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The Surprisingly Strange History of Thanksgiving (and Other Turkey Day Trivia)

Impress your dinner guests with these surprising stories, from how eels were served at the first Thanksgiving to the time that Mikhail Gorbachev cut a Pizza Hut ad on Thanksgiving Day.

Pocket Collections

Alex Dalenberg

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Dig into this collection of fascinating Thanksgiving reads while you’re waiting for dinner to cook.

Image by KaLi_ua/Getty Images

The Invention of Thanksgiving

Massacres, myths, and the making of the great November holiday.

What Was on the Menu at the First Thanksgiving?

The history of the holiday meal tells us that turkey was always the centerpiece, but other courses have since disappeared.

In America, There Was a Time When Even ‘Thanksgiving’ Was a Fightin’ Word

In the runup to the Civil War, there was strong resistance in the South toward Thanksgiving itself.

How the ‘Mother of Thanksgiving’ Lobbied Abraham Lincoln to Proclaim the National Holiday

The author of the children’s poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb” was persistent in arguing that establishing the national November holiday could help heal wounds from the Civil War.

Thanksgiving Used to Look a Lot Like Halloween, Except More Racist

Before trick-or-treating came along, there was “Thanksgiving masking” and “Ragamuffin Day.”

How Advertising Shaped Thanksgiving as We Know It

At one point, turkey was jockeying with duck and chicken for king of the Thanksgiving table.

This Raccoon Could Have Been a President’s Thanksgiving Meal. It Became a White House Pet Instead

This was, first lady Grace Coolidge later wrote, “no ordinary raccoon.”

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dates Back to the 1900s

Tofu turkey was created in 1990, but some Americans celebrated Thanksgiving with veggie dishes over a century ago.

For Years, Republican and Democratic States Held Separate Thanksgivings

Before Friendsgiving, there was Franksgiving.

The Long, Absurd History of Presidential Turkey Pardonings

Come on a trip through America’s second-most absurd tradition, right after the Electoral College.

Mikhail Gorbachev’s Pizza Hut Thanksgiving Miracle

In 1997, the former Soviet leader needed money, and Pizza Hut needed a spokesman. Greatness ensued.

The Great Thanksgiving Game That Wasn’t

In 1920, two Chicago teams faced off in a ‘loser leaves town’ battle that changed football forever – even if it never actually happened.

Talking Turkey! How the Thanksgiving Bird Got Its Name (and Then Lent It to Film Flops)

From ‘turkey trot’ to ‘going cold turkey,’ the centerpiece to many Thanksgiving dinners has lent its name to many things. But it also borrowed its name from elsewhere.

The Story Behind Thanksgiving's Most Polarizing Dish

Explore the history of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and the case for using controversial but beloved canned cranberry sauce for your celebration.

The Mysterious Origin Story Of Thanksgiving Turducken

A turducken is a cooked turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a duck. But although it's a relatively recent American dish, its history goes back centuries.

Horns Aplenty: The Ancient Greek Origins of the Cornucopia

Long before Americans made it about Thanksgiving, the cornucopia invoked magic goats and god-bulls.

Why Turkey Prices Drop at Thanksgiving — When the Demand Is Highest

Typically, when demand for a product goes up, so does the price. But at Thanksgiving, when demand for turkeys is at its highest, turkey prices drop. Our Planet Money team looks into this mystery.

Why ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ Is the Ultimate Thanksgiving Movie

How John Hughes made a 1987 buddy comedy/road movie that doubles as a rare Turkey Day classic.