Happy Thanksgiving! How will you be celebrating the holiday? Everyone has their own traditions that make Thanksgiving special, but how close are these traditions to the first celebration of Thanksgiving? In the Boston Metro area, we are lucky to live in an area with such rich history surrounding this wonderful holiday. Here are some facts about Thanksgiving that may surprise you!
- The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted 3 days.
- There may not have been turkey at the first Thanksgiving! Mashed potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie weren’t on the menu either. Lobster, rabbit, deer, fish, squash, beans are some of the foods that were most likely served.
- Thanksgiving hasn’t always been on the fourth Thursday in November – In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared that Thanksgiving would take place on the last Thursday in November. In 1939, President Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an effort to spur economic growth and extend the Christmas shopping season. Finally, in 1941, Congress decided that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.
- President Harry Truman was the first to pardon a turkey, and every President since has carried on that tradition.
- Thanksgiving was not celebrated annually until 1863, when Abraham Lincoln declared it a holiday after many years of campaigning lead by Sarah Josepha Hale. Hale is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
- Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be the turkey, but Thomas Jefferson chose the bald eagle.
What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? As a commercial real estate agent in Boston’s Metro area, it is my pleasure to share interesting holiday information with you. I hope that you will have a happy Thanksgiving, surrounded by friends and family.
Jay Nuss
Jay Nuss Realty Group, LLC
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