But have you ever wondered how this large, gobbling bird came to symbolise one of the most cherished holidays in the United States?
Why Do We Eat Turkey On Thanksgiving?
The roots of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621, when Pilgrim settlers at Plymouth Colony (in modern-day Massachusetts) and members of the Wampanoag tribe shared a meal to celebrate a successful autumn harvest. Though the event is often romanticised as the “First Thanksgiving,” it was simply a routine harvest celebration common in Europe and among Indigenous peoples.
What was served at this three-day feast? The meal included “wild fowl” that the Pilgrims hunted and venison that the Wampanoag brought, according to Plymouth colonist Edward Winslow. Although turkeys lived in the region, historians believe the birds mentioned were most likely ducks or geese.
This modest gathering was very different from the Thanksgiving feast we know today. It wasn’t until the 19th century that Thanksgiving as we know it began to take shape. Because wild turkeys were so common in the Americas by the early 1800s, turkey started to show up on Thanksgiving menus. It was a sensible decision because a single turkey was big enough to feed a family without wasting any leftovers. These qualities made turkeys the ideal centrepiece for a celebratory meal.
The Centerpiece Of America’s Favourite Holiday
The rise of the turkey to Thanksgiving was also influenced by cultural storytelling. A magazine’s editor and writer described a roasted turkey Thanksgiving meal in New England. She also pushed for Thanksgiving to be recognised as a national holiday. Finally, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. By that time, Thanksgiving was already associated with turkey.
Without a turkey at the centre of the table, Thanksgiving would hardly feel complete today. An estimated 46 million turkeys are consumed by Americans every Thanksgiving. Its presence at the table serves as a reminder of the holiday’s roots in unity, abundance, and thankfulness.
So, as you carve into your Thanksgiving turkey this year, savour not just the flavours but also the rich history behind this time-honoured tradition.
Happy Turkey Day!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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